Vucic: We must look after our economic progress, traditional friendships important

BELGRADE - Aleksandar Vucic, who heads the Aleksandar Vucic-United Serbia electoral list for the October 25 early parliamentary polls in Serbia, said on Thursday Serbia must look after its economic progress and that the economy was closely tied to politics, and noted that, for that reason, too, it was important to maintain traditional friendships.

He noted that Serbia's economic progress could hardly be possible without Chinese friends, or without Russian friends and cheaper energy.

In a video posted on Instagram, in which he showed medals he had received during his tenure as president of Serbia from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vucic said Serbia must focus on the economy, EXPO and accelerated growth.

"The economy is closely tied to politics: stability and peace are hugely important, as is development and progress of economic relations. That is what brings progress to the country and what is pushing the country forward. Therefore, in the coming period, we must focus on the economy, the EXPO, Serbia's accelerated growth, and Serbia must overtake countries that used to be ahead of us for many years, for decades and centuries," Vucic noted.