YouSaid · the spoken record
Aleksandar Vučić
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On the record 2016–2026
podcast · un-general-debate
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“As I said before, we are on our path towards joining the EU and we have partnerships and relations with Western countries, including increasingly intensive cooperation with the United States of America. We are also proud of our excellent relations with Russia and China, and cooperation with friendly African, Asia-Pacific and Latin American countries is another focus of Serbian foreign policy. “If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him the chance.” With those words, often attributed to the great statesman Abraham Lincoln, I would like to thank the Assembly for its attention and conclude by saying a few words in Serbian, which will be very well understood by an entire region: “Balkan, balkanskim narodima; zivela Srbija”.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We advocate that all outstanding issues in the world be resolved in a peaceful manner through dialogue and in line with international law and the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions. We want to cherish old friendships and build new ones, which is why we are proud to say, here, in the most important Hall in the world, that we will do our best to improve our cooperation with all African, Asian and Latin American countries. That is also how we see the future of Serbia and the future of the world. However, friendship is not something that can be given once and last forever — it should be continuously maintained and nurtured. In that regard, the countries of the world can always rely on Serbia.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I believe that our small divided markets in the Western Balkans would be of far more interest to everyone if we were to act together. A regional cooperation and economic zone would not be a substitute for the European Union, but it could be an expression of our concern for ourselves, at least until we finalize the long process of achieving European integration. Serbia respects all States Members of the United Nations and their territorial integrity and sovereignty. We have never asked, nor will we ever ask, for something that is not ours. We expect to receive the same level of respect. We do not grant ourselves the right to divide the world into who is good and who is bad, nor to evaluate what is right and what is wrong. We are proud of our freedom-loving tradition and our historical contribution to the fight to uphold law and justice.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“In approximately 10 days, Serbia will also start to build a highway between Belgrade and Sarajevo, just as we have already built, or are building, many roads and railways because we want to be closer to all our neighbours so as to get to know and understand each other better. We are also building a highway towards Banja Luka to help reduce political tensions resulting from cross-border provocations and to lead to an increase in cooperation. One of the ways to achieve that cooperation is through the establishment of a regional economic zone. No one should be afraid that a new Yugoslavia is hiding behind this idea, or that it is an expression of, or a desire for, Serbian hegemony, just because it is coming from Belgrade.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Until today, we fought for who would support one, two or three big Powers and which Power would create a better future for us. I am not at all naive, and I know that in the future we will to a great extent depend on the big Powers. But everything that we can do ourselves we should not, and will not, leave to others. That is why the Balkans should belong to the Balkan nations — a sovereign and free people, who will know how to fight in the best way for their own future. We want the same for all other nations worldwide and we will always fight for that in this noble institution.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We are building a highway towards Montenegro, and there is an ongoing plan to connect with Romania with a better road. We are building railways towards Hungary and modernizing the railways towards Montenegro and North Macedonia. It is my wish to revive the railway between Belgrade and Sarajevo. Three days ago, I had an important meeting with the Prime Ministers of North Macedonia and Albania. We agreed to start working for ourselves, for our region, not to unite but to enable the free flow of goods, capital and services and to start creating a common market — to start something a little revolutionary because nations in the Balkans do not have to serve only others, but together they can achieve the best and greatest things for themselves.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Despite everything, I believe that the agreement between Serbs and Albanians is of the utmost importance to the stability of the Balkans and that those two nations have a role in our region that Winston Churchill intended for France and Germany when he spoke of uniting Europe. We are ready to continue to make efforts to reach a solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. If that were not the case, we would not be starting to build the highway section from Nis to Pristina next year. Serbia has always been a crossroads and, as such, it became the seat of the Southeast Europe Transport Community. We have just finished the highway towards North Macedonia. At the beginning of November, we inaugurated a highway towards Bulgaria.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Throughout this time, Serbia reacted moderately and responsibly to Pristina’s unilateral acts, not imposing countermeasures and trying to calm the situation. It is not only the interests of Belgrade and Pristina that are intertwined through the problems of Kosovo and Metohija but also those of various international stakeholders. As long as it continues like that, Kosovo will be a source of endless political manipulation and instability. That is precisely why the presence of the United Nations, through the work of UNMIK, is necessary as a guarantee of safety for the Serbs living there.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“However, the obligations assumed under the respective Agreement were met only by Serbia. We continued the dialogue despite frequent tensions and incidents in Kosovo and despite the various unilateral moves of Pristina, which made it difficult, until it stopped due to the most unreasonable unilateral move of all, that is, the imposition of a 100 per cent tariff on the import of Serbian goods, which actually means the full termination of the flow of goods. Between the time when Kosovo imposed tariffs, on 21 November 2018, and 21 August of this year, we lost approximately €350 million. The tariffs, which are still in force, also jeopardize the normal and dignified life of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“That is why, as I see it, a lasting solution should be reached in such a way that neither of the parties would gain everything but they would gain enough. Even though we do not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo, just as fewer and fewer countries do — because in accordance with the legally binding Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), Kosovo and Metohija is an autonomous province within the Republic of Serbia, under the administration of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) — in the desire for peace and stability, we had a dialogue with the Albanians who live there, facilitated by the European Union. Through our concessions, we made certain progress and witnessed it by signing the First Agreement of Principles Governing the Normalization of Relations.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The centuries-long problem of Kosovo and Metohija is far from a misunderstanding or prejudice, but we have courageously and realistically, with will and faith, started the quest for a lasting solution. No one cares more about resolving this difficult burden than Serbia because it would provide not only our country but also the entire region with peace, stability, cooperation, economic prosperity and progress on our EU path. That is why we expect the world, especially the big Powers, to see, understand and support our positions and arguments, as well as not to support moves in the opposite direction, as they did in the crucial years from 1999 to 2008. As the United States President John Kennedy said, we cannot negotiate with people who say what is mine is mine and what is yours is negotiable.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We do not care what other big Powers think of that because we believe that we are entitled to think and to decide our own destiny and what is best for our own people, not do what other big and powerful ones think. Members all know that we face problems regarding the territorial integrity of Serbia, that in fact we face the pending issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The unresolved problem of Kosovo and Metohija affects above all the economic progress and future of the young people in the region and in Serbia. That is why I will speak about efforts to resolve that despite all the obstacles. The Serbian writer and diplomat Jovan Ducic said that enemies are only our friends in disguise, who distance themselves from us only because of some kind of misunderstanding or prejudice.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Do people in the region live well? The answer is no. We need decades of peace, hard and diligent work and great successes in order to bring ourselves closer to the developed European countries. Nevertheless, under such conditions and due to the economic progress, Serbia chose an independent foreign policy and independent decision-making as its path towards the future. That is why we do not hide anywhere, not even in this Hall, but we praise the good and friendly relations that we have with the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation and the better and better relations with the United States of America because our task is to take care of our people. We do not care what someone else in the world may tell us, whether we were buying gas or chocolate, we chose the highest quality and the most affordable goods.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The IMF envisages that the GDP per capita, which is a reliable indicator of the standard of living, will be $10,394 in 2023. That is an increase of approximately 45 per cent as compared to $7,207 last year. It will therefore have almost doubled in only five years. Precisely because of its stable economic situation, in the first seven months of this year Serbia attracted €2.32 billion in foreign direct investment, which is much more than in the same period last year. It was the most successful year for Serbia. Finally, Serbia has by far the lowest unemployment rate in the region, at 10.3 per cent. In addition, we invest in the future of Serbia through knowledge, and we are now known for the export of information technology products and software. Last year, that export exceeded €1 billion. Here is an important question: do we live well?”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We will always advocate a policy of peace and cooperation because it is the only way to create the necessary stability, without which there is no economic growth and progress. I come from a country that had to face very difficult reforms in 2014. We were on the brink of bankruptcy and complete ruin. Today, Serbia has no problems with its public finances, and I want to report wonderful news to the citizens of my country. We expect one of the largest global credit agencies, as early as tomorrow, to increase not only the outlook but also the credit rating of our country. According to projections by experts of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the gross domestic product of Serbia will cumulatively grow by 12.5 per cent, or 4 per cent a year, over the next three years. That result will not be achieved by any other country in the region.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“But in this Hall and in any other place we will advocate more strongly than ever not only for respect for the rights, independence and sovereignty of small countries but also for the ability always to preserve equality and our right to freedom and independent decision-making by acting together. That is why I am going to speak about Serbia and the region because one does not go without the other. Let me paraphrase Ernest Hemingway. Serbia is not an island, but, I proudly say, a part of the Balkans and it is stronger if those around it are stronger. That is why I strive for the region, almost to the same extent as I strive for Serbia. That is why we are so eager for the Balkans to accept a policy of cooperation and that is why we will always strive to talk to each other.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Unfortunately, it is with mockery that we look at those who were mentioned because we were not in their shoes. And, in this way, we survive another year. I am not speaking about just one great Power but about all the great Powers. I come from a small country, albeit the largest in the Western Balkans, which suffered the most in the First World War. I come from a people who survived the most egregious suffering and the Jasenovac genocide in the Second World War and a people who, above all, want peace, stability and the possibility to move forward in the twenty-first century. The former Yugoslavia — and its legal successor, Serbia — was one of the founders of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. Today, we are on the path towards membership of the European Union (EU), which is a strategic commitment of our country.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I have the honour to address the General Assembly as the President of the Republic of Serbia — a country of good and honest people who gave me their trust and honoured me to with the task of representing them before the Assembly and in a world where, through their hard work, they have regained the place that belongs to them. When I was last in this Hall, two years ago (see A/72/PV.11), it was said that the situation in the world was harder than that of the prior year, 2016. I would not say that in 2019 it is any easier, for it is the contrary that is true. Members have noticed that, like children, all of us gather in this big Hall when we need to hear what the great Powers think about us and our future. A bit scared and worried, we are happy when it is over and that we have not been mentioned in their speeches.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2019Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Serbia believes in and is pleased with the increasingly important role of the United Nations, not only in maintaining peace and stability, but in the more important tasks the Organization performs for the benefit of humankind today. Serbia will support any United Nations reform that strengthens the role of the Organization, because it means more discussion, less use of force and less arrogance in international relations. Our job is therefore to do everything we can to enable a more active role for the United Nations worldwide. I will conclude with words that are often attributed to the great Albert Einstein: “The world is a dangerous place to live. Not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who do not do anything about it.””
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Likewise, we will always show care for and solidarity with Syrian, Afghan, sub-Saharan or any other refugees, without diminishing our resolve to confront international terrorism and radical Islamic movements such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham or Al-Qaida, because we believe that a democratic society based on equal rights for all is the only society that we want to live and see our future in. We recognize that fighting poverty and social inequality in the context of preventing radicalism and strengthening extremism is a very important task. We champion the integration of citizens of all religions and political and other affiliations into modern society on a basis of common values, while preserving each person’s individual identity and respect for all.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We have never threatened anybody, nor will we, but we will always dare to condemn actions such as launching a missile that forces the inhabitants of the Japanese island of Hokkaido to spend a day or a night in shelters. I would like to remind members that the courageous and wise American President Dwight D. Eisenhower was prudent enough to say that “every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed”.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We will continue along that path and never give up the politics of military neutrality, because we believe that it is the politics of peace and the future. While we strive towards joining the EU and establishing partnerships with Western countries, including by improving our relations with the United States, we continue to cherish the best possible relations with the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. Not only are we not ashamed of those good relations, we are very proud of them. But we will always be ready to observe developments in today’s world by not judging superficially what is right or wrong, just or unjust.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We all want to be a part of the EU, but sometimes people in the Balkans and people in Serbia are treated unfairly, in contrast to those who took that route earlier. We are asking the EU not to speed up our accession process but to treat us fairly and, at least to some extent, in the same manner that it treated some of the full-fledged Member States admitted after 2003. As all are aware, Serbs are a very dignified people, and we expect all other countries of the world to respect us as we respect them and their territorial integrity and sovereignty. We have never wanted nor will we ever want something that belongs to somebody else. We ask only for equal respect for our country and its people. I am proud that Serbia protects its freedom, independence and sovereignty and is a country that observes democratic principles.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The third issue — no less important than the first and second — is uniting the big tasks of economic progress with our aspirations to European Union (EU) membership. The path to membership in the EU, our most important trade and investment partner, is seen as leading to greater stability, economic progress and the consolidation of democracy. In previous years, the EU enlargement policy for Western Balkan countries has been one of the most powerful instruments in the political and economic transformation of the countries of the region into stable and modern societies. We believe that this policy, regardless of all the difficulties existing within the EU itself as well as in the candidate countries and potential candidates, must continue, and on an equally strong basis.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Precisely because of that, Serbs are more than eager to continue with successful economic reforms, as well as with the idea for creating a regional economic zone, which we do not intend to give up on. The former Yugoslavia was widely respected as a market and for its success in attracting investors and international attention. Today, we are too small to succeed as individual markets. I therefore firmly believe that a unique customs zone and taxation system are the future of the region. An example of the problems we have is that a farmer producing milk only 10 kilometres from the border loses at least 7 to 8 per cent of his profit by waiting 48 hours to cross into another country. I also believe that a better, improved economy is the second biggest task for all our nations and for Serbia as well.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“For Serbs and for Albanians, this is a great step forward, and I am therefore eager to continue with such political efforts in the future. Nevertheless, upon entering this Hall, we received information that Pristina’s authorities had announced that they had secured the majority needed for Kosovo to gain membership status in UNESCO. I urge the Assembly not to allow this, and remind members that it was these very people who took part in the devastation of Serbian monasteries, churches and cultural and spiritual heritage sites in Kosovo and Metohija. Additionally, we have made great efforts to stabilize the overall situation in the Balkans. We have often stayed silent in the face of insults and attacks from various other countries because we know that peace and reconciliation are more important than scoring easy political points.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Everything that has been achieved so far through the Brussels dialogue has been the result of difficult compromises and unambiguous concessions on both sides, albeit mostly on ours. The significant progress reached throughout this process confirms the constructiveness and commitment of the Republic of Serbia to this dialogue. We have also demonstrated our readiness to make compromises that were not easy, thereby helping to find mutually acceptable solutions to many complex issues. I want to emphasize that in the past four years, after we started the dialogue process in Brussels, although there have been some fights, quarrels and physical attacks against the Serbs in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, nobody has been killed in ethnic confrontations.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“It is an issue that has a huge effect not only on our economy but also on a clear future for young people both in Serbia and in the entire region. We all know that we do not recognize the unilateral declaration of independence of so-called Kosovo, but I will not speak about disrespect for our territorial integrity and sovereignty. Instead, I will speak about our efforts to resolve the problem and to try to find a solution to a centuries-long problem that the great Powers were not helpful with back in 1999 and 2008. I will speak about our efforts to talk about the future with Albanian leaders from Pristina. Yesterday we all listened to Michael Bloomberg saying that it is better to spend thousands of hours talking than one minute fighting.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“When a person comes from the Western Balkans the first question is whether we will be part of some new conflict or whether we will opt for a better and more carefree future. In spite of its numerous challenges, Serbia will continue investing in efforts to create conditions for better relations within the region that are based on mutual respect and commitment to a common European future. Today I would particularly like to mention the political issues in the region and Belgrade’s relations with Pristina. Bearing in mind the paramount 2/26 17-29579 importance of this issue for the Republic of Serbia, I underline once again that reaching a political solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is a national priority for Serbia.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“In previous years, we in Serbia demonstrated that with responsible politics of fiscal consolidation, even without huge privatization incomes, we could create a budget surplus. We lowered the unemployment rate from 26 per cent to 12 per cent and created a flexible labour market by introducing modern laws, even though doing that has proved difficult for some far stronger countries in the developed West. Above all else, I am proud that we have begun to invest in the creativity of our young people and that digitalization and artificial intelligence are becoming important topics in Serbia, not just in the most developed countries of the world. Of course, there are still many things that we must deliver.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The Republic of Serbia invests a great deal of effort in stabilizing the situation in the region, which is our permanent commitment and policy. As we have done so far, we will continue to work devotedly and committedly to promote regional stability and cooperation, because we believe that it is an investment in a better tomorrow for all of us. In order to achieve success today and progress in the future, it is necessary, no matter how pathetic that might seem, to preserve peace and stability at all costs. This is a priority sociopolitical task that requires daily hard work and learning. That in turn will help economic growth and reforms, which are a prerequisite for a better life, not only for the poor but also for the middle classes.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I would like to share a quote from our famous writer, Isidora Sekulić, who said the following: “A peninsula is a separate world. Countries and nations within it, as if embarked on one boat, must have one common political problem and a political ideal, no matter how different they might usually be. The Balkans comes first, before all the countries in the Balkans, whenever the moment is difficult and dangerous, regardless of whether it is dangerous politically or in terms of culture. Will the Balkans for once open its sleepy eyes and see its paramount cultural capacity, if it plunges as a whole?” Condition number one for a prosperous future for all of us in that region is how to preserve peace and tranquillity.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I will speak about Serbia, its people, its re-entering of the world, and the fact that the world is once again accepting and embracing Serbia and Serbia is trying to understand the world, even if sometimes it might not agree with the great Powers. Unlike some leaders, I have no need to patronize my people or to run an election or non-election campaign from this rostrum, because we have already won all our internal political battles. That is why I will speak about Serbia today and Serbia in the future, as well as the future of the entire Western Balkans region, where I come from. It important to speak about the entire Balkans, especially its Western part, because without broader and more serious insight into the problem we are facing, we will not be able to see, let alone resolve, our individual problems.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We have carefully followed the addresses made by world leaders over the past two days, and it seems that it would be no exaggeration to say that almost everybody has spoken about the necessity of the reform of the United Nations and about peace and stability, often accusing someone else — an opposing party — of acting to prevent peace and stability or being responsible for a difficult situation in the world. I will do my best to avoid such an approach. Last year, in this very Hall, it was said that the situation worldwide was difficult. Today it is certainly more difficult than it was a year ago. Today, I take this opportunity to speak before the Assembly, not to attack those who cannot defend themselves or those who would not be able to defend themselves from the truth.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you, Sir, on assuming your important duties. I would also like to congratulate Mr. Peter Thomson on his successful presidency of the General Assembly at its seventy-first session and to avail myself of this opportunity to thank and pay tribute to the new Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his active engagement during the first year of his tenure in such a remarkably responsible post and for initiating a reform process of great importance to the Organization. It is my great honour to address the Assembly for the first time in this Hall in my capacity as President of the Republic of Serbia.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2017Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I think that the General Assembly can be satisfied that, at least in the past three or four years, we have all been hearing that Serbia is a pillar of stability in the Western Balkans. We are proud of that fact. That will remain the case for the next 5, 10, 20 years, and I hope that we will be able to create a better world and better cooperation, particularly among us smaller countries in the world. We will do our best, at least from our side, to listen and to see what we can achieve all together.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“There are several other issues at stake. We face various dangers, and many factors could jeopardize our future sustainable development. There is a greater presence of terrorist cells in various countries in the Western Balkans, and, together with the rest of the world, we will do our best to fight that terrible evil. That is why we joined the coalition to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham. I am proud to say that we will always be with the better side of the world, the side of the world that will preserve peace, stability and the values for which the modern world is fighting. Serbia will do its best not only to protect its own national and State interests but also to listen to the other small and relatively small countries, because we need to unite; otherwise I am very much afraid that our voice will not be heard in future.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Once again, we are very thankful to those nations that were not on our side, but on the side of international public law. They did not support the unilaterally proclaimed independence of our southern province, Kosovo and Metohija. We are profoundly grateful to the Member States that abided by the United Nations Charter. We are persistent in continuing our dialogue and conversations with Kosovo Albanians, because we need to live together. We need to create a common future. These talks are facilitated by the European Union, and we are deeply committed and dedicated to carrying on with them. We will remain ready to inform the Assembly about the results of these conversations, and we hope that the situation in Kosovo and Metohija will not be a source of instability in future. That is at least one good conclusion from my speech of today.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“These are things nobody should say about any nation anywhere. We have decided not to respond to them, and we will stay on that track. We will not be so gross about anybody, even though we may be insulted and offended again. Why am I saying that? I am saying that because I think that the Western Balkan region needs peace, stability, better understanding and real reconciliation in the future. Have we succeeded in that over the past 20 to 25 years? I dare say we have not, or not entirely. Hatred is even more bitter among the people of some countries in the Western Balkans, but at least we have succeeded in preserving the peace and maintaining calm and tranquillity. We will do our best to keep up the pace, to stress economic development and to preserve and develop our political relationship in a different way than we used to.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“I have been highlighting various issues because we are once again facing instability in the region, which could jeopardize almost every gain we have made. This is something I have been signalling for the past two years. To tell the truth, we have received a great deal of support from the United Nations and all our friends — in the West and the East — but still the situation in the Western Balkan region has not improved. That is why we worry a lot, and why I think that we need to invest even more effort, more time and more of our political will to overcome all the difficulties, disputes, quarrels and enmities inherited from the past. We have faced some terrible insults from some of our neighbours. I will not reply to them in kind today. They have said that my people are a handful of poor, miserable wretches.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“During the past 100 years, I think that we did not miss a single war, from the first Balkan War to the most recent wars in the 1990s. I hope that in the future we will have enough strength to overcome all disputes and to do more for our people and their economic development. We recently succeeded in delivering better economic results. For the first time in our contemporary history, we have a surplus in our budget. After many years of crises, we will have a growth rate that exceeds 3 per cent this year, and we expect even better growth rates in the years to come. That does not compare with the growth rates of some countries in Asia and Africa, like the country of my friend the Prime Minister of Mauritius, but it is still better than the average growth rate in Europe, and we are very proud to be able to say that today.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Today, we have more than 7,000 migrants within our borders. Bulgaria has the same number. Those people cannot go anywhere else because all the other countries have already closed their borders. I have a question for all delegations. Are there any common solutions for us? Is there something that we can all do together? There are some steps that we can take for ourselves and by ourselves. We will do that, but we will continue to await a common, comprehensive solution from both the European Union and the United Nations, because the current situation is not coming to an end. It will not end in a few days, a few weeks or a few months. We call the Assembly’s attention to a few other issues. Delegations know that my country has faced many difficulties over the past 25 years.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Coming from a very small country in the Balkans, we have been waiting for a proposal by the big Powers. We will always agree with them and be ready to do our job together with them. Even though my country is not a State member of the European Union, we have been ready to participate in its quota system. However, nobody within the European Union accepted that system. But now we do not know what our policy on that issue should be, because countries differ as to their policies. We should share the same values, but instead completely different solutions leave us with no idea how to negotiate all the bumps in the road ahead. I must also add that the migrant crisis is far from over. It has just begun. Today, Serbia is currently facing a greater number of difficult issues than it faced a year ago.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“Coming from a relatively small country in the Western Balkans, in the heart of Europe, and representing today a proud, dignified and freedom- loving people, I am very proud to have an opportunity to be speak here. I am very proud to see people in this great Hall who are ready to listen to those of us who come from small nations. There is no reason for us to address our own public to gain political points; we have enough votes to legitimately represent our people. We have heard many impressive words from the representatives of the big Powers, but we have not heard in this general debate any suggestions for real solutions to some very important issues. First of all, we have heard almost nothing about a comprehensive solution to the migrant crisis, which affects almost the entire world.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“We believe that peace is the foundation for all our common endeavours in fighting poverty, unemployment, organized crime, corruption, violence and all kinds of extremism; in fighting for a better world based on universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights and freedoms that apply to everyone, regardless of differences in race, gender, language or religion. It seems to me that my words are familiar and that many other people have mentioned the same things. I therefore have an obligation to be as brief as possible, so I will not read my official speech but instead will hand out copies of it. I will speak to the Assembly in a different way. I will not use the teleprompters, as many speakers smarter than I have done in this debate.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“The Republic of Serbia strongly supports the proposed theme for this year’s general debate. My country firmly believes that productive multilateralism is not only necessary but also achievable if we all demonstrate readiness, in a spirit of cooperation, compromise and flexibility, for joint engagement in the task of realizating the strategic vision of a better world for all of us. Political will is the first step in that direction, but it must be followed by both measures and practical activities. It is our deep- seated belief that this is the only way forward in a world of growing interdependence and complexity, where common challenges require common solutions.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.
“It is a great honour for me to address the General Assembly today on behalf of the Republic of Serbia. First of all, I must say that I am profoundly grateful to all those present in the Hall because I know that there can be little excitement regarding my speech. Nevertheless, from time to time it is necessary for us to listen to one another. The general debate is an opportunity to highlight the numerous achievements of the world Organization in previous periods. At the same time, it is an opportunity to jointly reaffirm our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as our readiness to strengthen our collective resolve to engage actively and to do more to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights in the interest of humankind as a whole.”
UN General Assembly24 September 2016Source: United NationsSpeech held by session and year. Its individual meeting record is not yet linked.
English text from the UN verbatim record. Where the speaker did not speak English, this is the UN's interpretation, not their original words.