Vucic: Positions on Russia, Kosovo-Metohija key issues for Serbia's EU accession

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday the positions on Russia and Kosovo-Metohija were the two key issues for Serbia's EU accession.

"Leave everything else aside - whether the laws are like this or like that. Serbia has the capacity to resolve everything else, and it is not a problem," Vucic said on Blic TV.

He added that he knew that excellently as he knew all the leaders of EU member states and because he had had discussions with them.

He noted that six member states were against Serbia's EU accession and that two of them were prominent opponents of the idea.

Vucic said that, on advice from Brussels, he had personally made phone calls to the president of one of the countries and the PM of the other before last December.

He added the president of one of the countries had requested a shutdown of Russian media outlets in Serbia in exchange for support for opening Cluster 3 in Serbia's EU accession talks, but that he had refused to comply.

Asked whether a peace deal for Ukraine would reduce the political pressure on Serbia, Vucic replied: "So much so that you would not believe it."

Vucic: MOL to acquire 56 pct stake in NIS for 900 mln to 1 bln euros

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday Hungary's MOL would acquire a 56 pct stake in the Serbian oil company NIS for 900 mln to 1 bln euros.

In an interview for Blic TV, Vucic said reports that MOL had bought a stake in the company for 1.7-2.5 bln euros were nonsensical.

"The 56 pct stake is (priced at) between 900 mln to 1 bln. We had prepared the money, we prepared 2 bln to pay for it, or to even pay more than that," Vucic said.

He noted that Serbia had good relations with Russia, but added that he did not want to explain why the Russian side had been unwilling to let Serbia pay as much as it had been prepared to and acquire the Russian stake in NIS.

"It is easy to explain that to myself, but I must not explain it to you because I would jeopardise Serbian interests. To me, those reasons are clear, unequivocal and understandable. Whether they are acceptable or not, that is another matter. But, somehow, we cannot quite call them friendly," Vucic noted.