Serbia’s president says violation of UN principles is basis of most problems

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday that the principles of the United Nations apply to everyone and their violation is at the root of most problems.

"I want to raise my voice on behalf of my country, but also on behalf of all those who, even today, 78 years after the founding of the UN, truly and equally believe that the principles of the UN Charter are the only essential defense of world peace, the right to freedom and independence of peoples and countries, but more than that, a pledge of the very survival of human civilization," Vucic said at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“Principles do not change from one circumstance to another. Principles do not apply only to the strong. They apply to all. If that’s not the case, then they are no longer principles,” he said.

"And that's why I think that in the modern world, principles will either be established so that the same rules will apply to everyone or we will end up as a world in the deepest divisions in our history, in the most difficult conflicts and in problems from which we will not get out.”

Vucic said he cannot and has no right as the president of "a small country" to talk about the relations between great powers but he can and will talk about how disrespecting international law can lead to terrible consequences.

“The attempt of cutting my country into pieces, which had formally started in 2008 with the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo and Metohija, has not ended yet,” he said.

“The trampling of the UN Charter in the case of Serbia was one of the visible forerunners of the many problems we all face today, which go far beyond the borders of my country or the region I come from.”

Vucic added that since the last UN meeting in New York, the world has not become a better or safer place. On the contrary, global peace and stability remain acutely threatened.

"We continue to face problems of energy security, financial instability, as well as security and disruptions in food and medicine supply chains. Not only have we not found solutions to many problems, but they have become more numerous, and some of them even more complex," he said.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye, recognizing it as an autonomous country. Serbia, however, still considers Kosovo its territory.