Vucic: Kurti pulled off good but short-term trick in Brussels

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Pristina's PM Albin Kurti had "pulled off a good but short-term trick" in Brussels on Thursday as he had been the first to meet with European officials, proposing the idea of signing three documents because he had known Belgrade would not accept UN membership and independence for the so-called Kosovo.

"He has tried that before, and it was quite clear yesterday, but I think it cannot happen again. Kurti was the first to meet with representatives of big European powers - France, Germany and Italy - and then with the European Council president and (EU foreign policy and security chief Josep) Borrell and (EU special envoy Miroslav) Lajcak. And he proposed to them an idea: 'Let's sign all three documents,'" Vucic said on Pink TV.

He explained the documents were the second agreement from Brussels, the Ohrid agreement and the latest proposal on a Community of Serb Municipalities, which Belgrade received on October 21.

"Why did he make that proposal? Because it was clear to him Serbia cannot sign that as I have already said that ten times, but he knows leaders of big countries do not know all the details, and he tried to sell that. But, of course, it is a trick because he is not ready to form a Community of Serb Municipalities at all," Vucic said.

He said the documents were about the so-called Kosovo's membership in the UN and the UN system of organisations, institutions and agencies, including Unesco, as well as about the so-called Kosovo's territorial integrity.

"That is what Kurti offered. Today, after all that was going on yesterday, it seems to me it is clear to everyone, but it was a trick supposed to buy him time and give him a few more days," Vucic said.