Shoigu promised Serbia support in maintaining stability

Russia is ready to continue supporting the brotherly people of Serbia in order to maintain stability in the country. This was stated by Secretary of the Russian Security Council (SC) Sergei Shoigu during a meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin on February 17.

"The parties discussed the development of bilateral security cooperation and the current situation in Serbia. The categorical rejection of outside interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states was confirmed," the press service of the Russian Security Council apparatus indicated.

Shoigu and Vulin agreed to re-launch the dialogue between the agencies to combat "color revolutions" and agreed to continue contact in the interests of strengthening friendly ties between Russia and Serbia and the peoples of the states.

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Earlier, on February 7, Vulin told Izvestia that Belgrade expects to extend the contract with Gazprom "as soon as possible." He noted that despite enormous pressure from the United States, Serbia will not confiscate Russian property or nationalize NIS.

Before that, on January 28, the country's Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned amid protests and a divided society. He said he was satisfied with his performance over the past nine months, but the tragedy with the collapse of a canopy at the train station in the city of Novi Sad last November, in which people died, cast a shadow over his government.

After January 30, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting on the protests in Serbia, said the country's authorities are listening to critical signals. According to her, the Serbian authorities are taking necessary measures to prevent serious consequences. The diplomat expressed confidence that the Serbian people will be able to preserve the country as a distinctive and self-sufficient state.

Representatives of the opposition began to organize demonstrations in different cities of the republic after the collapse of the train station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, which killed 14 people.