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| Aleksandar Vulin in public speech (archive) |
Aleksandar Vulin, the Head of Serbia's Security and Information Agency (BIA), has announced his resignation from this position. Vulin confirmed his resignation in a statement, citing pressure from the United States and the European Union.
"USA and the EU are seeking my head as a precondition for not imposing sanctions against Serbia. I am not the cause of blackmail and pressure on Serbia and the Serbian world, but I will not allow myself to be the cause of blackmail and pressure on Serbia and the Serbian world. Therefore, I submit my irrevocable resignation as the Director of BIA," reads the statement.
On July 11th, Vulin was included in the list of US sanctions.
According to the Treasury Department, Vulin was involved in corrupt activities to "advance his political agendas and personal interests at the expense of peace and stability in the Western Balkans." The statement also alleges his involvement in transatlantic organized crime, illicit narcotics operations, and the abuse of official duties.
In a statement on November 3rd, Vulin claimed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia were facing threats and blackmail, which he compared to the "Austro-Hungarian ultimatum of 1914."
"We are asked to recognize Kosovo, to withdraw from the Republic of Srpska, and not to be a sovereign country and nation by imposing sanctions against Russia," Vulin stated.
"If we agree to do this, the next demand will be the expulsion of Chinese investments, unconditional technological and economic dependence on the West, as well as the continued political and territorial fragmentation of Serbia and the adoption of Western values, which leave no room for the traditional family and nation, and ultimately for social justice," he added in his statement.
He mentioned that the sanctions imposed against him by the United States were evidence of his "ongoing struggle for the unity of the Serbs."
However, Vulin noted that the true indicator of the correctness of his decision would be "the hypocritical statements of US and EU officials, in which they will swear they never wanted to impose punishment and sanctions on us."
The United States and the European Union have not announced sanctions against Serbia due to Aleksandar Vulin.
Who is Aleksandar Vulin?
Aleksandar Vulin, a former associate of Mirjana Marković, the wife of Slobodan Milošević, is now a coalition partner of the Serbian Progressive Party in power.
With many years of ministerial experience in the Serbian government, he was appointed the Head of the National Security and Information Agency (BIA) in December 2022.
On May 10th, the European Parliament adopted a resolution expressing concerns about Vulin's appointment as the head of BIA, describing him in the resolution as a person "known for his anti-EU and pro-Kremlin rhetoric."
Vulin is well known for his harsh rhetoric against Serbia's neighbors and his friendliness towards Russia.