Vucic: Pristina must make concessions for Serbs to take part in new elections

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday Pristina must make concessions to ensure Serbs in the north of Kosovo-Metohija participate in new elections there.

"Serbs (in the north of Kosovo-Metohija) are always ready to talk, but you have to offer them something," Vucic told Reuters in an interview.

"All Serbs in the north think of Serbia as their country, not Kosovo. That is the reality," he said.

"We still do not have an association of Serb municipalities, there is still no withdrawal of (the so-called Kosovo's) special police forces and mayors there," he said.

Responding to allegations by Vjosa Osmani, president of the so-called Kosovo, who has accused Serbia of interfering in elections in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, Vucic said "it is terrifying what those people are talking about."

He said Pristina's PM Albin Kurti was not ready for compromise.

"I am sure Kurti will not invest a minute of his time nor a drop of his sweat to find a compromise solution."

He said Serbia would keep its troops on high alert, rather than in full combat readiness, "because that costs a lot."

Vucic also said Serbia was in talks with France about purchasing Rafale combat jets and was seeking to bolster its military further with Western weapons.