Half of Europe has come to Serbia's aid, Vucic: 'We are a firepower for them'

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić declared during his visit to the Deliblatska Pješčara region that Serbia, proportional to its size, has become an “European giant” in terms of equipment for fire suppression. He emphasized that Serbian helicopters used in firefighting are superior to those supplied by European countries, which have less carrying capacity. The remarks were made amid ongoing efforts to contain wildfires that have been burning for several days in the area. The president stated that no one had died in the fires, and no buildings had been damaged, although three firefighters were put in danger after being hit by a wildfire storm. Vučić claimed that only a portable toilet had burned down, contradicting earlier reports suggesting more extensive damage. He further noted that Serbia had acquired more equipment in the last nine years than was purchased over the previous 30 years. Despite this, he acknowledged that while most European countries are less equipped, they benefit from faster response times and effective collaboration among agencies. Firefighters in the region have been working tirelessly against the flames, with support coming from both European Union and Russian sources. On the day before the president’s visit, four Black Hawk helicopters and ground teams arrived from the EU. These included two from the Czech Republic with 13 crew members, one from Slovakia with seven, and one from Romania with four. Additionally, a Russian aircraft, the Iljušin, has been assisting in the firefighting operations. Vučić explained that Serbia initially sought assistance from Russia because specialists required an aircraft with greater payload capacity, which Europe lacked. He claimed that help from both Russia and the EU arrived promptly once requests were made. When asked why it took 13 days to request Russian aid, he responded that Serbia did not wait but instead submitted the request on August 17. “Both Russians and Europeans reacted immediately,” he said, taking responsibility for the decision himself. “I decided. I am to blame, not Đučić or Čaušić. Ivica was never wrong. I am to blame.” Earlier this month, Serbian officials had denied the need for external assistance. Interior Minister Ivica Đučić, on July 7, stated that Spain and France had requested Serbia's help, but Serbia had managed on its own. He added that Serbia had never requested assistance nor needed it. Several days later, on August 16, Vučić himself admitted that help had been offered, though he maintained that “at this moment, it is not needed since we have enough strength and can handle it ourselves.” The situation in Deliblatska Pješčara has been the most severe since the start of the firefighting efforts. According to public company Vojvodinašume, the first fire was recorded on July 21, but the blaze escaped control on May 5. By August 17, the fire had covered 3,960 hectares, of which 3,111 hectares were forest land, and it continued to spread. Firefighters highlighted the challenges posed by inaccessible terrain and strong winds. One firefighter, Vladimir Plemić, explained that due to the difficult terrain, they relied heavily on human power, as the fire had reached deep into the soil and flames reached heights of 30 to 40 meters. Sector Head for Emergency Situations Luka Čaušić stressed the need for new vehicles and helicopters. Vučić agreed, stating that 10 to 12 helicopters would be necessary. Čaušić proposed purchasing smaller helicopters such as the H125. Vučić dismissed claims that the fire had been deliberately set by investors, calling them lies. When asked why he had not visited the fire site earlier, he replied that ministers and the prime minister had been there regularly, and he had been providing daily updates on the situation.