Serbia sends protest note to Croatia over Gordan Grlić Radman's statements

(Patria) - Serbia has sent a protest note to Croatia over statements by the head of Croatian diplomacy, Gordan Grlić Radman, who called President Aleksandar Vučić a "Russian trabant".

These statements "represent a further continuation of building an atmosphere of hatred towards Serbia and the Serbian people and undermine the common policy of promoting peace and stability in the region", according to the note from the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tanjug reported.

Official Belgrade expects that high-ranking Croatian officials will refrain from statements in the future "that represent interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Serbia and will pursue a policy of reconciliation and good neighborly relations", it added.

This is the second protest note this month, after the Serbian authorities protested the burning of a doll of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić at the carnival in Kaštela, HRT reported.

Grlić Radman said on Saturday that Serbia is pursuing a double policy, trying to get closer to both the EU and Russia, but will eventually have to decide which side it is on. He made a distinction between the Serbian people and the current regime in Belgrade and called Vučić a "Russian satellite".

"As for Serbia, the citizens are one thing, and Vučić and his policy are another, and he must decide which chair he will sit on, because it is uncomfortable to sit on two chairs. Vučić should not have a big dilemma, he knows where he gets his support from, he knows where the Western Balkans is financed from", said Grlić Radman.

"He can possibly be some kind of trabant or satellite of Russia, but we will not allow, as allies and partners with the USA, any Russian influence or other malign influences that would undermine the stability of the Western Balkans", emphasized the head of Croatian diplomacy, HRT reported.

This caused fierce reactions in Belgrade. Vučić accused Grlić Radman on Saturday evening of interfering in Serbia's internal affairs, insults, and threats.

"The Croatian minister not only brutally interferes in Serbia's internal affairs, but as usual, lies and insults the Serbian people and threatens the citizens of Serbia. Grlić Radman is right about one thing, maybe I am someone's trabant, but I have never been anyone's lackey or servant, which cannot be said for Grlić Radman", Vučić wrote on Instagram.