13:42, 29.12.2015.

Belgrade increasingly count on the support of Moscow following a request from the outside to soften attitude towards Pristina and tougher line towards Banja Luka

BELGRADE - Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, although still aims to join the EU in following years is more and more inclined towards Russia and is trying to establish with that country even closer ties, some analysts estimate. As they explain, this course is particularly due to increasingly open demands of the West that Serbia softens stance towards Kosovo and a tougher course for towards the Serbian Republic.

That official Belgrade is turning towards Russia was hinted during last two months, when Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic with ministers and numerous business delegation went to visit Moscow. On that occasion, were announced a number of projects, including military cooperation and the purchase of weapons. Furthermore, Vucic announced yesterday the cooperation with Moscow in several areas, but also the arrival of Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin Dime in early January, and in April of the Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.

- Everything is on the table, in all areas of social life are open questions of our cooperation. So, from industry, agriculture, culture, until, I would say - I do not know whether it really belongs to the military cooperation - rebuild Russian helicopters, which were until recently operated by NATO countries, the Czech Republic and Poland. If we manage to reach that agreement, it will be of huge importance for Serbia - said Vucic.

Also, the prime minister made clear and that "the Government of Serbia will never publicly speak out against the RS or RS to publicly speak out against Serbia."

Changes relations

For all this, the leading Serbian officials almost do not even conceal that they were under pressure during the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, and President Tomislav Nikolic openly said he will ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo if it wants the EU.

Analyst Dragomir Andjelkovic said that Serbia during the rule of Boris Tadic largely spoiled relations with Russia, and that the current government is trying to change that.

- The government is trying to make a balance and that the relationship between the EU and Serbia USA and Russia to be balanced. So far, Serbia has increasingly been facing the EU, if you look at the percentages, about 70 percent was turned towards Brussels in relation to Russia, and now it is changing - says Andjelkovic.

Vladislav Jovanovic, former foreign minister of the FRY, says that Serbia leads the foreign policy so that it still does not deny Putin.
- The fact is that Serbia refreshes cooperation with Russia and does not give up Putin. Why would she do that? Russia is our only support. The US ambassador has recently made a statement about Kosovo that would practically be interpreted as an ultimatum. Next, it was announced that America will procure missiles Croatia, and against whom? Scope of these missiles are to Nis, and are getting louder pressures and weakening RS occasion - he says.

Problematic moves

Director of the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies Jelena Milic warns that all these moves can be problematic in relations with Brussels.
- You need to check whether all this in cooperation with the Individual Action Plan for NATO and EU compliant, chapter 31, which relates to the common security defense policy. In addition, says the unfair teeter between the Prime Minister and the President, the President is the one who is seen as pro-Russian and pro-Western prime minister as well. However, the prime minister such statements are rapidly losing credibility as a partner in the Brussels agreement - she says.

---

IZAKOVIC

http://www.kurir.rs/vesti/politika/zaokret-u-politici-srbija-se-okrece-rusiji-zbog-pritisaka-zapada-clanak-2076825