Skopje, 21 August 2023 (MIA) — In response to Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani's request for clarification of his previous statement saying North Macedonia was wrong to recognize Kosovo's independence, Serbia's Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said that "despite all the malicious and ill-founded media reporting, Serbia acts as a responsible, reliable and predictable partner to all our neighbors."

"Our support for the territorial integrity of all UN member states is unconditional. Yet we cannot praise anyone's disrespect for our own territorial integrity. Recent events have proven our warnings that Kosovo UDI is not a sui generis case and that it will bounce back sooner or later. Nobody in Serbia is gloating about that, just stating the facts," Vucevic wrote on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Previously, Osmani wrote a Facebook post in response to Vucevic after he had said on Sunday that "Montenegro and North Macedonia made a mistake by recognizing Kosovo’s independence."

"North Macedonia rejects interference and unsuitable remarks from neighboring officials. We stand for regional stability and cooperation, including with Serbia and Kosovo. Awaiting clarification from Serbia's Defence Minister," Osmani wrote.

Vucevic had also said "there is international support for the formation of 'Greater Albania'."

"They think they are in the NATO pact and it has solved their problems. That is both Montenegro's and North Macedonia's mantra. Since they became members of this collective security alliance, the NATO, they think they have solved all their problems and that nothing can happen to them," Vucevic said. mr/