Serbia sends four planes carrying medical equipment to Italy

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wearing a protective face mask poses next to the pilot holding one of the packages with medical supplies, the writing on it reads: "Let's win together! Courage, Italy, Serbia is with you!" at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Serbia sent four planes carrying medical equipment including gloves, masks and protective suits to Italy on Saturday as a donation to help the EU member state tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Another four equipment-laden planes will be sent in the next two days, also donated by the Serbian government, President Aleksandar Vucic said.

A member of the flight crew carries one of the packages with medical supplies at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

"We will win together, be brave Italy, Serbia is with you," Vucic wrote on one of the boxes of equipment before it was loaded on to a plane.

Last year Italy was Serbia's second-largest trade partner after Germany, statistics bureau data in January showed. Italian companies including Fiat employ more than 20,000 people in Serbia.

"On its path to Europe, Serbia always had help from Italy," Vucic said, noting that during devastating floods in 2014, Italy was one of the first countries to send aid.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic writes on one of the packages with medical supplies at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

"This is our opportunity to say thank you."

Serbia so far reported 7,483 cases of people infected with the coronavirus and 144 deaths.

The Balkan country has been cultivating strong ties with China and has received help from Beijing, which sent six doctors to help their Serbian colleagues during the pandemic.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Italian Ambassador to Serbia Carlo Lo Cascio touch elbows at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Vucic had at the beginning of the crisis criticised the European Union for introducing a ban on the export of masks to non-EU countries, including Serbia.

Recently EU officials, including its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have criticised Vucic for praising only China for help.

"I have never seen billboards thanking the European Union," Borrell told members of the European Parliament in Brussels this week, referring to billboards in Belgrade featuring a picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping thanking China for its help during the coronavirus crisis.

Flight crew wearing protective face masks stands in front of a plane that is set to take medical supplies from the Nikola Tesla Airport to Italy, to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; Editing by David Holmes)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic wearing a protective face mask arrives at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks as Serbia sends four planes to Italy from the Nikola Tesla Airport with medical supplies to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Flight crew members wearing protective face masks look at each other next to a plane that is set to take medical supplies from the Nikola Tesla Airport to Italy, to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Flight crew members wearing protective face masks look on in front of a plane that is set to take medical supplies from the Nikola Tesla Airport to Italy, to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A woman wearing a protective face mask stands amid Italian and Serbian flags at Nikola Tesla Airport, where planes with medical supplies are set to fly to Italy to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A view shows planes that are set to take medical supplies from the Nikola Tesla Airport to Italy, to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

A plane that is taking medical supplies from the Nikola Tesla Airport to Italy takes flight, to help the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Belgrade, Serbia April 25, 2020. REUTERS/Marko Djurica