Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has warned that Serbia could become a “European pariah” completely isolated from the rest of the continent and without access to European funds if it rejects a Western plan for normalizing relations with Kosovo.
Vucic made the comments in a speech to parliament on February 2 in which he faced a hostile response from opposition politicians, who accused him of buckling under pressure from the United States and the European Union to agree to the plan.
Vucic said 90 percent of what has been made public about the proposal so far is correct and said there are good things in the plan. But he said that he would discuss only what is worst for Serbia, adding that more important than the plan is "the political framework, the momentum in which everything happens."
Vucic said the plan stipulates that Serbia wouldn’t object to Kosovo’s inclusion in international organizations, though it wouldn’t have to formally recognize its statehood.
He reiterated that the European-American diplomatic team told him during a meeting in Belgrade last month that there will be consequences if Serbia does not accept the plan. This includes the halting of the accession negotiations with the European Union and the withdrawal of current and future investments in the country, he said.
“We would be a European pariah, completely isolated. No one would talk to us," Vucic said. "We would not have access to European funds," adding that it is in Serbia's "vital interest" to stay on a path to EU membership.
He also stated that Serbia would not be seen as an ally in the conflict in Ukraine “due to the fact that Serbia did not impose sanctions on Russia."
Vucic said that Serbia's policy will be to preserve peace and stability at all costs and that Belgrade will continue to back the formation of an association of municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo. Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti has repeatedly rejected the creation of the association, which was part of an earlier agreement between the parties reached in 2013.
During his speech, Vucic was interrupted by members of the right-wing opposition, who engaged in shouting matches and scuffled with members of Vucic’s ruling party as they urged parliament to reject the plan and accused Vucic of betraying Serbia.
Opposition members chanted, “Treason! Treason!” and, “We won’t give up Kosovo.” They also demanded Vucic's resignation.
He responded by shouting at the protesting lawmakers that they are “thieves and traitors” and said capitulation and surrender were not options.
Kosovo broke away from Serbia after a war in 1998-99 and declared independence in 2008, but Belgrade has never recognized it. Belgrade and Pristina have been in an EU-led dialogue on the normalization of relations since 2011.
The dispute between Serbia and Kosovo has been a source of tension in the Balkans since the 1998-99 war, which ended with a NATO bombing campaign. With concern rising about Russia’s influence in the region in the midst of the war in Ukraine, the United States and the European Union recently stepped up efforts to reach a deal to normalize relations.
Vucic said the purpose of the parliamentary session was not to shift the responsibility to the parliament or to the people.
"The purpose is to appear in front of you and the citizens and honestly and openly share what lies ahead and what we are facing," said Vucic. He said he has signed nothing so far and talks on the proposal continue.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke with Vucic ahead of his speech to parliament to thank him for his “openness to the EU proposal to ensure peace and stability in the region.”
Blinken said on Twitter that this is “of essential importance for the European future of Serbia.”