Alexander Vucich fell ill before a visit to Moscow for May 9. What is known

The arrival of President of Serbia Alexander Vuchich in Moscow on May 9 to celebrate Victory Day was in question. On Saturday, May 3, he urgently interrupted his visit to the United States after he became ill due to a sharp increase in blood pressure, and returned to Belgrade, where he was hospitalized. On the eve of the EU Commissioner on the extension of Marta, Kos warned the Serbian leader that his participation in the celebration of May 9 in Moscow would have negative consequences for negotiations on the entry of Serbia to the European Union. With details – Kommersant correspondent in the Balkans Gennady Sysoev.

The fact that Alexander Vucich unexpectedly became bad during a trip to the United States and he urgently returned to Belgrade, reported on May 3, “Radio and Television of Serbia”. The Serbian president had to interrupt the visit to the United States, where he planned meetings with President Donald Trump and senior representatives of the Republican Party.

At the arrival of Alexander Vuchich, Belgrade was immediately hospitalized at the Military Medical Academy, where his comprehensive examination was conducted. After a couple of hours, the leading cardiologist of the Center Dragan Dincych announced that the reason for the president’s poor health was a sharp increase in blood pressure, « now his condition is stable, but for several days he will not be able to begin work. » On the same day, Alexander Vucic was discharged from the hospital.

The ailment of President Serbia called into question his arrival in Moscow on May 9 for the celebration of Victory Day, despite the repeated assurances that that day he will certainly be on Red Square. Even during his stay in the United States, Alexander Vucich complained to reporters of attacks from the EU because of his plans to go to Moscow on May 9:

“Only one thing worries them – how to punish Serbia and me. My trip to Moscow has become an obsession for them … I am ready to be subjected to any type of sanctions against me.

I told Putin that I would come to Russia on May 9, I am connected by the word given by my people, to everyone. No one else should suffer, I will go, if only something does not happen to me or some threat does not hang over Serbia. ”

Before the trip to the United States, Alexander Vuchich met in Belgrade with the European Commissioner for the extension of Marta Kos, who directly warned the Serbian president that his participation in the celebration of May 9 in Moscow would have negative consequences for negotiations on the entry of Serbia to the European Union. The Secretary General of the Estonian Foreign Ministry Jonathan Vreviyov spoke even more definitely: “Decisions have their own price. In this case, participation in the parade in Moscow would mean « no » to EU membership.

Warning from the European Union invariably followed whenever the President of Serbia confirmed his arrival in Moscow on May 9. The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, recently compared them to the methods that the mafia uses.

Nevertheless, after almost every such warning, Alexander Vucich spoke about the visit to the Russian capital not so definitely. So, in the appeal to the nation on April 16, he admitted that “the period of pressure is ahead of”, and expressed doubt about “whether our army could (its participation in the Red Square parade was promised by the Serbian president. « Kommersant ») maintain this pressure or not. ” However, Alexander Vuchich assured then that “at the moment” he did not change the decision to travel to Moscow. Then his arrival on May 9 was confirmed by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin personally Patriarch Serbian Porfiry (See “Kommersant” from April 24).

However, Kommersant’s sources in Belgrade, familiar with the position of the Serbian leadership, already assumed that Alexander Vucich would finally decide on the visit of May 9 to Moscow “only before this date – out of fear of gaping with the European Union, which is tied to the Serbian economy”. “The President of Serbia would like to avoid participating in the Red Square on May 9 at any cost due to the consequences that he threaten from the West. An emergency interruption of the visit to the United States, under the pretext of serious ailment, fits perfectly into such a scenario, says Balkano editor of the Balkan portal Aktuelno Blsh Knezhevich. “However, the big question will work whether this scenario will work.

After so many promises and assurances of Moscow, Alexander Vuchich should arrive on May 9 in the Russian capital at least on a stretcher. ”

Careful optimism regarding the arrival of the Serbian president on Victory Day was expressed by the first deputy prime minister, the head of the Ministry of Finance of Serbia Sinish Mali, who was with him on a trip to the United States. “The president canceled all the events for the coming days,” said Sinish Mali after a telephone conversation with the president. “In a day, two, three, when he gets better, he will make an appeal. But, knowing him as a person of the word and considering that he gave the word, what will happen there (in Moscow. – « Kommersant »), I think, he will hold back his word. However, I cannot say it now. ”