Serbian minister defends country’s commitment to sanctions against Russia

Serbian Economy Minister Rade Basta this Monday defended his country’s commitment to Western sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine, becoming the first member of the Serbian government to demonstrate in support of the crackdown.

“Our country is already paying a high price for not imposing sanctions on Russia, and this is becoming unbearable,” Rade Basta told the FoNet news agency.

The head of the economic portfolio in Serbia recalled that his country is under strong pressure from the West to adhere to the sanctions, and asked all members of the government to comment on this issue.

Rade Basta referred to the fact that Belgrade decided not to follow these measures, as it expected that the war would not last long.

However, he now stressed that “the situation is getting more complicated every day.”

Serbia, with a population of about 6.7 million, is a candidate for membership in the European Union (EU), which is also where the vast majority of growing foreign investment in the Balkan country comes from.

So far, Belgrade has refused to adhere to the sanctions imposed on Russia, a traditional ally, although it condemned Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine and expressed support for the territorial integrity of the attacked state.

Moscow, which, like Belgrade, does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, is an uncompromising defender of Serbian interests in international forums.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić recently said he could not “swear” his country would never impose sanctions on Russia, noting that Serbia’s position on the issue has so far been firm.

The Russian military offensive on the territory of Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022, plunged Europe into the most serious security crisis since the Second World War (1939-1945).