BELGRADE, June 28. /TASS/. Serbia will continue to not sanction Russia despite the statement made by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell that such a position could put the country’s EU membership in jeopardy, the republic’s vice-premier Aleksandar Vulin said.
"The requirement to impose sanctions against Russia has been added to the laundry list of conditions that Serbia has to fulfill for EU membership. In exchange for saying goodbye to our oldest friend they would open some chapter for us [in the entry talks], while later in another chapter a requirement to abolish Republika Srpska (Entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina - TASS) will waiting for us, and when we accept that the 35th chapter will follow requiring recognition of the so-called Kosovo," Vilun was quoted as saying in a statement published by the Movement of Socialists party, which he heads.
"Serbia is an independent and free country, which can hardly be said about most EU members. Due to this the country will not impose sanctions against the Russian Federation and it will not lose a friend that has stayed by Serbia’s side for centuries. If the EU needs Serbia at least as much as Moldova, let them stop demanding that we do things we cannot do," he noted.
On June 24, Borrell told a press conference following the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxemburg that maintaining ties with Russia is detrimental to Serbia's hopes to join the EU, so the republic needs to do an about face with its foreign policy and align with the EU.