Serbian Ministry of Economy calls for sanctions against Russia

Serbian Minister of Economy Rade Basta called for sanctions against Russia, because. the country pays a “high price” for their failure to comply. About this he wrote on your Twitter account.

“Our country is already paying a high price for not imposing sanctions on Russia, and it is becoming bankrupt. As economy minister, I cannot accept the pressure being put on Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

According to the minister, in “the conflict of the great, small states always suffer.” According to him, the country counted on the resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but now he does not see the end of the conflict. The minister stressed that restrictions were also imposed against the country, the population suffered from economic consequences, so Serbia did not want to join the anti-Russian sanctions.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova named the minister’s position is “strange”. In her opinion, in case of joining the sanctions against Russia, the pressure on the Serbian economy will only increase. “America puts pressure on Serbia, and the Serbian minister calls to oppose Russia. <...> Russia, unlike the United States, has always respected Serbia and its people,” Zakharova said.

The military operation of Russia in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. After it began, the authorities of the United States, the European Union, Great Britain, and others imposed large-scale sanctions against the Russian Federation and began to provide military assistance to Ukraine. The Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized the supply of weapons to Kyiv, noting that in this way Western countries become parties to the conflict.

Serbia refused to impose anti-Russian sanctions, but the Serbian authorities emphasized that Belgrade stands for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Mid-December 2022 Vucic declaredthat Serbia would impose restrictions only if its vital interests were threatened.