BELGRADE, April 28. /TASS/. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has promised the Serbs that the country will not join NATO as long as he remains the head of state.

"Serbia today is one of the few countries with its own policies. It’s independent and free-thinking," Vucic said while addressing a crowd of local residents in Sokobanja on Friday. "As long as I am president, and this will [last] another four years, and as the commander-in-chief, I guarantee you that Serbia will not join NATO or any other military bloc."

"Serbia will painstakingly maintain its military neutrality and defend its freedom on its own. This is our choice," Vucic concluded.

Earlier, Vucic stressed that Western representatives in their calls on Serbia to join NATO were referring to a global threat from Russia. Vucic stated separately that his country could not join the alliance because "NATO threatened" Belgrade. In particular, he added that it was representatives of the West that "intruded into Serbia's territory" and were killing its people.