MOSCOW, September 4 (RIA Novosti) - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has asked French actor Gerard Depardieu to help promote Serbia abroad, local media reported Thursday.
"I am particularly happy that Mr. Depardieu has shown great respect towards Serbia and Serbian history, and in a way towards Serbian politics," Vucic is quoted as saying by Serbian broadcaster B92.
Vucic and Depardieu spoke to reporters following their meeting in Belgrade on Thursday. The French actor stated that he is visiting Serbia in order to explore its culture. "It's a great country - a small but great country when it comes to history and culture," he said.
The minister thanked Depardieu for his visit and said that he had asked the actor to promote Serbia abroad, though they were yet to make a firm agreement, B92 reports.
Depardieu told reporters he was happy that Serbia had decided not to follow the EU’s lead and has not imposed sanctions on Russia.
When asked about the Ukrainian crisis, and the actor replied that he believes the situation will be peacefully resolved by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, but stated that he is “an artist and has not been invited to comment on it”, B92 writes.
French Actor Gerard Depardieu received Russian citizenship in January 2013 after President Vladimir Putin used his personal authority to award it to him. Depardieu announced that he would give up his French passport in late 2012 over the French government’s planned tax increases.
