Serbia Won’t Join EU Sanctions Against Russia, Vucic Says

[Purveyor]

By Boris Cerni and Misha Savic Aug 22, 2014 10:24 AM ET

Serbia won’t join European Union sanctions against Russia even as the Balkan nation sticks to its plan to continue membership talks with the world’s largest trading bloc, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said.

The Balkan nation is taking “very seriously” the message that EU aspiring members should refrain from exploring new trade opportunities after Russia banned EU sales of food products, Vucic said at a news conference in Belgrade today.

“Nobody asked us about the sanctions when they were introduced,” Vucic told reporters. “The EU membership is our strategic goal and at the same time we haven’t and won’t impose sanctions on Russia.”

Russia earlier this month announced a one-year ban on a range of food products from the EU and the U.S. in retaliation for sanctions against the country over the conflict in Ukraine. The EU exported 1.26 billion euros ($1.7 billion) of fruit and 769 million euros of vegetables to Russia in 2013, trade data from the 28-nation bloc show.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-22/serbia-won-t-join-eu-sanctions-against-russia-vucic-says.html

[VanGoghRocks]

1. Thanks for posting! We seem to have made it past the 100-year anniversary

of the start of World War I without shots being fired, so there's room for hope

The Serbian move can hardly be a surprise, no?

[MrTriumph]

2. Easy leverage: The Fiat 500L is made in Serbia.

The US gov't saved Chrysler for Fiat. Maybe we need to inform Serbia they can can no longer export 500L cars to the US unless they assist with sanctions against Russia. Their choice.