Serbia needs unity, Vucic says after meeting with BIA officials

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday he had met with Security Information Agency (BIA) officials to discuss an announcement the US and some other countries would impose sanctions on Serbia's majority Russian-owned oil company NIS.

"The most important thing for us is to ensure that, despite the enormous problems we are facing, the people do not feel that in any way whatsoever in their living standards, in their business operations and in their everyday lives. We will act accordingly and start talks with both the Americans and the Russians and everyone else as early as tomorrow," Vucic said in a video published on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

He said hybrid threats to Serbia had also been discussed with the BIA and that unity was needed more than ever.

"Accordingly, we also discussed hybrid threats and that is why I want to say that Serbia needs unity more than ever, that it is important for us to keep pushing our country forward and to try to become the country with the highest growth rate next year, to do all we can, focus on success and the future. That is why I also ask all our students and their professors to return to the lecture halls and amphitheatres and do what their responsibility and their commitment is. They had demands, the demands have been met. They are the ones who have got what they wanted and asked for," Vucic said.

"On top of all that, I must say it is tremendously important that we represent our country in a good and intelligent way in Brussels this week, to fight for its interests. And, most importantly of all, to finish this year with the most investments in Serbia's history. And we expect around 4.7 bln euros, which is an additional indicator of how good a place for investing Serbia is, how good a place Serbia is for business, and that the country is moving forward. Serbia must not and will not stop. That is why it is important that we unite under one, and the most beautiful, tricolour flag in the world - the red, blue and white one," Vucic noted.

"United, Serbia can do everything. That is why I call on young people, their parents and all citizens, that we build the future of our Serbia together," Vucic concluded.