Vučić: Two large packages of explosives found a few hundred meters from the gas pipeline

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that this morning, not far from the violence of Velebit, in northern Vojvodina, a few hundred meters from the South Stream gas pipeline, two large packages of explosives with fuses were found in two backpacks that could have endangered a large number of people and caused great damage to the gas supply of Serbia and Hungary.

"We have clues, an investigation is underway. I just finished talking to Viktor Orban. It is obvious that geopolitical games will not leave us alone," Vučić said during a tour of the construction site for Expo 2027, adding that "our intelligence agencies did a good job."

He stressed that Serbia will "mercilessly deal with those who want to endanger our vital infrastructure facilities," and that defenses will be strengthened so that not even a bird can fly through.

Vučić said that "we think we know which individuals were supposed to participate and take that final step" in activating the explosives and that the intention was to "send a political message."

"I don't think we know by name, but by group of faces. Anyone we catch trying to destroy part of Serbia's most important infrastructure will be punished mercilessly and severely," Vučić said.

He said that the eventual destruction of gas compressor stations would cause damage that would take a long time to repair, and that is why they are defending themselves with "the most powerful weapons we have never had before."

Speaking about the area where the explosives were found, between Senta and Kanjiža, he said that "it seems to me that someone wanted to send a political message more than anything."

"Whether someone's intention was to show that the intention was primarily against Hungary, and that Serbia was collateral damage or otherwise, I cannot tell you at this moment," Vučić said, Beta reports.

Orban convenes a session of the Defense Council

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called a meeting of the Defense Council for this afternoon, due to explosives found near a gas pipeline in Serbia, Hungarian media reported.

His close associate and MP Balaz Orban announced on social media that Vučić had informed the Hungarian Prime Minister about the situation, saying that devastating explosives and the means needed to activate them had been found on the critical gas infrastructure connecting Serbia and Hungary.

The Hungarian portal Index.hu states that the Serbian compressor station, built in 2021, is necessary for the transport of Russian gas from Turkey to Hungary.

They add that at the end of March, based on the decision of the President of Serbia and the order of the Chief of General Staff, the Serbian Army provided increased protection at the Velika Plana compressor station, which includes securing the facility with both ground and anti-aircraft forces, N1 reports.