07.03.2020.
Serbian Armed Forces will close the state border if the Supreme Commander Vučić orders so
- Serbian Armed Forces are prepared to carry out each order of the Supreme Commander. Of course, it is ready and fully prepared to hermetically seal our borders if the need for that arises. In cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other security structures we are fully prepared for that, said the Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin in the morning show “Jutro” on TV PRVA.
- Before the migrant crises broke out, we were doing intelligence work. The President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces Aleksandar Vučić was well informed about everything that was going on and he took into account how it could reflect on our country and our everyday life. At the moment, there are still a few thousand migrants at the Greek-Turkish border, on the Marica River, and it seems that everything is under control, but the situation is such that a conflict may arise without notice, said Minister Vulin.
Minister Vulin pointed out that if it is estimated that the migrants are moving haphazardly and in large numbers, we will close the border.
- The moment the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces makes an assessment that our country's security is jeopardized and that we will defend it in this way - we will be ready to do so. The message to all the citizens is that the Government of the Republic of Serbia pays great attention to everything that is going on, that the President of Serbia is informed on a daily basis about the situation outside the borders of our country and considers how it might reflect on our country. From 2015 until today, we have not made a single wrong move. We have been able to show to the whole world that we are humane, but also that we are organized and that we protect our everyday life. We will continue to do so, Minister Vulin said.
He stressed that this is the first time the European Union has taken a unanimous stance and stated that “there shall be no illegal entry”.
- It is encouraging news and Serbia welcomes it, because this way, it will be easier for us as well. Our president has offered support to the Greek people and the Greek leadership in their fight to protect their country and everything that occurs on the Greek-Turkish border can affect Serbia and all other countries. We are preparing for that, Minister Vulin pointed out.
Minister Vulin reminded that this is the first time the European Union has said “we don’t want you, don’t try to come illegally, there is a proper way to do it”.
- European Union is finally trying to take a unanimous stance, which will make our lives much easier, even though we are not members of the European Union, Minister Vulin stressed.
According to him, there are currently more than 6,000 migrants in Serbia’s reception centres.
- When those people are processed, no one should worry, they are under control. We are the first government in Europe which has formed a special interdepartmental work group. We have realized that one ministry cannot deal with this problem, that it should be dealt with by the whole government. Then, when it was most difficult and when more than a million people passed through this country, we showed that we were organized and able to protect our everyday life, said the Minister of Defence, pointing out that “from 2015 until today he has been hearing lies, allegations that 400,000 people have already settled in Serbia and that whole cities have been built in the South of Serbia”.
- You can see that Serbia has done everything to protect us and thanks solely to our country being organised we have not had any consequences, unlike other countries. I understand politics, but I do not understand that you can play with such serious topics like jeopardizing your country’s security. I do not understand your efforts to provoke panic, hate and fear among people, knowing that none of this is true, neither the allegations that 400,000 people have settled in Serbia, nor that masses of migrants are coming back from the West. Trust your country. The country has shown that it is able to take control in the most difficult times. When even far better-organised countries were not able to deal with the migrant crisis, we succeeded, without any consequences on our citizens, the Minister of Defence concluded.
