Zakharova called the EC's threats against Vucic due to his visit to Moscow banditry.

On April 30, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the European Commission (EC) for putting pressure on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in connection with his planned visit to Moscow on May 9.

"Did the European Commission abandon democracy? If democracy is respected as a principle, then the results of the people's will should be respected, and not resort to dictatorship," Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.

According to her, such methods of pressure resemble the actions of the mafia, blackmailers and "terrorist cells."

"What are these "black marks" that the West distributes in the form of certain warnings? This is how pirates, mafia, blackmailers and criminals acted," she wrote.

Zakharova also stressed that such an attitude towards potential EU members indicates the real approaches of Brussels and expressed fears for the fate of states that will be completely dependent on "Euro hooligans."

Shame and fear: the West does not want to see its politicians celebrating the victory over Nazism

Recognizing Russia as the winner hurts

Earlier in the day, EC representative Guillaume Mercier said that Vucic's trip to Moscow could have negative consequences for the country's accession to the European Union (EU). Mercier added that EC enlargement commissioner Marta Kos explained to Vucic the consequences of his visit to Moscow.

On April 16, Vucic announced that he was facing intense pressure due to his decision to travel to Russia for Victory Day, but would not cancel the visit. He added that he had agreed to travel to Moscow because the Serbs were proud of their participation in the victory over Nazism.