Vucic: When state is in jeopardy, we must be united

KRAGUJEVAC - When the state and its foundations are in jeopardy amid a difficult global situation, the most important thing is that we are together and united in our desire to protect the state, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday.

"And this has nothing to do with political parties, but with the essence of the Serbs and all other citizens of Serbia and their understanding that we have something that is sacred - our country, Serbia. And we have nothing that is more sacred," Vucic told a group of citizens who greeted him outside the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Old Assembly building in Kragujevac, central Serbia, before a ceremony marking February 15, Serbia's Statehood Day.

There must be no games or adventurism - we need a serious and responsible approach, which means maintaining peace and stability, because we will need children in the future, Vucic noted.

Vucic visited the church, built by Prince Milos Obrenovic in 1818, when he declared Kragujevac the capital of Serbia.

Here, in the area from Orasac to Kragujevac, is where the Serbian state was born, he said.

"The birth of every state and the fight for statehood is adventurism in a way, but when you do have a state, then you never again have the right to adventures, but cherish and protect the state and do not give it away to anyone. Serbia created its statehood here and defeated the Ottoman Empire in the first uprisings in Europe. Here, it created the first modern European constitution east of the River Rhine," he said.

"Today, Serbia has no right to play games and treat its state in an irresponsible or unserious way. A state is always the people above all, as well as its institutions, a state's ability to pursue its policy independently without external pressures and a state's ability to make decisions and to fight for its vital interests," Vucic said.