Belgrade/Paris - French President Emmanuel
Macron decided on Monday to postpone his trip to Serbia for
several weeks as he seeks a way out of the crisis prompted by
nationwide anti-tax protests that erupted suddenly three weeks
ago.
The demonstrations against high living costs, dubbed the
"yellow vest" movement, led to widespread rioting in Paris at
the weekend and are showing signs of damaging the French
economy.
"President Macron has asked to postpone for several weeks
his visit to Serbia due to the situation in his country,"
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told reporters after a phone
call with Macron.
Macron's office later confirmed the trip would be postponed
due to "the incidents that took place in the last protests."
A smashed window displays a yellow vest, showing support for protesters and for protesters not to attack the building, near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. File picture: Kamil Zihnioglu/AP
Macron was due to arrive in Serbia on Wednesday for a
two-day visit to improve relations with Belgrade after a
diplomatic faux-pas during the World War One commemorations in
Paris last month caused consternation in the former Yugoslav
republic.
Serbia was upset about the seating arrangement at the
ceremony, as Serbia's Vucic was placed outside the official
stand by the Arc de Triomphe where leaders such as Donald Trump
and Angela Merkel were sitting.
The French ambassador to Serbia expressed "deep regrets"
about what it called a "misstep".