President Macron has just announced that Serbia is the key country in the Balkans. That you have done a great job for Serbia on the way to the European Union. The lie about Vučić is definitely broken. Why did you get so excited?
Because I was very pleased with everything I heard. We had good conversations with President Macron, Chancellor Merz, Mrs. von der Leyen, and Mr. Costa. We had a very productive conversation. I said that it was a great conversation. I am never so reluctant to have a good conversation with my colleagues. I believe that we will see the progress of Serbia on the European cultural and cultural path.
What President Macron probably told you is what everyone noticed. Serbia has become in every sense and proportion the strongest economy in the Western Balkans.
First of all, I am very happy that it is. We have come here to do an important job, to talk to Europeans, to carry out many important bilateral talks. From Rumen Radev, the last winner of the Bulgarian elections, to the Czech Prime Minister Bobby's Utrose and Robert Fico. It was a long and serious conversation. We had very serious conversations with the Polish Prime Minister, the Irish Prime Minister, the Polish Prime Minister, the Austrian Chancellor. Of course, I had a long conversation with the Serbian Prime Minister. With all the people from the surrounding area, including Mr. Plenković. We are talking about how we will invest and fight for the interests of the citizens of Serbia. So that people in Serbia can see that we are working in their interest and that they can live a better life.
But you are very modest. President Macron really praised you. He said that we are key.
President Macron is a better politician than me. He is the president of a great country, and he does it much better than me.
Will he attack him now because of the statements he gave to our media?
Hi, Aleksandar. How are you? Are you going to enter as soon as possible? Will he attack him now because of the statements he gave to our media?
Vojna, there is something that you cannot deny. No one can do it, and no one can listen to the facts. When you talk about the facts, we have built more than 600 km of highways, more than in the past 70 years. We have built faster railways than ever before. Our country is advancing faster. Scientific and technological parks, many other things. So, as I would say, these are things that you cannot deny. And here, when they were making the campaign around Nenad, you know, there is one interesting thing. Those guys did not bother them when they came here to help them put out the fire. They were wonderful guys then. Those guys who returned, who say they are bad guys, they put out the fire here on Vustica, in Tivat municipality. They came as volunteers from Serbia to help them put out the fire. They were wonderful guys then.
Mr. President, I would like to say something. President Macron praised you. Xi Jinping gave you the order. Trump quoted you. Is that the isolation that some people came for? You have always had that defensive approach. Let's show them that they are not right. Do you really believe that they think they are right? Do you really believe that?
I have no problem with that. Sometimes you have a chance to see everyone in 7 days. Sometimes it takes 7 months. You do your job. Do it in the interest of your country. The one who does nothing, he can cheer and cheer every day. He can say what he wants every day. The one who does it, he is always dirty, dirty, dirty with sweat, with all the shoes, but his job is to work for his people, for his people. And there is no, as I would say, great philosophy here. It is very important for me to continue to work. I believe that this growth is going well. We had 3.2% in the first quarter. I believe, I hope that we can keep it until the end of the year. In April, we had 4%. The rate is growing. These are important things. We have strengthened the issuance of construction permits. We still do not see it in construction, but it will probably be seen in the second half of the year, and I am excited about the future. So, I believe that this is the most important thing.
The question is about Croatia. How do you see the relations with Croatia when we had the first progress?
There is always room for progress. These relations are not great. I would have them, what can I say, on my side. I assume your politicians on their side, and I believe that there will be room for progress in the future.
And in terms of Melagrad, will the friendly and brotherly hand of Aleksandar Vučić always be extended towards Montenegro?
There is no doubt. The people of Montenegro are our brothers and sisters, and they can write whatever they want on the walls. Usually, Terbanov writes everything, but no one cares. So, it's not a problem. The people of Montenegro live here, and our relationship will always be like that. For those who have forbidden themselves, whether we want to let someone go or not, I spoke with the members of our security service. Our brotherly people from Montenegro, welcome to Serbia. So, there is no great philosophy there. And that will continue, and it will always be on our side. And what some people have tried to do to make for themselves, to attack Serbia, to raise themselves, that means talking about them and very little or nothing about us. It is clear that the relations between Serbia and Croatia, and the Montenegrin media, against these young people who are supposed to live in these beautiful hotels in Tivat, and at the same time, they are bothered by the fact that they wanted to pay the bill. And at the same time, the people of Serbia are giving to the Montenegrin media that you are part of the Duvanski family. I am part of the Duvanski family. I had an argument with someone who was very tall, but that's not me.
You said that we always ask that.
Yes, when it comes to countries that have the Eurostat, I think that only Bulgaria is less involved in the region than we are. In the wider region, we are twice less involved than the European average. Much less involved than Montenegro. Much less involved than all the other countries. At this moment, in March, for the first time in history, we had the highest salary in the region since the Second World War.
But you said that you had an argument with someone who was very tall. With whom did you have an argument?
