Vučić accuses Croatia of backing Serbian protests, Plenković rejects claims as absurd

As Serbia heads into local elections later this month, President Aleksandar Vučić has stepped up his rhetoric on the campaign trail, accusing Croatia’s leadership and intelligence services of supporting the student-led anti-government protests in Serbia. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković dismissed the allegations as absurd.

Speaking at a rally in central Serbia on Saturday, Vučić also referred to the Chinese-made supersonic cruise missiles recently added to Serbia’s arsenal. He was responding to Plenković’s announcement that he would inform NATO about the development.

“Plenković said yesterday that he is going to complain to NATO about this. I couldn’t sleep all night,” Vučić said sarcastically. “Perhaps I should tell him: you don’t have to inform them — I will. I’m not ashamed of what Serbian hands have achieved.”

Plenković rejected Vučić’s claims that Croatia is involved in Serbia’s anti-government protests.

“We have no interest in Serbia’s internal affairs, and even less in playing the role of a puppeteer, pulling strings and organizing protests. These claims are completely fabricated,” he said.

The Croatian prime minister also questioned the logic behind the accusations, pointing out Croatia’s role in supplying energy to Serbia.

“If Croatia had some ulterior motive against Serbia — and I am speaking to the Serbian people now — why would we transport their most important energy source?” Plenković said. “What kind of policy toward a neighbor would that be: delivering oil to Serbia through the only available pipeline while simultaneously supporting anti-government protests?”

Plenković added that informing NATO about the missiles was part of routine communication with allies.

“When a neighboring non-allied country equips its Russian fighter jets with Chinese missiles, that is a new development. These are not anti-aircraft missiles — they are offensive missiles,” he said.