4 hours agoRussia is sparking fears of war, sending aircraft, tanks and armour for Serbia
Periskopi(9 years ago)
(9 years ago)Fearing the influence of NATO and the EU, Russia made the first promised shipment of fighter aircraft to Serbia this week, while more military vehicles and anti-aircraft protection are expected to be sent to the old Russian ally in the near future, as tensions in the Balkans mount, according to the Associated Press. Russians sent [...]
The Russians sent two MiG-29 aircraft, which were dismantled and transported to a transport plane, while four others are expected to arrive by 20 October, at the time of Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's visit.
Russia offered aircraft with two engines, able to reach maximum speed of more than 1,400 miles per hour and initially debuted at the peak of the Cold War in the 1970s, free of charge, although Serbia's cost of overhauling and modernising aircraft could amount to $226m.
“We will continue to protect our freedom and independence”, Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq said.
Weapons agreements, which currently include talks to secure Russia's S-300-air-air missiles system, mobile and able to strike long-range, are seen as a way for Russia to keep Serbia within its range of influence and create distance, between the Balkan country and NATO and the EU.
Drawing close to Russia for defence purposes, after years of war with neighbours Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s, after the breakup of Yugoslavia, could test Serbia, as many Serbs remain sceptical of joining the EU.
Serbia is not a full NATO member, but has been an active participant in the organisation's non-military Partnership for Peace programme since the signing in December 2006.
But Serbia is in negotiations to join the EU an economic alliance, so unlike NATO, with talks expected to be finalised by 2019. Belgrade received support Tuesday from the prime ministers of three EU countries -- Bulgaria, Greece and Romania.
“We all know that Serbia's natural country is in the European Union”, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said.
Relations with the EU, however, are not the best at the moment.
Vucic voiced disappointment Tuesday on the EU's decision not to recognise the Catalonea independence referendum a recent attempt to leave Spain é while the EU supported Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008.
Kosovo gained independence without holding the referendum, but Catalonia ... cannot get something like that”, Vuciq said. “Sometimes, we, Serbs, wonder why should we be victims of double standards?” /Newsweek ? World.al/
