Von Cramon for The Geopost: Vucic should be clear that we are with Ukraine, the quite a large proportion of Serbian population is nationalist and they support Russia

The MEP of the European Parliament, Viola von Cramon, in an interview for The Geopost, says that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic must make sure that the majority is in support of Ukraine.

Von Cramon added that the Russian military aggression against Ukraine has shaken the entire European continent.

“Of course, the terrible Russian aggression against Ukraine is shaking the entire European continent, the countries of the Western Balkans are also affected by the increase in energy prices, by the collapse of the economy, by security threats,” von Cramon said.

The rapporteur for Kosovo in this institution emphasizes that despite the creation of the new government in Belgrade, Aleksandar Vucic is the one who takes all the decisions and rules the entire country.

She claims that the former Serbian Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandar Vulin, is clearly a pro-Putin puppet.

“We’ll see, in the end it’s Aleksandar Vucic who makes the decisions, he’s ruling the country. Aleksandar Vulin was clearly a pro-Putin puppet, he constantly attacked me, but can you take him seriously?”, she claims.

“I can’t, because in the end, my impression is that Serbia would also like to become a member, but they have a fairly large percentage of their population, who are nationalists and support Russia,” concludes von Cramon.

Full interview

The Geopost: Eight months have passed since the Russian aggression in Ukraine, how is it influencing Europe and especially Balkans?

Of course the terrible Russian aggression on Ukraine is shaking entire continent, the western Balkan countries are also affected by increasing energy prices, by tumbling the economy, by security threats. Kosovo is a traumatized society, I do understand why people here are much more affected, much more nervous when they see the pictures of women fleeing, kids are affected, people become soldiers, that does a lot with the region and with a country such is Kosovo, so I see there is a lot of going on in terms of financial impact, in terms of society effects and we have to stay in solidarity. We need from each state here a clear commitment where they stay, Serbia included.

And that is why is so important on this UN resolution, on other resolutions, that all the countries who would like to become members of European Union, who strive for that, have a clear commitment according to sanctions, according to other EU requests, but also on the clear common foreign and security policy.

The Geopost: How does the EU look at the new Serbian government; do you believe it is more pro-west or pro-east?

Well, we will see, in the end it is Vucic who takes the decisions, he is ruling the country, rather it does not matter. Vulin was clearly pro-Putin puppet, he was constantly attacking me, but can you take them seriously?

I can’t, because in the end still my impression is that also Serbia would like to become a member, but they have quite a large proportion of their population, rather being nationalistic and support Russia.

Is that the majority, I don’t think so, but Vucic has to make sure that the majority understands why we need to be in support of Ukraine, why we need to deliver weapons, why we have to stay together and why he has to align with also with common foreign and security policy.

The Geopost: A message to the people of Balkan for this winter?

For this winter I think we are all suffering, we will all suffer, energy prices are high, but don’t give up, for me this is important and I am very proud that the Western Balkans took the way, they want to become a member and we as friends of the Western Balkans we will support you in this endeavor. /The Geopost/