EU sends firefighting help to Serbia, but Vučić is critical: “Our helicopters are better”

European Union countries provided emergency assistance to Serbia on Sunday to help combat widespread wildfires, after Belgrade first turned to Russia for support and faced criticism from the European Commission. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, visiting the hardest-hit area, declared that Serbia is a “European power” in firefighting equipment relative to its size and that its own helicopters outperform those sent by the EU.

Serbia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism after weeks of battling fires, particularly in the Deliblato Sands (Deliblatska peščara) nature reserve in the northeast, about 80 kilometres from Belgrade, where more than 3,500 hectares have burned. Dozens of fires continue across the country.

The EU response includes four helicopters from Czechia, Romania and Slovakia, along with ground teams: 55 firefighters and 24 vehicles from Germany, and 69 firefighters with 15 vehicles from Romania. Some helicopters and teams have already arrived and begun operations, primarily in the Deliblato Sands, with the capacity to support other areas as needed. Three of the helicopters can each carry around 3,500 litres of water, while the fourth has a capacity of about 2,600 litres.

“The European Union is sending emergency assistance to Serbia to help fight the wildfires through its Civil Protection Mechanism,” said Andreas von Beckerath, head of the EU Mission in Belgrade. European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib confirmed the deployment of the four helicopters and two firefighting teams.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said Serbia had requested assistance through the EU mechanism. He noted that more than 400 people are fighting the fire daily in the Deliblato Sands, where inaccessible sandy terrain, heavy machinery getting stuck, and strong winds that rekindle flames make operations extremely difficult.

Dačić defended the earlier decision to request a Russian Il-76 firefighting aircraft, which arrived at Niš airport on 19 August and has been deployed to the Deliblato Sands, where more than 3,500 hectares have been affected by the flames. The aircraft’s large water-carrying capacity (around 42 tonnes) and ability to make multiple daily sorties made it the best available option at the time, he said, according to an assessment by Serbia’s Emergency Situations Headquarters. Its flight over Bulgaria had sparked political controversy over potential overflights of sensitive sites.

Russia’s firefighting mission to Serbia puts Bulgaria in an awkward spot

Vučić visited the Deliblato Sands on Sunday, flying over the affected area. He stated that Serbia has acquired more firefighting equipment in the past nine years than in the previous 30 and described the country as a “European giant” in this field. “The helicopters we received for firefighting from Europe are weaker than ours; they have a lower payload than ours,” he said. While acknowledging Europe’s advantages in rapid response and mutual cooperation, he stressed Serbia’s superior equipment. Vučić also announced awards for the most distinguished firefighters and noted that no lives or homes had been lost, with only minor structures affected.

Serbia, an EU candidate country, has access to the Civil Protection Mechanism even though it is not a member. Authorities continue efforts to bring the fires under control amid challenging conditions.

Vučić, who is expected to soon contest parliamentary elections, has long used rhetoric critical of the EU as a trademark strategy to appeal to his domestic electorate.

The article in Slovenian by EUalive’s partner Siol.net can be found here.

Caption: Fire in the Deliblato Sands, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia