RT.com
04 May 2025, 15:44 GMT+10
The countrys president, who pledged to attend despite pressure from the EU, was recently hospitalized with a heart condition
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is expected to attend Russia's Victory Day celebrations, despite a recent health scare, Finance Minister and Deputy PM Sinisa Mali has said.
The May 9 parade on Moscow's Red Square will mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Kremlin has invited a number of leaders from countries including Serbia, Slovakia, China, India, and Brazil. EU officials have warned member and candidate states against attending.
On Friday, Vucic abruptly ended a trip to the US after experiencing chest pain during a meeting in Florida, reportedly caused by high blood pressure. He had planned to meet with the Serbian diaspora and US President Donald Trump, but returned to Belgrade and was admitted to the Military Medical Academy, according to local broadcaster RTS. Doctors said the president "cannot be expected to return to his regular activities for several days."
Speaking on Saturday, Mali said Vucic will likely follow through with the visit. "One thing I can say is, knowing him, considering that he is a man of his word, he gave his word that he would be there, I assume that he will keep his word. But I cannot tell you that at this moment." Vucic was discharged from the hospital on Saturday.
The Military Medical Academy confirmed that the president underwent cardiovascular and hematological diagnostics and is now in stable condition. Doctors ordered him to rest, and he has canceled all activities and obligations for the next few days.
Among the EU leaders invited to the event were Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico. Hungary declined the invitation, stating that the end of World War II represented "a bitter defeat" due to the country's alliance with Nazi Germany. Fico has confirmed his attendance.
During a meeting with Vucic last month, EC Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos reportedly cautioned that his attendance would be held against Serbia's EU bid. Despite the pressure, Vucic said he had not changed his decision to attend the event, where a unit of the Serbian Armed Forces will also take part. Russian President Vladimir Putin praised those who accepted the invitation, calling them courageous for attending despite pressure from Brussels.
READ MORE: Serbian president cancels meetings in Washington media
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Russia Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Russia Herald.
More InformationHONG KONG: Hong Kong's housing market continued to lose ground in March, with home prices falling for a fourth straight month despite...
BEIJING, China: China's top airlines are still grounded in red ink, reporting steeper losses for the first quarter as they battle fierce...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: General Motors is recalling more than 720,000 vehicles globally over a defect linked to its 6.2L V8 engines, the...
ATLANTA, Georgia: United Parcel Service is cutting 20,000 jobs and closing dozens of facilities, marking one of its biggest shakeups...
TOKYO, Japan: Japan's biggest power company, JERA, says it might buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Alaska. This comes as Japanese...
NEW YORK, New York - A better-than-expected jobs report boosted U.S. stock markets Friday. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: General Motors is recalling more than 720,000 vehicles globally over a defect linked to its 6.2L V8 engines, the...
From June 9–13, 2025, France and Costa Rica will co-host the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, bringing together...
The countrys president, who pledged to attend despite pressure from the EU, was recently hospitalized with a heart condition Serbian...
The IDF has confirmed that it failed to intercept a projectile that landed in Ben Gurion near Tel Aviv Israel's main airport was...
A federal road map calls for reduced staffing and an expanded role for private companies in space operations The US government has...
New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI): BJP National Spokesperson RP Singh on Sunday welcomed India's decision to ban all direct and indirect...