Vucic: Pristina wants to banish Serbia, Serbs from Kosovo-Metohija forever

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that, even if the current situation in Kosovo-Metohija calmed down, something new would happen in 15 to 30 days as Pristina's goal was to banish Serbia and "disobedient Serbs" from Kosovo-Metohija forever.

That is why the Serbs are being criminalised, Vucic told reporters after a meeting with Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"Considering the geopolitical situation and their desire to crush us due to the situation with Russia and Ukraine, you should have no doubt that this will continue. I am not sure we will be able to overcome that because we are talking to someone who is willing to hear no arguments."

Pristina should not be arresting people just because it does not like them, he said.

He said discussions were underway with international representatives.

"We are trying to preserve and ensure peace and reach a compromise solution," he said, adding that threats by Pristina PM Albin Kurti were "hysterical".

He said he had spoken with Kosovo-Metohija Serbs last night and added that he was ready to go to Raska or Kursumlija for further discussions with them to ensure they spent Christmas at their homes.

Vucic noted that Pristina as well as a part of the international community needed the Serbs expelled from Kosovo-Metohija as that was the only way they thought the problem could be solved.

He noted that, in addition to threats from Pristina, the West was making threats, too, and saying "you are running out of time - if you do not do what needs to be done, we will let Kurti do it all."