Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended the EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro on Thursday despite warnings from Serbia's security services against the trip over security concerns.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the summit in the coastal town of Tivat, Vucic said he decided to travel after consultations with relevant institutions, stressing the importance of Serbia's participation in discussions on the region's future and European integration.
“I received warnings from our security services that it was not advisable for me to attend, but I decided to come because I believe it is important for Serbia to participate in discussions on the future of the region and European integration,” Vucic said.
The Serbian leader linked the security concerns to longstanding intelligence about alleged threats from criminal groups in neighboring Montenegro.
“It is no secret. You could see it in the Sky communications, where they were discussing finding someone to carry out the assassination,” Vucic said, referring to encrypted communications previously used by organized crime networks.
He said Serbian authorities had been aware of the information for some time and claimed it implicated leaders of Montenegrin criminal clans.
Vucic also said political tensions between Belgrade and Podgorica further complicate the situation.
“When political tensions exist between Podgorica and Belgrade, everyone tends to blame the other side. We should be more rational and more careful,” he said.
Addressing organized crime, Vucic said such groups operate in every country.
“That is what they do. It is not permitted, but you have to understand that such phenomena exist everywhere,” he said.
Asked about warnings issued by Serbia's Security Information Agency (BIA) regarding potential risks during his visit to Montenegro, Vucic said he felt safe.
“I have professional protection and members of the Cobras unit,” he said, referring to Serbia's elite close-protection unit.
He added that he did not anticipate any security incidents during his stay and expressed confidence in cooperation with Montenegrin authorities.
The EU-Western Balkans summit brought together regional leaders and senior European Union officials to discuss enlargement, regional cooperation, economic connectivity, and security challenges.
On the sidelines of the gathering, Vucic held a series of bilateral meetings with European and regional officials and underscored the importance of preserving stability and advancing the European aspirations of Western Balkan countries.
The summit comes amid renewed momentum in the EU enlargement process and persistent political tensions across parts of the Western Balkans.
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