Vucic: Cluster 3 to be opened, respect given to Serbia more important

BRUSSELS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday Cluster 3 in Serbia's EU accession talks would quite certainly be opened in late January or early February but that a positive signal and respect given to Serbia in Brussels were much more important.

"To be completely frank - we will open Cluster 3 at the end of January or at the beginning of February. But the signal Serbia was given here - respect - is much more important than that," Vucic said in response to questions from reporters after a European People's Party-Western Balkans summit in Brussels.

He said the number of countries opposing the opening of the cluster had shrunk from eight to two, and added that he expected the issue to be resolved.

"The atmosphere here is good. I regret that some in Pristina, and in Belgrade, tried to erode Serbia's reputation and worked hard to knock down Serbia's position, but they failed," he said.

He added that the EPP summit had been good and that speakers included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Mezzola and EPP leader Manfred Weber.

"I spoke on behalf of Serbia, and I was especially thankful for the words of (Greek PM) Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President (Nikos) Christodoulides, who requested and demanded not only that Serbia be treated better, but that clusters be opened more quickly. I am also grateful to all others who listened to what we had to say, we also discussed geopolitical challenges, the problems the world is facing today," Vucic said.

He added that he had spoken with Weber as well as with several representatives from countries including Finland, Ireland and states in the region.

Vucic also noted that he was grateful to von der Leyen for speaking well of Serbia.