Stefanović: Vučić’s visit to Croatia is risky; Vučić: I come to Zagreb with a message of peace

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojša Stefanović said on Sunday that the upcoming visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to Croatia is “risky,” and he described the publication of his travel route as “an unusual practice.”

Aleksandar Vučić is arriving on Monday for a repeatedly postponed visit to Croatia, at a time of tense relations between the two countries burdened by the heavy legacy of the 1990s war and sensitive issues from World War II.

Stefanović told Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS) that there have been “many problematic things regarding this visit from the beginning.”

>>> Vučić: By raising the issue of war reparations, Croatia cannot gain anything, but can lose a lot

“A terrible atmosphere is being created; you have seen who all in the Croatian public is commenting on our president, who is blamed for saying one sentence – that he would not advise that war reparations be a topic,” said Deputy Prime Minister Stefanović.

He emphasized that Vučić “will not allow anyone to humiliate Serbia.” “For one sentence, they label him a Chetnik, even though he has never been a Chetnik, they label him some kind of criminal, the man has committed no crime,” assessed Stefanović.

>>> Plenković: Vučić’s visit is an opportunity to discuss minority rights and war reparations

He explained why he thinks Vučić’s visit to Croatia is risky. “I am not saying that the host country does not have instruments to reduce the risk, but it simply encourages intolerance and hatred. And then you have a situation where, with the atmosphere you create, you allow people to gather in those places where Vučić will be. It is as if you are inviting some miracle to happen, God forbid,” said the Serbian minister.

When asked whether the president is considering the possibility of canceling or postponing the visit, Vučić’s trusted man in the Serbian Progressive Party asserted that “he (Vučić) is not a man who thinks about the security aspect.”

“It is difficult for me to talk to him about that. He says, ‘My job is to build peace in the region, to fight for the interests of Serbs, for good relations between Serbia and Croatia, I want to do something new with my visit, to achieve some progress,'” said Stefanović.

Vučić: I come to Zagreb with a message of peace

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated on Sunday that he comes to Zagreb with a message of peace and stability and that he is not worried about the campaign welcoming him in the neighboring country.

The Serbian president is arriving on Monday for a repeatedly postponed visit to Croatia, at a time of tense relations between the two countries burdened by the heavy legacy of the 1990s war and sensitive issues from World War II.

The day before his arrival in Zagreb, he told reporters that he “believes in the good intentions” of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, who invited him for a visit.

“I am going to Croatia with the desire to do something together for the future… Peace and stability is my key message, but Serbia will not be weaker for others to be satisfied,” stated Vučić.

>>> Vučić: Those who want to remain in the past, we wish them all the best; Serbia’s policy will not be led by the Government of Croatia

He emphasized that he is not worried about the campaign against him and the protests of veterans’ associations during his two-day visit to Croatia.

“I am not afraid. They will take care of me there; I am not worried, I am not interested in that at all. My job is to care for the people, not for the people to care for me,” emphasized Vučić, adding that his job implies that “he does not react personally, but works in the interest of Serbia and its citizens.”

He will talk in Zagreb with Croatian officials, representatives of Serbs, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Catholic Church in Croatia, and he particularly mentioned the meeting with Cardinal Josip Bozanić as “very important for improving trust between Catholics and Orthodox Christians” and for better relations between the two churches.

Among bilateral topics, he mentioned the unresolved border, the fate of the missing in the war, the attitude of both countries towards minorities, strengthening economic relations, and joint infrastructure projects.

>>> Krstičević: Vučić is welcome in Croatia, but first I expect an apology

Vučić stated that he “does not flatter anyone, and certainly will not flatter the Croatian leadership,” which, especially Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, announces that it wants to discuss war reparations, Belgrade media report.

The Serbian president emphasized that there are no taboo topics for Serbia and announced that Plenković will receive “a responsible and serious response.”

“I am just saying that he will receive a serious and responsible response from the Serbian side, and we have no problem opening any topic,” stated the president of Serbia.

In response to questions about the atmosphere being created in Croatia ahead of his visit, Vučić replied that he is going to “see and hear everything that needs to be heard.”

He said that he “does not care” if someone calls him a “Chetnik” or a “brazen Chetnik” because “the story about war reparations is a story about a double-edged sword.”

>>> Vučić does not expect miracles from the visit to Croatia, but believes that the talks will be ‘healing’

When asked if any agreement is possible in the atmosphere prevailing in Zagreb, Vučić thanked the journalist for saying that it is an atmosphere in Zagreb, “because in Belgrade, there was no such atmosphere when the President of Croatia came to his inauguration,” reported the Tanjug agency.

Vučić says that Grabar Kitarović was then a “big star” and that this did not bother anyone in Serbia, but rather we were pleased that our neighbors feel good and bring a message of friendship and peace.

“What I said, I mean – that Serbs and Croats in the future have no obstacles to better relations, and the daily-political situation that may be needed by someone, is not needed by me, for any reason…” emphasized Vučić.