The Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, has defended BRICS as an alternative to the European Union for Serbia. He emphasized that the BRICS countries did not impose political conditions like the EU and stressed “cooperation based on respect and neutrality”.
Vulin’s comments underline Serbia’s indecision regarding its ambitions to become a member of the European Union, despite being a candidate.
Vulin described it as a strong alternative to the European Union.
In an interview for the magazine “National Defense”, Vulin said: “I am convinced that Serbia has no place in the EU, at least it has not yet made great efforts to accept us as a full member.”
He emphasized the benefits of BRICS, a bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as six newly added countries, as an opportunity for Serbia to connect with states that “demand nothing and can offer more” than we demand, or better yet, even more than we can bear.
Vulin said that BRICS differs from the EU in that it does not impose political conditions on its members.
He also said that Serbia was not obliged to recognize Kosovo’s independence or “other domestic political changes”.
“They are not asking us to do anything.” Serbia would not impose sanctions on Russia or go to war just to join the EU, he said, adding: “Serbia values cooperation based on mutual respect, neutrality and equality.”
Vulin’s statements reveal Serbia’s true intentions, despite President Aleksandar Vučić claiming that Serbia should join the EU.
Serbia receives the most financial support from the EU, but refuses to adapt to the EU’s foreign policy as it maintains relations with Russia, in whose BRICS bloc it has already openly stated that it is considering joining.
Vulin is sanctioned by the US for corruption and links to Russia, but this has not stopped Vučić from giving him a leading position in the country’s leadership. /The Geopost/