In his annual address to the nation on Wednesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he would not be amending the Constitution to allow him to be president for more than two terms, and announced that, “in the first half of next year,” he will no longer be a political party leader.

“This is my last term of office, I will not be amending the Constitution, none of that… In the first half of next year I will also not be a political party leader,” said Vucic.

The President assessed that the year 2023 will be more difficult than 2022 in Europe and in the world and that this will also affect Serbia.

Addressing the issue of Kosovo, Vucic said Serbia cannot stand up to the great powers, but that as many as 106 world countries do not recognize Kosovo’s independence, with 84 that do.

He announced that Serbia will fight against Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO where two-thirds of the vote is required for admission to membership. “They’ll have a difficult time with that,” said Vucic.

Asked if Serbia has a solution to the Kosovo issue, that is, what is it that Serbia could propose in the event of a new dialogue, Vucic said “we stick to our Constitution” and, in addition to that, “we are prepared to talk about a countless number of compromise solutions, but they have to be compromised, not humiliation of Serbia.”

Commenting on Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s request for the reinforcement of NATO troops in Kosovo, Vucic asked why it was normal for more Germans but not for more Serbs to go to Kosovo. “And why are you calling NATO if you are so strong,” said Vucic, adding that the barricades in north Kosovo were in place for 20 days and the Kosovo authorities were unable to remove them.

The Serbian President announced that US Department of State counsellor Derek Chollet would be visiting Belgrade on January 11 or 12.

Vucic also commented on the requests for Serbia to align with the European Union’s foreign and security policy and impose sanctions on Russia. “Thank you very much for so brutally interfering in our internal affairs,” he said.

“No one in Serbia works for 250 euros”

Showing charts with statistical data, the Serbian President also talked about the birth rate, economy, security…

Asked to comment on Eurostat’s statistical data, according to which Serbia was the fourth poorest country in Europe in 2021 in terms of gross domestic product per capita and standardized individual consumption per capita, Vucic said he did not believe that was Eurostat’s calculation.

The President said no one in Serbia works for 250 euros, and that the lowest salary is 370 euros.

“When the facts are not in line with what you want to see, all the worse for the facts. I can’t be of any help there,” he said.

He said Serbia currently has 580 million cubic meters of natural gas and that the natural gas storage facility in Banatski Dvor will remain full after the winter, with additional quantities of gas stored in Hungary, and announced that Serbia will extend its gas storage contract with Hungary “so we are also ready for next winter.”

Commenting on the price of electricity, Vucic said it will be “the second lowest in Europe.”

He said the state bodies will invest effort to maintain the low unemployment rate which, he said, is at its record low.

The President announced that the Serbian Armed Forces will increase the number of special unit members from 1,600 to 5,000, that their basic salary will be 2,000 euros, but that, with bonuses and overtime pay, it will come out to 3,000 euros. In the light of this, he invited young men and women to join the military.

Regarding population growth in Serbia, the President said “where there is more money, those people do not want children,” and “the higher the high-rise, the less children there are.”

“Let’s not love dogs more than children,” said Vucic.