President Aleksandar Vučić says any move to scrap visa-free travel with Russia would be “immediately revoked.”
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dismissed reports that Belgrade would end visa-free travel for Russian citizens, reaffirming the country’s close ties with Moscow despite the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The comments came after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov weighed in on reports that Serbia could scrap its visa-free regime with Russia, warning that such decisions are usually reciprocal. Moscow’s ambassador in Belgrade, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, argued the arrangement remains highly beneficial for Serbia.
“This is the first I’ve heard of such a thing,” Vučić said during an appearance on TV Prva’s Ćirilica. The Serbian leader said he had personally contacted Ana Brnabić, the president of the National Assembly, to ask whether any such initiative had entered the legislative process.
“There are many who, ahead of the elections, are expecting support from the Russian Federation and are trying in any way to say the worst things about us,” Vučić said. “There is no talk of that, nor will such a decision be made. Even if they were to make it, it would be immediately revoked.”
Belgrade’s close relations with Moscow are increasingly complicating its ambitions to join the EU.
Serbia became an official EU candidate in 2012 and opened accession talks in 2014, but its membership bid has since stalled. In April, Brussels said Serbia risked losing up to €1.5 billion in EU funding due to concerns over democratic backsliding and its ties to Moscow.
In May, Brnabić complained that the EU had changed its rules on enlargement since the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine.