Serbian President Aleksandar Vuçiq today asked his government to establish a working group that will do everything possible to prevent Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe and commit to preventing the adoption of a resolution in the UN General Assembly on the genocide in Srebrenica. He said that he will discuss these issues with world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he is expected to meet on Monday, to discuss, among other things, the strengthening of cooperation in the field of the defense industry. Vuçiq, called an extraordinary meeting of the Serbian government to discuss what he said were the "serious challenges" facing Serbia, as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is expected to vote on Kosovo's membership on April 15, and then the matter moves to the Council of the Ministers of this mechanism.

Last week, the Committee for Politics and Democracy gave the green light to Kosovo's request for membership in the Council of Europe. Serbia voted against, although in the agreement reached a year ago in Brussels and Ohrid, both sides have pledged not to hinder each other in the integration processes. Although he emphasized that "Serbia's chances" are few, he asked to fight to make Kosovo's membership impossible and that the main argument should be "not establishing the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority". The Serbian president said he will go to New York, where the next meeting of the UN Security Council on Kosovo is being held on April 22, and to continue efforts to secure support against the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution. for the genocide in Srebrenica.

Over 8.000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were executed in Srebrenica in July 1995 by Serb forces. Serbia, a candidate to join the European Union that has one of the largest armies in the Balkans, still relies on Soviet aircraft such as MiG-29 jets and MI-35 helicopters, along with Russian missiles and tanks. It has also bought Chinese anti-aircraft missiles and military drones. The country remains militarily neutral, but it joined NATO's Partnership for Peace program, tailored for countries that do not aspire to join the alliance. In January, Vuçiq said Serbia will spend about 740 million euros on new military equipment in 2024. Belgrade is holding talks to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France, he said. Belgrade limited military cooperation with Moscow after Russia launched its aggression in Ukraine and has condemned the aggression. But, unlike the EU and other Western countries, it has not imposed sanctions on Moscow. /VoA