Belgrade, 11 September 2023 (MIA) - Someone will always come up with something, we love the Macedonian people, we respect North Macedonia, we do not ask for anything and we must protect our friendship, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said Monday in response to a reporter's question regarding his position on the Bulgarian blockade of North Macedonia's European integration process, MIA's Belgrade correspondent reports.

He added there is something important he wants to say, in Skopje, but also to the representatives in Belgrade.

"It is important for all of us in the region to be close to one another, to develop our relations, shorten procedures between us, ensure free flow of people, goods, services and capital, have our own growth rate be higher than the European one within the next 10-15 years, and if you were to see the predictions made by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, we can drastically reduce the difference with Western Europe and present ourselves as a single block despite the differences, and stand before the EU," Vučić stressed at a Brdo-Brioni Process press conference in Skopje.

The Serbian President added he had said numerous times and on countless forums "that Serbia recognizes the Macedonian language and the territory of North Macedonia and church; we have not had any issues and we will continue to lead such policies." ssh/ik/

Photo: MIA