Serbia’s diplomatic note: Grilć Radman’s remarks harmful and hateful

Serbia has sent Croatia a diplomatic note in protest of remarks made by Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman who, while commenting on the situation in Ukraine, described Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić as a Russian "Trabant", referencing the East German vehicle produced during the Cold War.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that these remarks "continued to stoke an atmosphere of hatred towards Serbia and the Serbian people and undermine the common policy of promoting peace and stability in the region".

Grilć Radman, speaking on N1 television on Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, had said that Serbia was playing both sides by trying to foster closer ties with the EU while cozying up to Russia at the same time.

"Vučić who will have to decide which side he wants to take,” said Grlić Radman.

"This should not be a major dilemma for Mr. Vučić. He knows who is supporting him; he knows who is financing the Western Balkans, and who has to carry out the reforms. Therefore, his other option is to be some kind of Russian "Trabant" or satellite,” he added.

This is the second diplomatic note Serbia has sent to Croatia this month. Earlier, Serbian authorities protested the burning of a Vučić effigy at a carnival in Kaštele.

Vučić himself responded on social media, accusing Croatia's minister of meddling in Serbia's internal affairs and insulting the Serbian people.

In response to Belgrade's note, Croatia's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs on Sunday dismissed the allegations of meddling and said that Minister Grlić Radman had merely stated the facts: Serbia is not aligned with the European Union's foreign and security policy regarding Russia's aggression on Ukraine.

"Such remarks from the Republic of Serbia once again show a conscious and systematic denial of the facts about the nature of the events in Ukraine...The European family has its own values, which include respect for the international order. That international order has been violated by Russia's aggression against sovereign and independent Ukraine. Therefore, we call once again on Serbia to bring its policy in line with the common foreign and security policy of the EU as soon as possible on the issue of aggression against Ukraine and thus truly place itself on the right side of history," reads the Ministry's statement.