Serbia to Maintain Cooperation with Russia Regardless of Election Outcome, Expert Says

KALININGRAD, June 23. /TASS/. Serbia will remain committed to its policy of cooperation with Russia regardless of the outcome of the early elections in the coming fall, Milana Zivanovic, a senior research associate at the Institute for Recent History of Serbia (INIS), said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said earlier that the country will hold an early election in the fall. He did not say however whether it will be a presidential or parliamentary election.

"I think that regardless of the election outcome, the Russian-Serbian relations will not change. Cooperation is beneficial for both sides. And all of our political parties should take into account the centuries-long cultural, spiritual, and historic ties. They should cooperate with Russia. We need to cooperate in politics, energy, diplomacy. I think the foreign policy course will be preserved," she told TASS on the sidles of an expert dialogue of the Valdai Discussion Club.

She recalled that Russia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, an issue of paramount importance for Serbian politicians. She also said that he country is unlikely to impose sanctions against Russia.

"Serbia has been refusing to impose sanctions against Russia for literally 12 years," she noted. "Western politicians have repeatedly insisted that Serbia join the sanctions. Notable, air service with Russia continues, despite demands to halt it. In May, we launched flights to Nizhny Novgorod and are looking at organizing flights to Mineralnye Vody."

The Valdai International Discussion Club’s expert dialogue is being held in partnership with the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in Kaliningrad on June 23 and 24.