Vucic: I will go to Tirana for EU-Western Balkans summit

NIKINCI - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday he would attend an EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana on Tuesday and noted that not going to the conference would cause great damage to Serbia.

Responding to questions from reporters after a military exercise at the Nikinci training range in northern Serbia, Vucic said he had had discussions with aides including Ana Brnabic and Milos Vucevic, as well as with the presidents and PMs of several countries.

He noted that there would be many good conversations in Tirana for Serbian citizens, such as a gradual abolition of mobile roaming charges between EU and Western Balkan states.

"We will have good discussions about that, and we also have the obligation of gratitude, due to the 165 mln euros we will get for the energy sector (from the EU)," Vucic said.

He said he was hoping the trip to Tirana would produce some benefits and noted that not going there would cause great damage to Serbia.

"By not going, I would show that my vanity is greater, but the damage to the country when it comes to attracting investments would also be great," he said.

He said he knew 20 of the participants would start talking about the sanctions on Russia and the Kosovo-Metohija issue in an inappropriate manner, but that his aides might be right in saying it would be better if his response was heard at the summit.

He said he would meet with the PMs of the Netherlands and Belgium and French President Emmanuel Macron during the visit to Tirana.