Following the tragic loss of lives at the ''Vladislav Ribnikar'' Elementary School shooting in Belgrade on May 3rd 2023, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has declared three days of national mourning, from May 5th to May 7th 2023.

The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the OSCE and other International Organizations in Vienna is grateful for all the messages of support we have received. 

A book of condolences will open at the Permanent Mission, Bartensteingasse 4, Top 14-15, 1010, Vienna.

Members of the public who wish to leave written tributes can do so during the following hours: 10:00 - 14:00 hours. 

Please be advised that visitors will be subject to security checks. 

For those unable to attend in person, an online book of condolences can be signed at the following email address:

serbia.condolences@mfa.rs

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-MwafmeAEUA0iHaMzH9F-J-0LtbErJJt/view?usp=sharing

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today in Geneva the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, the first of its kind in the Western Balkans.

The agreement was signed at the headquarters of that forum by Director of the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment Mihailo Jovanovic and Managing Director and Head of the Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Jeremy Jurgens.

The centre in Serbia will be the 16th in the network of centres of the World Economic Forum in the world and the first in the region of the Western Balkans.

The new centre will start operating on 1 March and will function as a non-profit organisation and a platform for public-private partnership and cooperation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while the focus of work will be on artificial intelligence and bioengineering.

This centre will work within the Serbian government’s Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment and will cooperate with scientific institutes, state institutions and the private sector.

The signing of this document was also attended by founder and Executive Director of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and President of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende, with whom Brnabic had previously met.

Addressing the press, Brnabic pointed out that this agreement is the result of many years of joint work between Serbia and the World Economic Forum.

We started talking in 2018, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, then 2020 hampered us a bit, but we continued to plan in 2021 and here we are today, she said.

According to her, the centre will be focused on the development of artificial intelligence, biomedicine and biotechnology, and on the ways in which digitalisation can raise the productivity of companies and the entire economy.

This is what further leads to higher salaries, a better standard of living, as well as to an economy that is mainly based on knowledge, creativity and innovation, Brnabic emphasised.

Today, we have received great recognition for everything that Serbia has done in the field of digitalisation, development of high technologies and paradigm shift – from an economy that was based on labour-intensive investments to digital development.

That is why this agreement shows that Serbia has been recognised as one of the leaders in the economy and IT industry in the last six years, the Prime Minister pointed out and assessed that this is the announcement of the beginning of an even closer cooperation between Serbia and WEF.

She added that they will have a joint meeting with the 16 WEF centres for the fourth industrial revolution in the world every month, at which they will talk about what each of them is doing, since each has a different focus.

That is how we will hear what everyone is doing every month, learn from each other and I am sure that the centre in Belgrade will be one of the best, the Prime Minister said.

According to her, this gives us visibility, the opportunity to further establish Serbia as an investment destination, a country good for living and investing in new technologies and knowledge.

Jovanovic said that the ecosystem formed around the centre will use the infrastructure of the National Platform for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Genome Sequencing and the future bioeconomic centre – BIO4 Campus.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković confers with the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija (OMIK) Michael Davenport.

Minister Selaković underlined that Serbia supported the work of OMIK, the most visible status-neutral presence in Kosovo and Metohija, which acts in accordance with the mandate based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244, adding that it was crucial for the OSCE to maintain such a neutral approach.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy said that Serbia upheld the work and activities of OMIK in the field of protection of the rights of non-Albanian communities in Kosovo and Metohija, but also pointed out that our interest was that those be further intensified.

Minister Selaković stated that the issue of the return of expelled Serbs and other non-Albanians to Kosovo and Metohija was especially important, reminding that in 22 years of the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija only 1.9% of internally displaced persons have achieved a sustainable return. He also noted that the engagement of OMIK in cases of human rights violations of returnees as well as regular reporting on these cases was extremely important.

The Minister warned that incidents and provocations, such as the case of Dragica Gasic or those that took place in the north of Kosovo in September and October last year, have the potential to destabilize the fragile security situation in Kosovo and Metohija, expressing concern over 136 ethnically motivated incidents against Serbs, their property and the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija that were recorded since the beginning of last year.

As regards the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Selaković underlined that our side was committed to it and that we were convinced that this was the only way to reach a sustainable solution, but that, on the other hand, Pristina representatives were not ready to implement previously undertaken obligations and that such unilateral approach makes dialogue much more difficult.

In that context, Minister Selaković also referred to the unacceptable position of Pristina concerning the holding a referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija, pointing out that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija were once again deprived of their basic human rights.

The Minister said that we expected that, with the assistance of the OSCE, the citizens of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija be enabled to vote in the presidential and parliamentary elections in April.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today in Stockholm, at the 28th OSCE Ministerial Council, that the participating States of that organization should adhere to the principles of the Helsinki Final Act and commit to the preservation of multilateralism.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stated that we needed to be ready for compromise in the process of eliminating or at least reducing security risks and that, in these efforts, multilateralism should be our most important instrument.

“With the outbreak of new and exacerbation of existing conflicts, as well as the constant emergence of additional challenges, the situation is becoming increasingly complicated. Despite our efforts over the years, further widening of the gap, lack of political will and of openness to engage in constructive and substantive dialogue have contributed to undermining the foundations on which this organization was built”, Selakovic said.

Recalling that the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act was approaching, Selakovic emphasized that it should be borne in mind that this document, during the “Cold War”, set out ten fundamental principles for regulating relations between states and thus made the world a better and safer place.

“I am convinced that we should show greater responsibility for the future of the organization, political will and readiness for dialogue and compromises, while adhering to the principles and commitments arising from this important document, as well as those undertaken by participating in the work of the OSCE”, Selakovic said.

He noted that despite the challenges and accumulated problems facing the OSCE today, its solid foundations, developed mechanisms and flexibility clearly indicated that it remained an invaluable instrument of collective and comprehensive security.

He said that Serbia believed that the current initiatives and proposals regarding the future of the OSCE should be carefully considered and the best solutions adopted through dialogue and by consensus, which would contribute to strengthening the capacities and visibility of the organization.

Reflecting on the developments in Southeast Europe, Selakovic assessed that the OSCE still had a significant role to play there both in strengthening the democratic capacity and supporting further reforms in the region, and also in strengthening cooperation, and therefore the stability of this part of the European continent.

In the past two decades, he explained, Serbia made the most of the OSCE’s expert support in the process of comprehensive reforms of the society, while cooperating with the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija, which represented the most visible international status-neutral presence in the Province.

Minister Selakovic stressed that Serbia was committed to European integration and regional cooperation through concrete economic and infrastructure projects, because only through cooperation with neighbours with a readiness to respect the interests of all, can we reach sustainable solutions to the problems in the region.

“On the other hand, I would like to express my deep concern and regret over the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija this year, marked by an increasing number of ethnically motivated attacks and incidents targeting members of the Serb community, as well as institutional discrimination, attacks on religious sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church and undermining the economic sustainability of the Serb community in the Province”, Selakovic said.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy underlined that, despite the efforts that Belgrade made in the process of dialogue and the fact that it had fulfilled the obligations arising from the Brussels Agreement, the politicians from Pristina had shown no readiness so far to fulfill obligations of their own.

“Instead, they have been making unilateral moves, insisting on their agenda of the so-called statehood while refusing, for more than eight years, to implement the obligation to establish the Community of Serb Municipalities, which the Serb community in Kosovo and Metohija sees as a guarantee of its survival in the Province”, Selakovic warned.

On the second day of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met with Matteo Mecacci, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Selakovic said that Serbia saw ODIHR as an institution of exceptional importance, which had been assisting the OSCE participating States in the implementation of their commitments in the field of human dimension for three decades.

He noted that the support that ODIHR extended to our country throughout the years of comprehensive reforms was invaluable, especially in the areas of strengthening democratic institutions and election observation.

ODIHR has been observing the elections in Serbia for many years, and this cooperation has contributed to the improvement of the electoral system in our country, said the Head of Serbian diplomacy, adding that Serbia established a Working Group for Cooperation with the OSCE and ODIHR in 2019, which included all relevant institutions.

On the second day of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met with Matteo Mecacci, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Selakovic said that Serbia saw ODIHR as an institution of exceptional importance, which had been assisting the OSCE participating States in the implementation of their commitments in the field of human dimension for three decades.

He noted that the support that ODIHR extended to our country throughout the years of comprehensive reforms was invaluable, especially in the areas of strengthening democratic institutions and election observation.

ODIHR has been observing the elections in Serbia for many years, and this cooperation has contributed to the improvement of the electoral system in our country, said the Head of Serbian diplomacy, adding that Serbia established a Working Group for Cooperation with the OSCE and ODIHR in 2019, which included all relevant institutions.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that severe examples of endangering the Serbian cultural, historical and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija are proof of the important role of UNESCO in protecting and preserving heritage.

At the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, Brnabic emphasized that four jewels of the Serbian medieval cultural heritage in Kosovo – Visoki Decani, Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica and Bogorodica Ljeviska, have been preserved thanks to the fact that they are inscribed on the endangered world heritage list.

Hundreds of other sites and monuments are endangered. The Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is of immeasurable importance, not only for the national identity of Serbia, but also as a part of the esteemed European and world heritage, she underlined.

Source/Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs

2nd November 2021

"Your Excellences,

distinguished delegates,

dear Sarah,

At the very beginning, I feel obliged to thank Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Her Majesty’s Government for exceptional hospitality.

I feel privileged to represent the Republic of Serbia at this important place and at the highest-level world forum, in working on the most important topic of today – promoting climate awareness.

We all agree that we must make investment into climate and environment.

We all, likewise agree, that future generations must be educated in order not to repeat the mistakes we made, by hurting the only Planet that makes life possible.

I am very honoured that the Republic of Serbia is co-chairing this year’s Conference as a Non-EU representative of the Eastern Europe Group.

In concrete terms, we see the special contribution of our expert team in finalising negotiations on the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which refers to the establishment of the global market and non-market mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to remaining provisions referring to advanced transparency framework and common timeframes for Nationally Determined Contributions, which are the key provisions of the Agreement that have not yet been covered by the decision that is to be adopted by the Conference, i.e. all member states.

We, therefore, believe that this is an exceptional opportunity for Serbia to give its full contribution to the finalization of negotiations, which, we hope, will secure full implementation of the Paris Agreement.

As a result of strong economic development, modelled for Serbia by 2050, the impact of the implementation of climate measures to employment will be optimal, through new jobs creation and creation of new industries which have not existed so far.

One billion euros was raised at the first green bonds auction in Serbia, which clearly confirms the trust of international investors in our green agenda, but also to the economic and political stability of our country.

Incomes from green bonds issuance will be used for financing renewables, energy efficiency, sustainable water management, prevention of pollution and circular economy development and biodiversity preservation.

And as you can see, dear friends, my people made a terrific speech for me, but I am going to add a few more words and a few more questions for those that are coming from big powers and that haven’t answered yet several questions:

Number one is: how are we going to finance all these activities?

We’ve heard the story of trillions of dollars that are at our disposal. My question would be: what would be the interest rate, what would be the terms for taking these amounts of money, and actually how are we going to tackle that issue?

Number two: how are we going to treat the nuclear power plants? Are we going to shut them all or are we going to build them more?

Then, how are we going to build more renewables if we already started endorsing populist movements against wind parks, new hydropower plants, and are we going to put in jeopardy the level of our public debt to GDP ratio if we raise huge amounts of money? 

How are we going to treat natural gas, and how are we going to secure decent prices of natural gas and electricity power as well?

And, I came here using an electric car from Edinburgh to Glasgow. But, how are we going to do mining and refining of lithium, nickel, cobalt and many other very important minerals?

In the end, we all know what is our final aim, what is our final target. But, it’s not a fairytale – we’ll have to work a lot, we’ll have to be 100 per cent dedicated, and we’ll have to be more honest with each other.

The health of people living in Serbia depends directly on the implementation of this Agenda, just like the health and life of each living being on Earth depends on arrangements that will be reached here and on national implementation of the respective arrangements.

Perhaps it is the right time to listen and hear the cry of Mother Earth because if we lose this race against time, our children will inherit an irreparably polluted Planet.

Thank you very much for listening to me."

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo: Dimitrije Goll

26 October 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, talked today at the Annual Meeting of the Heads of OSCE Missions in the Region of Southeast Europe.

Selaković pointed out that Serbia attaches great importance to the field presence of the OSCE, since we have been hosting two field missions in Belgrade and Pristina for two decades.

"We are especially proud of the fact that cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia has been based on partnership since its establishment", Selaković said, adding that cooperation between the OSCE Mission and our institutions has stood out for many years as an example of successful relations between the host country and the mission on the ground.

Also, Selaković pointed out that we support the work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija, as a visible international status-neutral presence in the province, which acts in accordance with the mandate based on UNSC Resolution 1244.

Selaković emphasized that Serbia is committed to the improvement of regional cooperation, that it actively contributes to resolving open issues, as well as that it strives to focus on economic cooperation through the "Open Balkans" initiative.

"Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, Serbia has not forgotten that great challenges can be overcome only by solidarity and observing the region as a whole. Our country, guided by humanitarian motives, provided significant quantities of vaccines to neighboring countries that requested such assistance, but it also enabled their citizens to be vaccinated in the Republic of Serbia", the minister pointed out.

Speaking about the importance of the OSCE in the whole of Southeast Europe, Selaković underlined the role of that Organization in supporting the promotion of respect for human rights, the rule of law, but also strengthening confidence in the reconciliation process in the region.

Selaković pointed out the importance that OSCE missions have in supporting reforms on the path to membership in the European Union, but also in strengthening overall cooperation in Southeast Europe.

The Minister assessed that connecting the missions would bring visible results in terms of strengthening the efficiency of their work, and responding to security challenges, such as the migrant crisis or the fight against extremism and radicalization.

"I use this opportunity to encourage all missions in the field in Southeast Europe to improve mutual cooperation, by identifying areas for joint approach and action", the minister concluded his presentation and wished the participants a good discussion.

25 October 2021

Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Helga Schmid, paid a visit to Belgrade during which she met with the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković.

President Vučić talked with Secretary General Schmid about the participation of this institution in the reform processes in Serbia, as well as about the priorities in future cooperation, Serbia's European path and reforms in the field of rule of law.

Vučić emphasized the importance of cooperation with the OSCE, whose experiences are important for the improvement of reform processes in Serbia, especially in the advisory aspect during the implementation of reforms, as well as in supporting the strengthening of democratic institutions, encouraging dialogue and supporting the civil sector.

"For Serbia, work on the continuation of reforms is of key interest, both for the further progress of the country in all areas and in order to preserve stability in the region", pointed out President Vučić, adding that work on further improving regional connections is one of the fundamental starting points of Serbia’s foreign policy, while its priority is full membership in the European Union.

In that context, the President especially emphasized that Serbia is ready to speed up the accession process and that it is why it has accepted the new negotiation methodology.

Secretary General Schmid emphasized that the OSCE, as a reliable partner of Serbia, will continue to transfer experiences to Serbian institutions regarding best practices on our reform path. She praised Serbia for the results and obvious progress in all areas of importance, as shown by the latest European Commission Report, and said that progress has been made especially in the field of economy and contribution to regional stability and integration.

She particularly emphasized the OSCE's readiness to support the improvement of the media situation in Serbia, as well as in the area of the rule of law and the implementation of green agenda standards.

The interlocutors also stated that the role of the OSCE is extremely important for regional security and that Serbia, in accordance with the principles of this organization, is firmly determined to continue to make a full contribution to regional stability.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić talked with Schmid about the reforms that the Government of Serbia is implementing in numerous areas, especially when it comes to the rule of law, media freedoms and security of journalists, but also about cooperation in the region and global problems facing the entire Western Balkans.

Brnabić expressed gratitude to the OSCE Secretary General for the mission's support to Serbia in key reforms, emphasizing that she is equally personally committed to both constitutional changes and the safety of journalists, especially women in journalism, because, as she emphasized, it is a red line that cannot be crossed.

One of the topics discussed was the participation of women in the public sphere and their representation in leading positions, and the Prime Minister pointed out that she was pleased to say that in some local governments and cities in Serbia, women are in the lead in these leadership positions, while their representation in the Office for IT and eGovernment is as much as 60 percent.

That was not the plan, but the reason lies in the fact that women did the job the best, Brnabić underlined.

The interlocutors exchanged views on areas in which it is possible to deepen Serbia's cooperation with the OSCE Office, such as regional cooperation, especially when it comes to organized crime and trafficking.

Climate change has been identified as a topic of particular importance, where Schmid added that the Mission will continue to provide expert assistance and co-operation in all areas that Serbia deems necessary.

25 October 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, met with the Secretary General of the OSCE, Helga Schmid, who is on her first visit to the Republic of Serbia.

After the meeting, Minister Selaković said that the Republic of Serbia considers the OSCE one of the most important regional security organizations, which in today's security architecture represents a platform for dialogue and a unique format for jointly facing security challenges, not only on the European continent, but significantly wider.

"In a cordial and friendly conversation that began yesterday during the arrival of Ms. Schmid in Serbia, until this morning's meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we were able to exchange opinions and views on how we see the future work of the organization, but also to point out what we are especially proud of, and that is the fact that we have extremely good cooperation with the OSCE", stated the head of Serbian diplomacy.

In a conversation with the OSCE Secretary General, Minister Selaković reminded of Serbia's commitment to the OSCE and the principles of that organization, which came to the fore especially during Serbia's chairmanship of the OSCE in 2015, but also during the chairmanship of the Forum for Security Cooperation in 2017.

"Towards the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, I expressed the readiness of the Republic of Serbia to work together with other participating countries to reaffirm the principles of the organization, especially those established by the Helsinki Final Act", said Minister Selaković.

According to him, what is specific about the Republic of Serbia in relation to the other 56 participating countries is the fact that there are two OSCE missions in our country, one with its headquarters in Belgrade, the other with its headquarters in Pristina.

"We are especially proud of our cooperation with the Mission based in Belgrade, which makes a very important, huge and selfless contribution to the reform processes in Serbia and those aimed at creating a better, more orderly and efficient society in which we all want to live and which is such as is necessary in a country that is a candidate for EU membership, which is strategically determined for the European path and which, in everything it does, tries to reach the highest European level of order", stressed Minister Selaković.

He conveyed that he also talked with the Secretary General of the OSCE about the functioning of the OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija.

"It was an opportunity for us to acquaint Ms. Schmid with the latest events, especially in mid-September and October, with growing tensions and the fact that in the last 10 months the number of ethnically motivated attacks on the Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija has increased significantly compared to the same period last year", said Minister Selaković.

He stressed that the functioning of the OSCE mission based in Pristina is especially important for the continuation of talks on Kosovo and Metohija, which, as Minister Selaković said, we consider the most important international status-neutral presence by a regional international organization on the ground, and that status-neutral presence is in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

"We especially expressed our gratitude for the work of Ambassador Braathu during his mandate as the head of OMiK and paid special attention to the program for human rights and communities that began operating at that time and which makes an exceptional contribution to the functioning of the Mission itself", said the head of Serbian diplomacy.

As he conveyed, a special topic of today's conversation was the situation in the region and he informed his interlocutor about our positions in relation to the main events in the region.

"I especially emphasized our commitment to building good neighborly relations, preserving stability and strengthening regional integration, especially emphasizing the 'Open Balkans' initiative, as well as everything aimed at strengthening communication between countries in our region, but also strengthening cooperation between citizens of our countries", said Minister Selaković.

He thanked Schmid for her commitment to our region and for her interest and understanding of the issues and challenges we face, as well as for the constructiveness in the talks they have had so far.

"You have an honest and reliable partner in Serbia. We will continue to behave in this way. You are always welcome", stated Minister Selaković and added that each of her visits should be a support to make Serbia an even more organized and stable society.

Minister Selaković said that Serbia, acting responsibly, seriously and wisely as it has done so far, will make a key contribution to preserving peace and stability in the region, but also to promoting what are the best European values, especially when it comes to what is under the competencies of the OSCE.

The OSCE Secretary General pointed out that the conversation with Minister Selaković was constructive and that they emphasized the importance of the role of the OSCE as the largest international security organization that has a unified approach to peace and security.

"Peace and security should be seen in the context of economic and environmental issues, but also in relation to human rights", Schmid said.

She said that the OSCE's partnership with Serbia remains strong, and added that Serbia, since chairing the organization in 2015, has contributed to stability in the region and beyond.

As she said, the issues discussed at the meeting were reforms and progress of Serbia, the work of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, as well as reforms in the security sector, which, as she pointed out, will make the police better in the service of citizens.

"Our mission will continue to support the implementation of legislation and reforms in order to achieve the set goals", Schmid said.

She praised Serbia's efforts to establish contacts among the citizens of the region, emphasizing that Serbia is a leader in regional initiatives and that it has shown its commitment to good neighborly relations.

During her first visit to Serbia as OSCE Secretary General, Schmid will also meet with President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, National Assembly Speaker Ivica Dačić and the Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Janković.

15th October 2021

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,

I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate. I would also like to thank the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible, pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve lasting peace, stability and security in the Province.

Mr. Tanin,

Please accept the expressions of our gratitude for your engagement and the cooperation we achieved during your term of office.

Mr. President,

Deep regret and concerns are raised by the fact that the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija in the past period has been marked by an increasing number of various ethnically motivated attacks and incidents targeting Serbs, which was also stated in the Report; that the provisional institutions of self-government (PISG) in Pristina continue to take unilateral steps and refuse to implement the agreements reached in the Brussels dialogue; and that institutional discrimination against Serbs, attacks on the sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the undermining of the economic sustainability of Serb communities in the Province have continued.

We are witnessing that dangerous provocations by Pristina are taking place every day, at an accelerated pace, thus seriously threatening the safety of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and directly violating the agreements and arrangements reached within the Brussels dialogue.

The latest violent incursion of the so-called ROSU units into the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, on 13 October, is the ninth incursion of its kind. Tear gas, shock bombs and unbridled violence are becoming a matter of everyday life for Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and that must be stopped immediately.

In the last attack with firearms and chemicals used by Pristina special forces, 71-year-old Verica Djelic died as a result of chemicals used in the intervention, 10 unarmed civilians were wounded, one of them 36 years old Srećko Sofronijević was critically wounded in the back with of an automatic rifle. A three-month-old baby, who miraculously remained unharmed, was also the target of the shooting.

The false excuse for the latest unilateral action, as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell called it, was the fight against organized crime and smuggling. Ladies and gentlemen, Serbia is strongly against organized crime and smuggling, but the members of the UNSC should know that such an important and general global goal, which we all share, was cynically used for an armed attack on unarmed civilians, which began with an automatic rifle raid of pharmacies in which patients of Serbian and other nationalities are supplied with vitally important medicines. Four days before the local elections in Kosovo and Metohija, in order to gain votes in an irresponsible and inhumane way, fully motivated by separatist goals, the current PISG regime used medicines on which people’s lives depend to prove its position on the status contrary to UNSCR 1244.

Only a few days earlier, another provocation on the part of Pristina led to a dangerous crisis, when personnel of the so-called ROSU unit, armed with long firearms and reinforced with armoured vehicles, were deployed to administrative crossings between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija - Brnjak and Jarinje – in order to remove Serbian license plates and replace them with temporary ones, thus violently preventing the free movement of citizens.

These events do not fall within the reporting period covered by the latest Report of the UN Secretary General on the work of UNMIK, but it is incumbent upon us to address them on this occasion, in order to have everyone understand how dramatic the situation on the ground has been and how serious the consequences of Pristina's unilateral actions can be.

The incursions of heavily armed Pristina police formations, composed exclusively of Albanians, into the north of Kosovo and Metohija, under various pretexts and motives, with the use of excessive force, are provocations that have an extremely dangerous potential to destabilize the already sensitive security situation on the ground. The goal of the latest incursions of Pristina’s special force personnel into the north of the province was to provoke the Serbs and additionally intimidate them with a demonstration of force, as well as to provoke Belgrade to react hastily in some way.

It is obvious that with such moves Pristina aims to erase the 10 years of dialogue, which is the only way to resolve open issues. These provocations once again demonstrate that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, not only do not intend to implement everything agreed in the Brussels dialogue, but that their goal is to completely deny dialogue as a means of resolving problems. An effective response to Pristina's lack of credibility and their dangerous play with fire, which could have unforeseeable consequences, cannot be provided by calling on "both sides" for constructiveness and restraint, which has long been a manner in public communication of some important factors in the international community. There is only one source of destabilization, it has a name – and that is the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina - and after the events of 13 October, it is clear that it can and needs to be stopped by urgent and decisive action of the international community. It is now quite obvious that these are no longer sporadic and isolated provocations by Pristina, but that this is an organized campaign of ethnically motivated violence and discrimination against Serbs.

We also express our concern over the latest imposition of tariffs by Pristina on certain products originating from central Serbia, which was made public on 8 October. We remind you that the unilateral decision of Pristina to impose duties on products from central Serbia in November 2018 resulted in a de facto complete trade blockade and a long-term stalemate in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. In contrast to Pristina, which persistently seeks to raise barriers towards central Serbia through unilateral acts, Belgrade is persistently and consistently working to liberalize the flow of people, goods, services and capital, which is the basic goal of our "Open Balkan" initiative. North Macedonia and Albania joined this initiative, but Pristina did not.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

In the period from March to September this year, which is covered in the latest Report, close to 100 ethnically motivated attacks were carried out against Serbs, their private property, religious and cultural heritage sites. The increase in the frequency of attacks was accompanied by the strengthening of the intensity of ethnically motivated violence, which more and more often targets children, the elderly, women, the few returnees present there, as well as churches and other property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

This systematically intensifies the ubiquitous sense of insecurity of the remaining Serbs, but also deters potential returnees, who are in fact being told that local Albanian communities can attack them with impunity and prevent them from returning to live in their own homes.

The most striking example of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is the case of the displaced person Dragica Gašić, who moved into her apartment in the municipality of Djakovica again in early June. In that town – to which local Albanians proudly refer as a place forbidden to Serbs - Ms. Gašić, on her return, first faced physical and verbal attacks by citizens of Albanian nationality living there. Instead of being provided protection, that seriously ill woman then became a victim of institutional persecution as well, that the local self-government bodies and the police unleashed against her. Since this is a person who is the first and only Serb returnee to Đakovica after more than twenty years, it was to be expected that, at that moment, at least civil society organizations would attempt to protect her rights. However, NGOs from Djakovica soon joined the activities aimed at the expulsion Ms. Gašić, including those receiving funding from international donors for projects related to strengthening democracy and the rule of law.

I must also mention the latest attack on the house of the only remaining Serbian woman in the center of Pec, retired teacher Rumena Ljubić, whose windows were stoned twice in just 24 hours on 13 October.

Dragica's and Rumena’s fate is a frightening reflection of the real situation of human rights that almost every one of over 200,000 displaced Serbs and non-Albanians would face in Kosovo and Metohija - provided that they gather the courage to return to their homes in the Province after more than twenty years. I would like to remind you again that since 1999, only around 1.9% of internally displaced Serbs and other non-Albanians have achieved a sustainable return to Kosovo and Metohija.

Therefore, I believe that the aforementioned will encourage the members of the Security Council and the international presence on the ground to devote priority attention in the future to the issue of the return of displaced persons, which is an important part of the UNMIK mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

I therefore thank the Secretary-General in particular for keeping this extremely important issue in focus and for calling again, in the conclusions of his Report, for the creation of conditions for the sustainable return of internally displaced persons and the sustainable reintegration of returnees.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, including monuments that, due to their exceptional value but also constantly being subject to threats are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, are still among the most endangered cultural heritage in Europe.

I wish to recall that there are over 1,300 Serbian churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija. Attacks on Serbian cultural and religious heritage are at the same time attacks on the identity of Serbs in the Province and directly affect their sense of safety.

A striking example of disrespect for Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province is the case of the Visoki Decani monastery. The monastery, which has been the target of attacks and shelling several times since 2000, is still secured by KFOR forces due to being under a threat. It is faced with a series of hostile actions, and the perpetrators are not deterred by the fact that this is a World Heritage Site. Despite frequent declaratory statements, even the decision of the so-called "constitutional court" of the PISG in Pristina five years ago confirming ownership of Visoki Decani Monastery over 24 hectares, is not respected. We welcome the assessment made by the UN Secretary General in his Report.

Dear Mr. President,

The Republic of Serbia remains committed to finding a compromise political solution, as prescribed under Resolution 1244, which will ensure lasting peace and stability. We firmly believe that dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached are the only right way to resolve all open issues.

As a state committed to the respect for international law and a member of the United Nations, Serbia opposes any attempt at establishing an artificial balance between the parties in the dialogue, as well as the relativization of responsibility for unilateral acts.

We note with concern that not even eight years after reaching the Brussels Agreement, the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities has not been initiated, although Belgrade has fulfilled all its obligations under that agreement.

There are also numerous and repeated examples of Pristina violating or obstructing agreements reached in dialogue, in the areas of energy, justice, freedom of movement and visits by officials.

One such example is the verdict sentencing Ivan Todosijevic to two years in prison, which is also pointed out in the Secretary General's Report. The Brussels Agreement was directly breached, which was also stated by the representatives of the European Union. With its conduct Pristina caused immeasurable damage to the reconciliation process in Kosovo and Metohija.

Despite the interpretation from the European Commission that this is a violation of the Brussels Agreement, because Todosijevic had to be sentenced by a panel consisting of the majority of judges of Serbian ethnicity, Pristina still does not take any action in this regard.

Pristina also continued with the practice of banning Serbian officials from entering the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

We believe that it is important that the international community, and especially the European Union, as the guarantor of the agreement, firmly insists that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina start implementing all the agreements reached.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

As before, the Republic of Serbia remains fully committed to resolving the issue of missing persons, as also demonstrated through full cooperation with relevant international mechanisms as well as participation in the work of the Working Group on Missing Persons. We expect that the representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina will fulfill their obligations.

Bearing in mind everything I delivered here today in my address, we hold the position that the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, is still necessary. In addition to UNMIK, the presence of KFOR as the main guarantor of security and EULEX, due to its engagement in the field of the rule of law, is also important. I would like to emphasize once again that Serbia fully supports respect for international law, comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and activities of UNMIK in an undiminished scope and with adequate financial resources, so that the Mission fulfills the mandate entrusted to it under the Resolution.

Thank you.

Belgrade, 11 October 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic stated today, opening a commemorative summit on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement, that international cooperation, while respecting fundamental principles, is the only path to human development and prosperity.

President Vucic, who began his address at this gathering with the words "welcome home", pointed out that Belgrade was, is and will be a proud host to every human being who carries peace within himself.

I hope that we will not only talk about the past, but also about the future that we want to build together. The world of dialogue, compromise and peace is still possible and achievable, the President of the Republic said.

President Vucic pointed out that the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 promotes three principles – peace and security, development and human rights, adding that Serbia, as the legal successor of Yugoslavia, the founder of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, is a proud promoter of multilateralism and respect for international norms.

According to him, marking the anniversary of the first conference of the Non-Aligned Movement represents a desire to pay tribute to this movement, which made a significant contribution and a vision based on respect during the bloc divisions, noting that there was no room for domination of one state over another.

The President of the Republic said that the right to decide one's own destiny is not a sin, but a right that must belong to everyone, regardless of the strength and power at its disposal.

President Vucic assessed that the world today is different in relation to the one from 1961, because globalisation, interdependence and the development of new technologies have made the planet smaller, achieving an impact on everyone's lives.

At the same time, the challenges we face know no boundaries, and their nature is more complex. That is why we need to work more than ever on the development of multilateralism, because no country is isolated, no country is an island for itself, and cooperation is the only way to prosperity, he pointed out.

According to him, that is the basis on which, despite the differences, the members of the Movement stand, which is a symbol of the freedom-loving part of the world, ready to fight for freedom, independence and sovereignty.

The President of the Republic emphasized that Serbia knows best how difficult it is, because it is fighting to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity and resolve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.

President Vucic pointed out that Serbia's defense defends the universal principles on which the UN Charter is based, the principles of international law, but also some of the most important values of the Movement.

As he emphasised, Serbia, as the successor of the SFRY, has never stopped striving to strengthen cooperation with traditional friends around the world.

The summit is jointly organised by Serbia and Azerbaijan. The participants were addressed by a video link by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, who said that the country would strengthen cooperation within the Movement in order to strengthen justice and respect for international law.

The gathering is attended by delegations of members of the Non-Aligned Movement from more than 105 countries and numerous international organizations, and is attended by approximately 50 heads of state, government and foreign ministers.

25 September 2021

Selaković in New York with 28 foreign ministers on economic successes of Serbia and K&M situation

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, has stated that in New York he introduced foreign ministers of 28 countries to economic success of Serbia but also to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which he also discussed with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, who told him that we could count on the support of the Russian Federation, with regards to Serbian interests in K&M.

Summarizing results of his visit to New York within the session of the UN General Assembly, Minister Selaković says that one of the last meetings was with Minister Lavrov, which was their third meeting in the previous nine months.

The Serbian Foreign Minister says that he surely used this opportunity, too, to introduce Minister Lavrov to the latest events in northern Kosovo and Metohija, the situation of the dialog between Belgrade and Priština and very clear and unambiguous attitude of President Aleksandar Vučić regarding the continuation of the dialog and subsequent events in K&M.

“We discussed the principled support of the Russian Federation, which is constantly present not just in Moscow, Belgrade, in the field, but also here in the East River, by the delegation of the Russian Federation as the permanent member of the UN Security Council. Of course, we will continue to maintain this type of dialog. What Minister Lavrov said was that we could count on the support of the Russian Federation in future with regards to our interests in K&M”, highlighted Minister Selaković.

He said that he had had the opportunity in New York to hold 33 meetings, of which 28 with ministers of foreign affairs, whom he had introduced also to topicalities related to the latest events in Kosovo and Metohija, but also to our principled position regarding the observance of the international public law, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Minister Selaković said that his colleagues at the meetings had praised the substantial and fantastic success of Serbia in the consolidation of the economic sphere and transformation of what had been on the edge of collapse and economic disaster seven years before to the fastest growing economy in Europe, which Serbia was in the past two years.

He said that most of his interlocutors had supported our reforms and expressed great respect toward what President Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia had done in the previous period.

Many of them, says the Serbian Foreign Minister, showed great interest in the manner in which Serbia organized the figth against Covid 19.

“It was a great pleasure and pride to represent the Republic of Serbia in all these meetings. Many of my colleagues confirmed their arrival to Belgrade to the Conference on 11th and 12th October, which is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Non-Allied Movement”, said Minister Selaković.

He emphasized that it was not just the evidence of how much they had cared to come to Belgrade to the conference, but also to see and witness the Serbia which after several decades of attempts to fight different challenges rose to its feed, was economically consolidated and turned towards its traditional friends.

“That is a great deal and our country will surely during October be one of the spots on Earth of greatest importance for multilateralism, for cooperation among the countries which share the same values, the values entered into the UN Charter and which are based on the promotion and fight for peace, equality, observance of the international public law and rights of every country to pursue its path to happiness and better and more ordered society in compliance with the wishes of its population”, said Minister Selaković.

He said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, would come to Belgrade to the conference on the occasion of the Non-Allied Movement adding that we had strategic cooperation with Azerbaijan and frequent contacts.

“We agreed to realize as soon as possible after the Belgrade conference his bilateral visit to Serbia”, added Minister Selaković.

He said that it had been agreed to intensify the cooperation and finalize the agreements which should be signed and after that realized when the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev took place.

Minister Selaković says that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had recently received its sector for economic diplomacy and there were great expectations from it and one of the tasks was to deepen the cooperation with Azerbaijan.

26 September 2021

Telephone conversation of President Vučić and General Secretary of NATO

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has discussed today by phone with the General Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg about, as the General Secretary said, worrisome situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija.

President Vučić said that Serbia had not violated either Brussels Agreement or Resolution 1244 by anything, by any single move or in any manner jeopardized peace preservation.

“The complete occupation by armored vehicles of northern Kosovo and Metohija has lasted for seven days and it is conducted by Priština and everyone in the international community “are thunderously silent”, said Serbian President. “However, everyone is worried all of a sudden when they spot Serbian helicopters and airplanes at the territory of central Serbia, because apparently they should not exist, or should not take off until they receive the approval from Kurti or someone from the international community”, says President Vučić.

Serbia observes all international agreements it signed, Serbia will always conduct responsibly and seriously, but Serbia is still asking when the formation of SMC will start and when Kurti’s armored units will be withdrawn from northern Kosovo and Metohija.

Finally, with the gratitude to General Secretary Stoltenberg for the fair relation and wish to listen to the Serbian side, President Vučić asked about the norm and international regulation violated by Serbia? Today, yesterday or any time?

The two interlocutors agreed to stay in constant touch due to necessity of the preservation of peace and stability in the entire region.

Source/Photo: www.predsednik.rs

22 September 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic participated today at the Global COVID-19 summit, organised by the White House, which was opened by US President Joseph Biden.

The video messages are attended by a large number of world leaders and officials of international organizations, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British and Canadian Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson and Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and many others.

In the message, the Prime Minister pointed out that Serbia was among the first European countries to procure a covid vaccine, and that she was the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine.

Thanks to years of investment in digitalisation and development of eGovernment, we have managed to organise a complicated and complex vaccination process very efficiently and in a way that it is focused on citizens, she explained.

However, as she added, from the very beginning we were aware that this is not just a matter of our citizens and only our struggle. In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all safe or no one is safe.

That is why, in addition to procuring vaccines for our citizens, we donated vaccines to the citizens of the Western Balkans, but also to other countries, she reminded and specified that Serbia donated 230,000 doses of vaccines to the region, we vaccinated foreign citizens in Serbia with approximately 300,000 doses and set aside we have 570,000 doses of vaccines for countries in Africa and Asia.

Brnabic mentioned that Serbia has already started the production of covid vaccine from one manufacturer, and that it will start production from another by the end of the year, because in that way we want to help and support all people and countries that need vaccines.

This is a pandemic in which we will either win together or lose together, but we must fight together, the Prime Minister repeated. That is why Serbia supports the goals of this global summit, she emphasised, and expressed her gratitude to the United States of America and President Biden for organising the summit and supporting joint efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines are the only way out in the fight against the pandemic, concluded Brnabic.

8th September 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Jan Bratu to discuss the modalities of cooperation in the democratisation process, as well as the joint contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

President Vučić emphasised that the Republic of Serbia appreciates the OSCE Mission support in the comprehensive reform process, which includes professional assistance in areas such as media freedoms and the rule of law, as well as in strengthening human and minority rights and other activities.

President Vučić and Ambassador Bratu agreed it is important that the activities of the OSCE Mission be planned with the relevant state institutions to be in line with the actual needs of the country on its reform and European path.

The two interlocutors also discussed the regional situation, agreeing that the priority is to maintain peace and stability in the Western Balkans. In that regard, they also discussed the situation in the south of Serbia, and President Vučić thanked for the help of the OSCE Mission in the agreement between the Ministry of Education and the National Council of Albanians on textbooks in the Albanian language for primary schools.

5 August 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the marking of the Remembrance Day of all the victims and expelled Serbs in the armed operation "Storm" and said that Serbia remembers!

"Today, when we remind ourselves again of what happened in August 1995, the terrible pogrom, the expulsion of more than 250,000 Serbs, the exodus and ethnic cleansing, we, at the same time, and finally, remind ourselves of who we are, what we are, where we come from and where we are going. Thank you all for being here together tonight and for showing how much we love our people", said President Vučić, adding that we will not forget any of the things that the Krajina people had to go through.

"For us, these are not just terrible numbers of victims", said President Vučić and emphasized that Serbia will not forget.

"History has never been rewritten like today. That is why I want to remind us all not only of what others have done to us, not wanting us to exist, but also of what we have done to ourselves, just as if we ourselves did not want to exist", said the President, noting that we must never again allow Serbia to forget its silent heroes.

President Vučić emphasized that we must never again cover our eyes, ears, and mouths in front of something that truly was a pogrom and the downfall of all humanity.

"Pretending that this is not true, avoiding saying it, is a crime not only against the victims, but also against ourselves, every living Serb, people from Krajina, as well as Serbia and its future", said President Vučić and underlined that people can stand up straight and live with themselves and the others without hesitation, fear and doubt, only if they remember.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia must fight for peace and cradles with children, as well as that not remembering annuls and erases us from the history and the future, depriving us of the right to tomorrow.

"Our mission is a happy future for us and for the new generations! Today's Serbia is based on a clear identity and a culture of remembrance", said President Vučić and reminded that everything that had been neglected for decades had been done, and that a strong Serbia has become the master of its own destiny.

"Eternal glory to you, Serbian martyrs who perished in the "Storm" and all other pogroms. Your children are in their Serbia, taken care of, loved and successful. Sleep peacefully, Serbian falcons, the future of your children is our vow", concluded President Vučić and thanked everyone who showed that night how much they love their country and that Serbia remembers.

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo: www.predsednik.rs

22 July 2021

We have decided – our goal was and remains the EU, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said in an interview with the German daily "Handelsblatt", adding that there is no alternative for Serbia, but also stressing that China is an important partner for Serbia, and that the task of the state is to take care about the interests of its citizens.

He thus answered the question of what Serbia will choose once it has to choose between close relations with Beijing or the EU. Vučić emphasized that Serbia wants to become a full member of the EU.

"We are connected by history, common culture, EU members are already undoubtedly our most important partners", he explained and added that the trade exchange between Germany and China is 3,000 times higher than between Serbia and China, and, as he noted, even despite that, Serbia's business operations with China are portrayed as a problem.

To the statement that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not congratulate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, and that he did so, he replied that Serbia is not Germany, but a small country. On additional insistence on what Serbia will do if it has to choose between the EU and China, he underlined that Serbia has already decided, that its goal was and remains the EU membership.

"Our biggest investors are from the EU. The EU accounts for 67% of our trade while 17 percent of the trade is with countries of the region that are all on the way to the EU. We cannot survive without the EU", he added.

"But can we do a lot of good things with China – of course. And we do that, just like Germany does", Vučić pointed out, and to the remark that the quality of the Silk Road projects was being criticized, primarily because of Chinese workers, he answered that the quality of roads or bridges, which Serbia is building with China, is excellent.

"We give jobs to those who submit the best offer to us. That is why I tell Europeans who criticize Chinese projects in our country – offer us a project for one euro more and you will get it", he emphasized.

In that regard, he pointed out that Serbia is building a railway to Northern Macedonia with 600 million euros of EU aid, stating that that offer was better than China's.

"There is often talk of a 180-kilometer railway to Budapest through the territory of Serbia, which is financed by China. But the railway that is being built with the help of the EU from Belgrade to the northern Macedonian border is twice as long and no one is talking about it. It is all too political", he stated.

Asked whether he welcomes the plans of the EU and the USA regarding an alternative initiative to the Silk Road, Vučić said that he supports everything that brings advantages to our region.

"The Chinese want to expand their presence everywhere, but many processes in the West are, frankly, more efficient and without problems. We still have a lot to learn from the West, but we are getting there", Vučić said.

He pointed out that China was an important partner for Serbia and added that when the consolidation of state finances began in 2014, our country received good conditions from China for development projects.

He also stated that a competition for a copper mine was announced in eastern Serbia, at the request of the EU, that no European company had made an offer for six months, and that it had then been taken over by the Chinese.

"Our job is to take care of our people", he said.

He reminded that the Serbian economy grew by 52% in eight and a half years, which for the EU means that Serbia could be a strong member and engine for the entire region.

Explaining how Serbia is developing so well economically, he pointed out that Serbia has an excellent workforce, which speaks English, that society and administration are digitalized, and that it has the most flexible labor law in Europe, as well as consolidated public finances.

He reminded that previously the public debt was at 78% of GDP, and that today it has been reduced, thanks to the strong growth of the economy, to 52%.

"We can afford to give investors an incentive to come", he added, emphasizing that Serbia offers investment assistance, but that, for example, subsidies were not the motive for the arrival of the development center of the company Continental.

He pointed out that, five or six years ago, only Serbia started using the dual education system in this region, which Germany, Switzerland and Austria also use, that tens of thousands of people are in dual education, and that this is appreciated by foreign investors, who, in addition, can work closely with universities as well.

Germany, he stated, is the most important trade partner and the largest investor.

We started with the arrival of small textile companies from Turkey, and now primarily large German companies are coming. Today, 71,000 people work in German companies in Serbia", he explained.

Vučić said that the European perspective is very important for investors, stating that Nidek, Toyo Tires or Mitsubishi are coming from Japan to Serbia because our country is on a stable European path.

Asked if he believes that Serbia will become an EU member in the foreseeable future, he said that he does not complain.

"It is certain that if we had received 45 billion euros of EU aid, we would have been much further economically. Instead, we received 1.6 billion euros from the EU. We are used to achieving our successes on our own", said Vučić.

The President of Serbia reminded that in Croatia, salaries used to be 2.2 times higher than in Serbia, and today they are only 1.7 times higher.

"We are closing the gap with our own efforts. If we were to become a member of the EU, then we would certainly not ask for the biggest subsidies", he assures.

He said that the Serbian path follows the German path to Europe, and that Serbia wants a fair chance.

"I believe Merkel's words. She is at the end of her term and I would not have to praise her anymore. But she gave us stability, freedom of travel to the EU, helped us with the migrant crisis in 2015, and asked the Minister of Economy Altmeier and others to work closely with us", he reminded.

Asked if there were any indications that the new German government would support Serbia in the same way, Vučić expressed confidence that it would be the same.

"I know Armin Laschet, I talked to him while he was the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. He is very smart and understands the situation in the Balkans, and he will certainly continue Merkel's policy towards our region as the new chancellor", he added.

Vučić also expressed his belief that Russia, if Serbia's accession to the EU were concretized, would not react similarly as in the case of Ukraine, as this is a sovereign decision of Serbia.

To an additional question in this regard, Vučić pointed out that whenever he met with Vladimir Putin, and there were 18 or 19 meetings, he told him that he was grateful for the traditionally close friendship with Russia, but also that Serbia is on a clear course towards the EU.

"He asked if it was our choice and I answered that EU membership is indeed our goal", he added.

When it comes to "Kosovo", Vučić emphasized that a compromise is needed regarding this issue.

"Only in this way can there be sustainable peace. Serbia wants peace, me as well. Let's stop with the madness of the past. Only then can the whole region become the engine of new growth for Europe", said Vučić.

Source: Tanjug

20 July 2021

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, stated at a gathering dedicated to digitalization and the IT sector, which was held in New York, that since she became Prime Minister, she is most proud of Serbia's success in the field of digitalization.

Brnabić, who is on a two-day visit to the United States, said that when she was elected Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in August 2016, she wanted to do everything to change the public administration and what bothered her as a citizen.

She stated that, when she took office as Prime Minister, she knew what her priorities were and that first of all, digitalization needed to be raised to a higher level, that the education reform was supposed to begin, as well as work on strengthening the economy.

I believed in a country that believes in its people, because the Serbian people are creative. From 1 June 2017, we started working as an e-Government, i.e. we started exchanging data electronically, said the Prime Minister.

According to her, our citizens no longer had to go to, say, the Tax Administration, and since then, the public administration has exchanged 50 million documents, which means that citizens did not have to go from office to office for 50 million papers.

Brnabić pointed out that she is proud of what has been done in the field of education since she became the head of the Government, specifying that in September 2017, programming was introduced as a compulsory subject in primary schools.

Nobody believed that we could do that, but we cooperated with the private sector and some social organizations and we succeeded. At the moment, we are far ahead of numerous countries in Europe and the world, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she was most proud when the cornerstone was laid for the science and technology park in southern Serbia, noting that so far, our country has four science and technology parks.

She pointed out that Serbia has since become one of the most successful countries in the world in the field of technology, and that according to some parameters, it is among the ten countries in the world, or among the five, assessing that this is proof that the country can change quickly.

Answering the question about vaccination, the Prime Minister emphasized that our country has never seen it as a geopolitical issue, but as a health issue.

According to her, Serbia talked with producers from both the East and the West and was among the first European countries to sign agreements with the company Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm.

Unfortunately, many countries have viewed this issue as geopolitical. It did not matter to us, as long as the vaccines were safe, the Prime Minister emphasized and added that this was not the end of Serbia's success, because good organization was also needed.

Brnabić explained that the organization is another important thing in vaccination, because it is a logistically very difficult process, adding that, with the help of digitalization, success has been achieved and that everything we did in the previous years has paid off.

She stated that Serbia quickly established a system through which citizens could express interest in vaccination against the coronavirus and choose which vaccine they wanted to receive, as well as to be informed by a message when to go and get vaccinated.

Now I can log in on my phone, to see how many people have received the vaccine, how many more have registered, so that the effects of digitalization are obvious. We have made everything very efficient and easy for our citizens, the Prime Minister explained.

Answering the question of what she can tell other countries of the world about how to progress faster, Brnabić said that it is important to invest as much as possible in digitalization and education.

You need to teach children how to think, not what to think. Not all children will become IT experts, but what they can learn is an algorithmic way of thinking and how to make decisions, she said.

The Prime Minister mentioned investing in high-speed internet and providing infrastructure for start-ups as an important thing for progress, because more and more economies will be based on start-ups and innovations, emphasizing that people should be helped to start companies and implement their ideas.

Speaking about social networks, she pointed out that fake news has become the biggest problem on these networks and that it will remain so for some time.

This is the biggest challenge I face as Prime Minister, especially during the corona virus pandemic, she said, adding that social networks are also a great opportunity for politicians to communicate with citizens.

Source: www.srbija.gov.rs

Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs

16.6.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Kairat Abdrakhmanov to discuss the position of national minorities in our country.

President Vučić expressed satisfaction with the fact that Ambassador Abdrakhmanov will begin his activities with a visit to Serbia since such a visit has a stimulating character.

"Serbia attaches great importance to the institution of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, as we have excellently cooperated with it, for years," said President Vučić. He added that we remain committed to the protection and continuous improvement of individual and collective rights of persons belonging to national minorities, citing successful examples, but also issues in which cooperation with the High Commissioner and the OSCE as a whole could contribute to progress.

High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov welcomed Serbia's efforts and pointed out that numerous laws and bodies dealing with this area indicate the importance that the current Government of Serbia attaches to the issue of the position of national minorities. He said that Serbia is an example of good dialogue with national minorities.

www.predsednik.rs

09. June 2021

Dear Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, members of the delegations, 

I would point to a few ongoing issues in my speech that refer to the competences of the Mechanism, namely, the possibility of serving the sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia, with the current practice of disabling early release of the sentenced persons as well as obligation of the Mechanism regarding protection of sentenced persons.

The second part of the speech will be dedicated to issues that are opened by the six –month Report on the work of the Mechanism by Mechanism President Mr. Agius and Report by the Chief Prosecutor Mr. Serge Brammertz, especially regarding current cooperation of the Republic of Serbia and the Mechanism.

The third part of my speech, and I noticed that in many of your statements even today, is going to be the view of Serbia on everything that took place in The Hague Tribunal and what the Tribunal verdicts brought to people in the region of former Yugoslavia.

The Republic of Serbia has initiated before the Security Council, on several occasions, the issue of possibility of serving sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia. Beside the efforts to move this issue from “square one”, not a single response was obtained from the Security Council. The majority of persons that are serving their prison sentences are citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and it comes naturally that the Republic of Serbia is interested in enabling them to serve their prison sentences in the Republic of Serbia.

ICTY and the Mechanism are making references to the Security Council as an institution in charge of dealing with this issue.

I am ready to reiterate here the readiness of the Republic of Serbia to take over obligations and liability for executing prison sentences that the Tribunal or Mechanism passed on the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, under the monitoring of the Mechanism and full respect for the authority of the Mechanism regarding early release.

Mr. President,

A particular problem that we are facing with is disturbance by the judicial institutions established in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which is within Serbia and which is under Interim Administration of the UN. We are witnesses of attempts of retrial for two citizens that are serving their prison sentences for which they had already been trialed before the ICTY. More concretely, in previous period there was an attempt for hearing of Nebojša Pavković and for obtaining extradition of Vlastimir Đorđević.

I urge on the Mechanism and Security Council to prevent attempts of violation of the principle ne bis in idem, a civilization principle that was confirmed in Article 7 (1) of the Statute of the Mechanism and to disable retrials for persons already convicted by the ICTY, particularly to make sure that it is not done in the territory which is under interim UN administration.

Mr. President,

President of the Mechanism (Mr. Carmel Agius), apart from the regular Report, delivered also on 11 May 2021 a letter to the President of the Security Council, whose subject is the alleged omission of the Republic of Serbia to apprehend and turn over to the Mechanism Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta, indicted of contempt of court, claiming that in this way the Republic of Serbia was acting contrary to its obligations towards the UNSC Resolution 1966 (2010) and asking the Security Council to take measures in order to ensure that Serbia meets the alleged obligations in accordance with the Mechanism Statue and Resolution 1966.

The point of the argumentation of the President of the Mechanism comes to that that the Republic of Serbia has the obligation to deprive of liberty and extradite to the Mechanism its citizens accused of contempt of court, regardless of the nature of accusation, circumstances under which such an order was made and consequences that might result from its implementation.

It is about accusations that do not refer to sever violations of international humanitarian law and that are related to a case before the ICTY, which ended in 2018 (Vojislav Šešelj case), by acquitting the defendant in the first instance, and upon the Prosecutor’s complaint the defendant was declared guilty and sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment, which was covered by the time he spent at the UN Detention Unit.

Judge Agius states that Serbia ignores its obligations in accordance with the Resolution 1966 (2010). Quite the opposite- the Republic of Serbia takes seriously its obligations regarding cooperation with the Mechanism. After the warrant for apprehension and extradition of the two persons accused of contempt of court to the Mechanism had been introduced, the Higher Court in Belgrade established that assumptions for their apprehension and extradition to the Mechanism had not been met. The decision is founded on the rules of international law and domestic law of the Republic of Serbia and it is mandatory for holders of the executive power in the Republic of Serbia.

I would remind here that the first decision of a sole judge (Aydin Sefa Akay, 12 June 2018), that was acting in this case was that the criminal prosecution of V. Radeta and P. Jojić for alleged contempt of court was to be forwarded to the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia. In procedures that followed, the argument of the alleged unwillingness of the witnesses to cooperate with the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was stated for the first time, and the decision on deprivation of transferring the case to the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was based on the respective argument.

The Republic of Serbia expressed its readiness to take over the court procedure against Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta on several occasions and it provided appropriate guarantees. Additionally, the Republic of Serbia fully recognizes and accepts the obligation of the Mechanism to monitor trials that were transferred to national courts with the help of international and regional organizations, as well as to take measures envisaged by Article 6 of the Statute of the Mechanism.

I would remind here that the Republic of Serbia extradited to the tribunal all the persons indicted by the Prosecutor’s Office, and among the respective mostly highest political, military and police officials; it enabled presence of vast number of witnesses, delivered extensive documentation. Obligation of the Mechanism, in accordance with the Resolution of this Security Council, is to take measures that enable transfer of cases to national justice system. In previous practice, 13 cases were transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 to Croatia and only one to Serbia.

The last but not the least, I want to remind all of you here of the fact that France- of course as a sovereign and independent country- upon request for apprehension and extradition of Florence Altman for publishing documents and contempt of court, refused the request for extradition, with an explanation that it does not extradite its citizens. For far smaller offence you ask as to extradite our citizens Jojic and Radeta, showing both the distrust to Serbian justice and judiciary and Serbian State, as well as a fact that the rule from ancient Rome is still valid – quod licet lovi non licet bovi.

It does not harm to underline that high-level officers and politicians were not trialed for crimes against Serbs, and that crimes against Serbs remained unsanctioned before ICTY and Mechanism. Let me remind you, just as an example that Ademi and Norac case for ferocious crimes against Serb civilians in Medački Džep was left to Croatian justice institutions. Proven crimes against Serbs, like those of Ramuš Haradinaj, Naser Orić, then Ante Gotovina and other indicted for military operation “Storm” that led to a complete ethnic cleansing of Serb population in the big part of today’s Croatia, resulted before the ICTY in acquittals. Many horrible crimes against Serb civilians that were committed in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and that resulted in ethnic cleansing, simply were not the subject of interest of the ICTY.

What’s very important and not to leave anything unclear, Serbia is a country that condemns all crimes and all criminals who perpetrated them in the region of former Yugoslavia. However, it is interesting that despite often criticism Serbia is the only one that speaks openly and condemns crimes perpetrated by Serb nationals, while in other regional countries they do not speak at all about crimes that representatives of those nations committed against members of Serbian people.

And I want to emphasize once again here in front of you that Serbia condemns terrible crime in Srebrenica and extends its deepest condolences to the families of all killed in that massacre. And there are no “buts” about the respective.

Nevertheless, we are here to analyze results and penal policy of ICTY and the Mechanism and it was such that it has never gained trust among Serbian people, no matter where they live. And not because we Serbs do not acknowledge crime committed by some of our compatriots, but because The Hague Tribunal, with exceptions, was judging only to Serbs and in all three territories of former Yugoslavia- Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, which some of the SC Member States see and name of course, contrary to law and legal norms and UN Resolutions, as an independent state. I would try to plastically prove to you how The Hague justice was tailored even though I know that it will not come to understanding of many of you, but to me it is important because of the history, facts, and school books that will be made in accordance with the facts.

Namely, Serbs were sentenced to totally 1138 years of imprisonment, and to 8 life imprisonments. At the same time, The Hague Tribunal did not sentence a single Croat for crimes against Serbs, neither in actions Medački Džep, nor Flash and Storm. How politically cunning it was done in the Tribunal, and all wrapped in the form of law and justice. Prosecutors of The Hague Tribunal chose on purpose three military and political leaders of Croats, Bosniac Muslims and Albanians, on all three mentioned territories, committed against Serbs. – Ante Gotovina, Naser Orić and Ramuš Haradinaj. It is interesting that following the same pattern, the same pattern, this injustice was shared. Namely, all of them were sentenced in the first instance procedure, with the exception of Ramuš Haradinaj, because not a single witness survived. Gotovina was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in first-instance procedure, while by a mysterious decision of the second instance council and 3:2 judge ratio, the verdict was changed to acquittal. Naser Orić, for crimes against Serbs, was also sentenced in first instance verdict, but by a mysterious decision of the second instance court, and again 3:2 ratio decision was an acquittal and he was set free of any liability. Let me reiterate, all witnesses in process against Ramus Haradinaj, either committed suicide or were killed under very, very strange circumstances.

Let me conclude, I do not want to believe that someone wants to say that there had been no crimes against Serbs, but judging by the verdicts of The Hague Tribunal, no one- absolutely no one- is responsible for those crimes.

Nevertheless, we in Serbia will show responsibility and we will fight for peace, stability and reconciliation in the region.

We ask UN Security Council Member States to help us with rational and pragmatic approach and respect for international law and not by attempts of further humiliation of Serbia. Serbia is a small country, with proud and courageous people, the one that gave the biggest sacrifice during the WWI and WWII; people who wants to leave in peace with their neighbors. And when I am asking you for this, I do not think I am asking for too much.

At the very end, Serbia is the fastest growing country of the Western Balkans region and we cannot progress unless our relations with neighbors, friends and other countries are good, solid and better. That is why- despite the selective justice that was applied in The Hague Tribunal- we will be open for any dialogue, any kind of cooperation and we will look towards the future and not towards the past. And I have only one message for the citizens of Serbia and citizens of Serbian nationality in the entire region- keep your heads up, neither Serbia nor Serbian people are convicted of anything and it is up to us to work even more diligently, to open factories and to fight for our children and our future.

Long Live Serbia!

May 24, 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic met today with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, Ann Linde.

At the joint press conference, Selakovic said that the OSCE was one of the most important international security organizations for Serbia, adding that our country has always been and remains committed to strengthening the OSCE's capacity.

In that regard, he specified that 46 of our citizens are currently engaged with the OSCE missions.

"We are very carefully following the activities and support the priorities set by the Swedish chairpersonship of the OSCE, which Minister Linde had the opportunity to present at the meeting today. We also uphold the efforts of the OSCE aimed at finding a way, in the period ahead, to reach a consensus on the adoption of the OSCE budget for 2021", Selakovic said.

He pointed out that the OSCE was of special importance for Serbia, bearing in mind that there were two OSCE missions on the territory of our country, in Belgrade and Pristina.

"We have exceptional cooperation with the OSCE Mission in Belgrade. OSCE Mission has provided its assistance and support to Serbia's path of reforming its society in the last more than 20 years, and we are convinced that in the period ahead we will have the opportunity to continue this good cooperation," Selakovic said.

He said that a status-neutral approach was extremely important for Belgrade when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija, and added that the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija was the most visible status-neutral mission in the entire OSCE, including also on the ground, when it comes to our southern Province.

"We received assurances that the well-used practice of respecting this status neutrality by the OSCE will be continued during the Swedish chairpersonship, both in terms of action on the ground and during visits to Kosovo and Metohija and participation of representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in meetings with OSCE mission in Kosovo and Metohija ", Selakovic said.

He stated that the reforms that are being carried out in Serbian society were also discussed at the meeting.

"We touched on the issues of preserving and protecting human rights, media freedoms, and especially gender equality, greater representation of women in the functioning of our political system and public institutions," Selakovic said.

He said that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was also discussed at the meeting as something that was, as he pointed out, essential for the further functioning of the entire region, and not just for the protection of our state and national interests.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office emphasized the strong partnership between the OSCE and Serbia concerning the strategic priorities, stressing that Serbia has made general progress and adding that the focus should now be on independence of the judiciary, promotion of free and independent media and the fight against organized crime.

As she pointed out, the OSCE was ready to continue supporting Serbia's path.

Linde emphasized the role of Serbia in supporting regional security and added that it was highly commendable that Serbia offered vaccination to countries in the region.

She said that Sweden would continue to provide strong support to Serbia's EU integration course, adding that she was looking forward to further strengthening cooperation between the OSCE and Serbia, as well as between Sweden and Serbia.

20 May 2021

A new service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "e-Consulate" was presented in Belgrade today, intended for foreign citizens who apply for a visa and aspire to come to Serbia to work.

On that occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said that this service was one of the indicators of good development of our country, which, as he pointed out, was becoming a magnet for serious foreign companies, which brought a large number of workers from other countries to work in Serbia.

"Not to be pretentious, but completely realistic, this service represents a turning point in the functioning of our system. E-Consulate and digitalization of the procedure for issuing work visas for foreign citizens who want to work in Serbia, is the first electronic service offered by the Foreign Ministry, and I can promise you that this is indeed our first, but by no means the last e-service", Selakovic emphasized.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out that "e-Consulate" reflected the modernization of an extremely important segment of the activities of diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, and that we were actually talking about something that was essential for the further development processes of our country.

The Minister recalled that, when the President of the Republic visited the construction site of the Moravian Corridor, he was told that some construction works were delayed because Bechtel company was not issued work visas on time.

“The moment we saw that and heard the President, I alerted the services in the Ministry. We were surprised, as we knew that the issuance of visas in Turkey had a good dynamic, and then we determined that it was actually workers from Bangladesh who applied for a visa through our Embassy in India, where we have a problem with staff shortage”, the Minister explained.

As he added, this is a demanding and laborious task, each of our employees had to receive the documentation on paper, check it, then request additional information, and only then forward it.

"Today, this has been fantastically perfected for our consular officers, all that documentation is submitted in electronic form. We used to have two filters to check the documentation, now we actually have three. And the work is significantly more efficient", Selakovic pointed out.

As he emphasized, this is a service which was promised less than four months ago and it becomes available on Monday, in 95 diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, i.e. in all our embassies and consulates general.

The biggest result of that endeavor, the Minister pointed out, apart from the advantage it would bring in the future work, was the fact that it was not a project of one state body, but a joint endeavor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IT and eGovernment Office, General Secretariat of the Government, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, National Employment Service.

“We did an extremely good job in record time. This is to the pride of our Ministry, to the pride of the entire state. I am convinced that in the period ahead, we will further modernize our affairs and make Serbia one of the few countries that has such mechanisms and such state-of-the-art provision of consular services", Selakovic said.

Speaking about the "e-Consulate" portal itself, the Minister explained that there is a cartoon of Nikola Tesla and the building of the old railway station with one crane, which actually symbolizes a historical fact - that Tesla was in Belgrade in the year when it was built.

"Today it is the place behind which the Belgrade of the future is rising, and what we managed to do together is an indicator of something that is the future of Serbia, the development of artificial intelligence, IT and creating conditions for more people to live and arrive here in Serbia in the future seeking good life and employment", concluded the Minister.

The Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment, Mihailo Jovanovic, said that this was the first time that e-services were focused on foreign citizens, which was the case with our citizens so far.

In the period from 1 January 2019 to 17 May this year, the most applications for Serbian visas were submitted at the Embassy in Beijing, 6,766 applications, then in New Delhi - 2,973, Shanghai 2,115, Tokyo 1,798, and Cairo 1,756.

In that period, 1,270 requests were submitted in Algiers, 1,095 in Jakarta, and 1,077 in Beirut.

In terms of their nationality, Serbian D visa for employment is most requested by citizens of China - 9,516 applications, followed by India 1,955, and Ukraine - 673.

10 May 2021 

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met today with new Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija Michael Davenport.

Selakovic congratulated Davenport on his appointment and expressed the expectation that the practice of good and open communication would continue, as well as regular meetings in Belgrade.

In the talks, the Serbian Foreign Minister stressed that Serbia supported the work of the Mission, which acted in accordance with the mandate based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. He underlined that it was crucial for our country that the OSCE maintained a comprehensive status-neutral approach concerning Kosovo and Metohija and underlined in particular that this did not only refer to the work of field missions, but also to the modalities of organizing OSCE meetings and visits of OSCE officials to Pristina.

When it comes to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the Minister emphasized Belgrade's commitment to dialogue and the search for a compromise solution, at the same time pointing out that Belgrade had fulfilled its obligations from the Brussels Agreement, but that, on the other hand, the Community of Serb Municipalities had not been created even eight years after reaching the agreement. Selakovic stated that it was necessary for Pristina to start implementing all agreements and that periods of political instability in Pristina should not by any means be used as an excuse for their continuous refusal to implement the agreements reached. He emphasized that our side was ready to continue the dialogue and talks on numerous issues, such as internally displaced persons, missing persons, property and the status of cultural heritage.

As a very important aspect of the work of the Mission, Selakovic noted the previous activities in the field of protection of the rights of communities in Kosovo and Metohija and the conduct of elections in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. Discussing the work of the Mission, the Minister pointed out that the Human Rights and Communities Programme was of special importance for Serbia, bearing in mind that it monitored the respect for human rights, community rights and democratic standards, with special attention being paid to the rights of non-Albanian communities, displaced persons, returnees and other vulnerable groups.

Minister Selakovic pointed out that Kosovo and Metohija, with only 1.9 percent of returnees, was a post-conflict area with the lowest rate of return in the world. He also pointed out that around 42,000 years-long court cases were in progress in Kosovo and Metohija related to the usurped private property of Serbs.

Selakovic also informed his interlocutor about the situation and position of the Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija and the increasingly frequent attacks of Albanians on Serbs, their property, as well as on churches and monasteries.

The Serbian Foreign Minister said that it was extremely important to shed light on the fate of 17 journalists gone missing and killed in Kosovo and Metohija, pointing out that it was a devastating fact that none of these cases were under investigation in Kosovo and Metohija, nor were any of the perpetrators punished.

21st April 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the delegation of the International Monetary Fund led by the Head of the Mission, Jan Kees Martijn. The interlocutors concluded that Serbia's main goal remains to preserve the hard-earned reputation of a fiscally secure country, as well as to continue with a responsible fiscal policy so that public debt does not exceed 60 per cent of GDP, whereby Serbia continues to work on further economic growth.

During the conversation, President Vučić and Jan Kees Martijn especially referred to the incentive measures and adopted three packages of measures to help the economy and citizens, which preserved macroeconomic stability and even achieved a higher employment rate. Martijn commended the responsible economic policy of Serbia and the successful crisis management during the pandemic.

"Serbia achieved one of the best results last year despite the challenges of the pandemic", Martijn said, noting that Serbia was one of the few countries to which the IMF did not adjust the initial projection of the 5% growth rate it gave last year.

President Vučić added that following the first quarter of 2021, Serbia is well on its way to achieving the planned growth of 6% as planned, since one of the main focuses of the Government is investing in large infrastructure projects and intensifying work on attracting foreign direct investments.

"In 2020, Serbia was at the very top in terms of economic growth in Europe, and I am convinced that this year we can enter the first three or four countries in terms of growth", said President Vučić, adding that he was satisfied that Serbia still, despite the pandemic situation, has an extremely strong inflow of investment.

President Vučić and Jan Kees Martijn also discussed a new advisory arrangement, which is of special importance in light of the improvement of the general investment climate in Serbia, as well as in the context of even greater investor assurance.

"Given Serbia's tremendous progress over the past eight years, the priority goal of this arrangement will be to preserve the results achieved, but also to provide support for further implementation of structural reforms aimed at even faster, stronger and more sustainable growth", said President Vučić and thanked the IMF and the personal engagement of Jan Kees Martijn in the professional and expert support that Serbia is counting on. President Vučić pointed out that Serbia will pay special attention to reforms in public companies, and that priorities will continue to be investments in infrastructure, creating an even better climate for investments, greater investments in the environment, science and capital projects, which will further contribute to the long term stable financial growth in the coming years.

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo: www.predsednik.rs

19 April 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge about the epidemiological situation and the course of immunisation of citizens in Serbia.

Brnabic expressed gratitude for the cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, technical assistance and expertise, emphasising that the support of this organisation is very important for our country.

She informed the WHO Regional Director for Europe about the course of immunisation of citizens in Serbia, expressing her belief that, thanks to the large number of vaccinated people, we will be able to create collective immunity and return to normal life.

Kluge assessed the immunisation process in Serbia as impressive, and added that Serbia has made a good decision to offer citizens all available vaccines used in the fight against coronavirus.

Expressing concern over the emergence of new strains of the virus, he stressed the need to speed up the immunisation process and show mutual solidarity.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe praised Serbia for the humanity it has shown by donating vaccines to the countries of the region and enabling vaccination for those who do not have a sufficient number of vaccines for their citizens.

The Prime Minister said that Serbia will continue to cooperate with the countries of the region and help in accordance with its capabilities.

When it comes to the project "Roadmap for Health in the Western Balkans 2021-2025", it was stated that, if epidemiological conditions allow, a regional meeting will be held in Belgrade at the end of the year, important for future improvement of cooperation between countries in the field of health challenges.

Source: www.srbija.gov.rs

Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Pristina further persisted in its campaign of hatred against the Serbian people, which was most drastically seen in the unfounded accusations of mass rapes and genocide.

At the UN Security Council meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Selakovic emphasized that the efforts of the provisional institutions in Kosovo and Metohija to create a narrative about mass rapes of Albanian women were obvious, and that propaganda methods and lies were used for that purpose.

"It is clear that there were victims on all sides in the conflict, as well as that our side has evidence of numerous Serb victims. But the precondition for ensuring the protection of rights that belong to each individual victim is a rational and well-argued approach", Selakovic said responding to the slander of the Pristina representative.

Selakovic underlined that, contrary to the claims of politicians from Pristina about 20,000 raped Albanian women, the information provided by the Commission for the Verification and Recognition of Sexual Violence Victim Status indicates 912 raped persons, however, failing to include in this number the Serb women who were victims of violence.

"Let me emphasize that Serbia condemns every act of sexual violence in conflicts and is committed to achieving justice for all victims. The number of victims certainly does not diminish the horrific effect of this type of violence on each victim individually, but also, speculating on numbers does not contribute to justice being served and leads to politicization and slowing down the reconciliation process", Selakovic said.

Regarding the genocide accusations, Minister Selakovic stated that they only went to prove that Pristina further persisted in its campaign of hatred, propaganda and open hostility towards the Serbian people.

"Through statements given on a daily basis, they attempt to paint a picture that Serbia is to blame for everything and that genocide was committed against Albanians, all in order to hide their own responsibility for the committed crimes", the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

He underlined that anyone who knew what the definition of genocide implied would understand that it was not Serbia that committed something, but that the Serbian people was instead a victim of the "state-building" project of the Kosovo Albanians, based on the dangerous idea of ethnically clean territories, as evidenced by more than 200,000 expelled Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija.

"We are convinced that the civilized world will not agree to be their accomplice in concealing and covering up their crimes, and that a clear message will be sent to them that they must take responsibility for their actions", Selakovic said.

He reminded that until 1999, around 40,000 Serbs lived in Pristina, and that today there were only about twenty of them, that around 17,000 Serbs lived in Pec, and that today there were only the Serbian nuns in the Patriarchate of Pec, that around 12,000 Serbs lived in Prizren before the war, and that today only 17 families remained there, and that in Urosevac, out of 10,000 Serbs who lived there before the war, only the family of a Serbian priest remained.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic warned, at the United Nations Security Council meeting, that the political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija was not decreasing, but on the contrary, was becoming stronger.

At the meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Minister Selakovic recalled that the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities remained unfulfilled for 2,917 days now and that, in fact, 19 April marked eight full years since the agreement was reached in Brussels, while Pristina still refused to follow up on its commitment and enable the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

The Minister reminded that the current Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina repeatedly threatened to unite the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania, and that he also stated that the dialogue with Belgrade was low on the list of his priorities.

Minister Selakovic pointed out that it was high time for Albanian leaders in Pristina to show responsibility in fulfilling their commitments, but also a sincere commitment to reaching a compromise solution and building mutual trust.

"Serbia is determined and will not give up on identifying a compromise solution, which will be sustainable for future generations as well. The only way to build lasting peace and stability in our region is by working to build trust and insisting on positive political agendas", Selakovic concluded.

According to the Minister, lasting peace and stability can only be achieved if none of the participants in the dialogue pursued maximalist demands and insisted on the complete humiliation of the other.

He pointed out that the Serbian and Albanian peoples, as the two most numerous peoples in the Western Balkans, needed to find a way to reach reconciliation and a basis for cooperation, both in terms of the economy and in achieving shared prospects for membership of the European Union.

"Belgrade has made sincere steps in that direction, by being one of the initiators of the idea of relaxing the flow of people, goods, capital and services, popularly referred to as "mini-Schengen", the Minister underlined.

Pointing out that Serbia had time and time again demonstrated its commitment to dialogue as the only way towards a peaceful, political solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija, Selakovic underscored that the recent elections in the Province confirmed that political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija was not decreasing, but on the contrary, was becoming stronger, which could be seen during the recent pre-election process.

Minister stressed that political pressures on Serbs continued even after the election process was completed, by denying Serbs fair representation in provisional institutions as the new so-called government in Pristina decided to assign only one ministry to the Serb community.

"Serb returnees represent a particularly vulnerable category, who spend their every day in fear of being attacked. I remind you that the southern Serbian province is still an area with the lowest return rate of displaced persons in the world", the Minister said and emphasized that, in the last year alone, more than 80 attacks and incidents took place in our southern province, targeting Serbs, their property and religious sites.

It is particularly worrying for the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, Selakovic noted, that in the previous period, and especially in March this year, there were frequent physical attacks on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"A striking example of the disrespectful attitude towards Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province, whose exceptional universal value UNESCO confirmed by inscribing them on the World Heritage List, is the case of the Visoki Decani Monastery", the Minister underlined.

Furthermore, the Serbian Foreign Minister assessed as concerning the breaking into the Health Center in Strpce by police inspectors and officers, in January this year, who conducted a search aiming to discover Covid-19 vaccines there, originating from central Serbia.

"Although we consider this to be an intrusion into a health care institution, our reaction was restrained this time as well. We did not want our decisions to cause escalation and politicization of activities that are solely aimed at protecting public health. We organized the vaccination of citizens from Kosovo and Metohija at three locations in central Serbia and thus clearly demonstrated that people's lives are the top priority to us", the Minister stressed.

Minister Selakovic stated that Serbia highly valued the activities of UNMIK mission in Kosovo and Metohija and that it supported it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve security in the Province.

Selakovic said that the international missions in Kosovo and Metohija - UNMIK, KFOR, EULEX and the OSCE mission, under the administration of the United Nations and in line with UNSC Resolution 1244, played a key role in the preservation of peace and protection of the population.

"We support and respect their engagement and efforts made in the framework of their mandates, with the common goal of creating conditions for a peaceful and safe coexistence of the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija. The Serb and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija have the utmost confidence in the international presence and consider it a guarantor of security and a barrier against the arbitrariness of the provisional institutions in Pristina", the Minister emphasized.

He said that this demonstrated the need that international missions remain engaged in an undiminished scope, in order to consistently implement UNSC Resolution 1244.

Selakovic further emphasized the importance of KFOR international forces and pointed out that any unilateral attempt to assign to someone else or that someone else assumes a part of KFOR's mandate and responsibilities constitutes a violation of UNSC Resolution 1244.

The Minister also noted as unacceptable the unilateral decisions on the formation of the Pristina "Ministry of Defence" and launching the process of transforming the so-called "Kosovo Security Forces" (KSF) into the so-called "Kosovo Army".

At the beginning of his statement, Minister Selakovic lodged a protest against the abuse of the video format of the session by the representative of Pristina as she had a flag of the self-proclaimed "Kosovo" placed behind her, and the representative of Russia did the same.

Below is an integral version of the speech of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

At the outset, I have no choice but to lodge a protest against the abuse of the video format of this session on the part of the representatives of Pristina in order to promote the symbols of the so-called statehood of Kosovo. Despite the fact that the representatives of Pristina were warned on several occasions, including by the President of the Security Council at the previous session, that such abuses of Security Council sessions are absolutely unacceptable and constitute a flagrant violation of the Security Council rules on participation of representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, under Rule 39 of the UN Security Council Rules of Procedure, we are again faced with their reckless disregard for the rules of this distinguished body. Let me reiterate our call for the necessary steps to be taken to prevent such abuses.

It is my great pleasure to address this august body at the meeting on the work of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija. At the outset, I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate, and also to the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve security in the Province.

Mr. President,

In the previous period we have faced political instability in Kosovo and Metohija. We recently had elections in the Province, which unfortunately confirmed that political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija is not decreasing, but on the contrary, is becoming stronger. We have witnessed Albanian leaders competing among themselves in efforts to find the best way to provoke an incident in Serb communities, in order to score political points of the Albanian electorate. Under the pretext of amending the voter list, a large number of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija were deprived of one of their fundamental political rights - the opportunity to elect their political representatives. Out of approximately 140,000 of citizens of Kosovo and Metohija who were removed from the voter list in the latest election process, 85% are Serbs.

Despite numerous challenges and problems, the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija have shown, by high turnout and a convincing victory of the Serb List which won all ten seats reserved for Serbian representatives, that nothing can stop them from resolutely defending their position. Political pressures on Serbs continued even after the election process was completed, by denying Serbs fair representation in provisional institutions as the new so-called government in Pristina decided to assign only one ministry to the Serb community.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

Unfortunately, it was not only during the election activities that we witnessed the unreasonable anti-Serb policy being pursued by the provisional institutions in Pristina. This goes to the length of breaking into the Health Center in Strpce, in the south of Kosovo and Metohija, by police inspectors and officers from Pristina, in January this year, who conducted a search aiming to discover Covid-19 vaccines there, originating from central Serbia, which they did not find. In doing so they demonstrated force and threatened to arrest the director of the Health Center, medical staff and doctors. At a time when the whole world is fighting the pandemic with vaccines being the only way to end this challenge, while Serbia is showing support and solidarity by donating vaccines and medical equipment to all in need in the region, Pristina wants to destroy vaccines only because they originate from central Serbia. As the whole world expresses gratitude to medical doctors, who have made great and heroic sacrifices in combating the virus, the provisional institutions in Pristina are attacking Serbian doctors for doing their job.

Although we believe that intrusions into health care institutions are inadmissible, our reaction was restrained this time as well. We did not want our decisions to cause escalation and politicization of activities that are solely aimed at protecting public health. We organized the vaccination of citizens from Kosovo and Metohija at three locations in central Serbia and thus clearly demonstrated that people's lives are the top priority to us. Serbia continues to be ready to help all in need of assistance, and we call for reason and responsibility, especially in such difficult times.

Mr. President,

Attacks targeting Serbs and their property have been on the rise. In the last year alone, more than 80 attacks and incidents took place in our southern province, targeting Serbs, their property and religious sites. According to the information provided by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija, in the second half of last year, the number of incidents increased by more than 30% compared to 2019. Therefore, we cannot agree with the assessment that the "security situation in Kosovo remained stable, with a few incidents reported affecting non-majority communities". Last weekend, for example, an entirely unprovoked physical attack by a group of Albanians on two Serb young men took place in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Serb returnees represent a particularly vulnerable category, who spend their every day in fear of being attacked. The fact that one family of returnees was the target of seven attacks clearly indicates the persistence of those who do not want Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. There is absolutely no trace of political will in Pristina for 212,995 displaced Serbs who have been living outside Kosovo and Metohija for 22 years to return to their homes. Since 1999, the rate of sustainable return of internally displaced persons in Kosovo and Metohija has been only 1.9%, which according to the UN data is officially the lowest percentage of return of expelled population after a conflict anywhere in the world.

At the same time, while arresting internally displaced persons, Pristina authorities are exerting the strongest of pressures on the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. The aim is to completely prevent the further processing of a number of cases against members of the terrorist KLA, on charges of serious crimes committed during the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija against both Serbs and persons belonging to other nationalities. President of the Specialist Chambers Madam Trendafilova recently warned that, should the pressures continue, this would have very dramatic consequences to the trials in progress. President Trendafilova underlined as highly problematic the phenomenon of witness intimidation, who are key for conducting proceedings successfully and rendering a proper verdict.

Although the wait to raise indictments was far too long, we consider it commendable that efforts have finally been made to punish the perpetrators of numerous serious crimes which were committed during the armed conflicts a little over two decades ago, but also upon the arrival of the international forces to Kosovo and Metohija. For example, no one has been held accountable to this day for the killings and abductions of 17 journalists in Kosovo and Metohija, which is currently the largest number of unsolved cases of murdered and kidnapped journalists in Europe. Furthermore, the perpetrators of any of the mass crimes committed against Serb civilians after 1999 have not been brought to justice. I will remind you of only a few of these cases: 14 Serb farmers were killed in the village of Staro Gracko, 12 displaced Serbs were killed and 43 wounded in the attack on the "Niš Express" bus in Livadice near Podujevo, and in Gorazdevac near Pec unknown persons fired automatic weapons on children who were swimming in the Bistrica river. Two Serb children were killed then, and four were seriously injured.

We expect the EULEX Mission to continue to support the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor's Office, as well as its additional engagement in the field of the rule of law. Special attention needs to be devoted to witness protection, and determining the fate of missing persons.

International missions in Kosovo and Metohija - UNMIK, KFOR EULEX and OMIK are an integral part of the international civilian and security presence in our southern province, under the administration of the United Nations and in line with UNSC Resolution 1244 (1999), and play a key role and make an outstanding contribution to the preservation of peace and protection of the population. We support and respect their engagement and efforts made in the framework of their mandates, with the common goal of creating conditions for a peaceful and safe coexistence of the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija. The Serb and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija have the utmost confidence in the international presence and consider it a guarantor of security and a barrier against the arbitrariness of the provisional institutions in Pristina. This further demonstrates the need that international missions remain engaged in an undiminished scope, in order to consistently implement UNSC Resolution 1244.

I would like to further emphasize the importance of KFOR international forces and point out that any unilateral attempt to assign to someone else or that someone else assumes a part of KFOR's mandate and responsibilities constitutes a violation of the UNSC Resolution 1244, while also being a potential source of instability and tensions. I will remind you that Pristina, contrary to international law and completely ignoring the interests and positions of the Serb community in the Province, would not abandon its plans to install a new security actor in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. We consider the unilateral decisions on the formation of the "Ministry of Defence" and launching the process of transforming the so-called "Kosovo Security Forces" (KSF) into the so-called "Kosovo Army" to be unacceptable. I would like to reiterate that such unilateral moves on the part of Pristina constitute a gross violation of the UNSC Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement, according to which only the International Security Forces, that is KFOR, have the mandate for all military aspects of security in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

In this context, an additional reason for concern is the announcement of the construction of the largest base of the "Kosovo Security Forces" in the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, which Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija perceive as the most open provocation and threat to their physical safety.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

It is particularly worrying for the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija that in the previous period, and especially in March this year, there were frequent physical attacks on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In just two weeks, as many as seven Orthodox landmarks in the province were targeted by vandals, at a time when we all remember the March 2004 pogrom against Serbs and Serbian holy sites in Kosovo and Metohija. The condition of the Serbian cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is humiliating, including the four monuments that are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger (Visoki Decani, Holy Virgin of Ljevisa, Gracanica and the Patriarchate of Pec). Numerous administrative and technical barriers are imposed on priestly and monastic communities, which makes it more difficult or even impossible for them to survive on church property.

A striking example of the disrespectful attitude towards Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province, whose exceptional universal value UNESCO confirmed by inscribing them on the World Heritage List, is the case of the Visoki Decani Monastery.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

The reason for the nervous behaviour of Pristina is all too obvious, as the project of the so-called independence today fails to be recognized by more than a half of the United Nations Member States, including five members of the European Union. However, it is high time for Albanian leaders in Pristina to show responsibility in fulfilling their commitments, but also a sincere commitment to reaching a compromise solution and building mutual trust.

I will remind you that the current Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina has repeatedly threatened to unite the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania in the past. A member of his party publicly said last weekend that the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania would be united, I quote, "with rifle and gunpowder, or referendum boxes".

I need not explain why such dangerous ideas constitute a direct threat to peace and stability. They violate Resolution 1244, while continuously destabilizing not only our southern province, but the entire region as well, and in no way contribute to the dialogue process, but instead hamper it again.

We have demonstrated time and time again our commitment to dialogue as the only way towards a peaceful, political solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija. Even today, after many years of negotiations, but also failure to fulfill what was agreed and constant unilateral moves and provocations on the part of the provisional institutions in Pristina, we are still ready to sit down at the table and talk.

We are ready for dialogue but not to be blackmailed and threatened and especially not for ultimatums recently presented by Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina. I will remind you of his statement that the dialogue will be low on the list of priorities of the Pristina authorities. It is bewildering how Pristina refers to ultimatums completely undermining any chance of dialogue, as the European Union also pointed out, as "principles" and how it persistently insists that Belgrade should recognize the unilaterally declared independence of "Kosovo", upon which, they believe, all else would be resolved. What is the purpose of the dialogue then, if Belgrade is only expected to recognize the so-called Kosovo? Does the dialogue imply that one side should give up everything only for the other to win it all? And does the dialogue, in Pristina's opinion, imply that what was agreed should not be fulfilled?

I will remind you that Pristina still refuses to follow up on its obligations arising from the agreements reached so far and does not agree to discuss their implementation within the dialogue. And the situation is quite simple - in April 2013, the first agreement was signed in Brussels, which envisaged four obligations: one for Pristina and three for Belgrade. Belgrade has fulfilled all obligations, while the only obligation that the provisional institutions in Pristina had - to form the Community of Serb Municipalities - has remained unfulfilled for 2,917 days now. In fact, 19 April marks eight full years since the agreement was reached in Brussels, and of Pristina's failure to fulfill the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Distinguished Mr. President,

Regardless of the discouraging messages heard from Pristina and the fact that the dialogue has been in progress for many years, Serbia is determined and will not give up on identifying a compromise solution, which will be sustainable for future generations as well. Lasting peace and stability can only be achieved if none of the participants in the dialogue pursues maximalist demands and insists on the complete humiliation of the other. The Serbian and Albanian peoples, as the two most numerous peoples in the Western Balkans, need to find a way to reach reconciliation and a basis for cooperation, both in terms of the economy and in achieving shared prospects for membership to the European Union.

Belgrade has made sincere steps in that direction, by being one of the initiators of the idea of relaxing the flow of people, goods, capital and services, popularly referred to as "mini-Schengen".

As far as Serbia is concerned, we are convinced that the only way to build lasting peace and stability in our region is by working to build trust and insisting on positive political agendas. The inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija, of any nationality, whether they are Serbs or Albanians, do not deserve anything less.

Thank you for your attention.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic participated today in the commemoration of the Remembrance Day of 17 March 2004 - Pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija. He said that exactly 17 years ago, a pogrom took place in Kosovo and Metohija, and that pogrom surpassed all other crimes.

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest, these words of Elie Wiesel, a camp survivor and Nobel laureate, make it forever incumbent upon us not to remain silent against crime, regardless of who and for what reason committed it", President Vucic stated and added that we remembered and learned every lesson in which we were losers, each one in which we were silent to our own victims, and each one when we were ready to forget.

"Serbia is no longer weak today, nor is it a country of losers, it does not threaten, but it does not forget either, it is ready for talks, but not for humiliation. Serbia, just like everyone else, has the right to take care of its people, their safety and well-being. The right to life is a fundamental human right and we will always defend it", President Vucic said.

President Vucic said that pogrom surpasses all other crimes, because it is not only an act, but an intention, a policy, a premediated attempt to forcibly cleanse persons belonging to other peoples and faiths from a region or a country.

"We have no right to remain silent to that", said the President of Serbia, emphasizing that we have an obligation to be winners without blood spilled and war, to be the best in the economy, healthcare, sports, education and everything else that implies development and progress.

"We also wish others to work on themselves and be successful, because we are aware that crime is a tool for losers that winners do not need, as they remember, but forgive and move on, while the losers keep spinning in the same vicious circle. We Serbs do not want to be that anymore, we want a future in which we will remember, but from which we will not return. We know what happened and we call it by its real name", President Vucic concluded.

Photo: Dimitrije Goll

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said today that the fight against all forms of crime was a top priority of the Serbian Government and an integral part of the EU accession process.

"It is also our moral duty, in order to leave a better world for the generations to come", Selakovic said participating via video-link at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Kyoto.

Minister Selakovic emphasized that Serbia, in its Second Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment from 2019, identified as its goal to eliminate cybercrime, human trafficking, terrorism and irregular migration.

The Serbian Foreign Minister pointed out that our country had established in a timely manner a normative and institutional framework that regulates prevention of abuse in this area, as well as that the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Cybercrime, a special court department and a special police unit were established.

The Minister underlined that, in the field of the fight against corruption, Serbia was guided by the postulates set out in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption.

Selakovic pointed out the efforts made by the Anti-Corruption Agency, as an independent state body, to protect the public interest, build individual and institutional integrity, strengthen transparency and accountability of the public administration.

"We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism, including extremism and radicalism, and call for them to be fully eradicated, while implementing the relevant UN resolutions and conventions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy", the Head of Serbian diplomacy underscored.

In order to combat these complex phenomena efficiently and successfully, Selakovic said, it was of vital importance to build capacities of our societies and states, while exchanging experiences at the regional and global levels.

Minister Selakovic thanked Japanese Ambassador Hikihara for the skill he showed in conducting the talks on harmonizing and adopting the Kyoto Declaration, which, as he stressed, was an important indicator of the commitment to creating and maintaining the institutional framework for crime prevention as one of the main preconditions for promoting sustainable development goals.

"Back in 1970 when Japan hosted this event for the first time, we demonstrated strong political will to draw attention to the problem. Today, it is incumbent upon us to reaffirm this willingness and resolve and translate it into concrete steps", the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

8 March 2021

Full speech by Minister Selakovic

Madam Chairperson, 

We welcome the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Kilian Wahl to the Permanent Council and thank him for his report. Serbia supports the Mission, established in accordance with the UN SC Resolution 1244 and therefore duty bound to operate in a status neutral manner. We especially value OMIK’s and its five regional offices’ quality reporting and follow-up on cases with an inter-ethnic component.

In circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and related operational difficulties, we commend the Mission’s efforts to assist the local population.

Madam Chairperson,

First, on the Belgrade-Priština dialogue:

The establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities is an obligation guaranteed by all signatories of the 2013 Brussels Agreement, including the EU. We are once again forced to state the obvious: Agreements cannot be implemented selectively according to Priština’s domestic political agenda. Furthermore, recent statements that “the Belgrade- Priština dialogue is only a sixth or seventh priority”, or in the best case a fourth priority, and then that “a step back is needed in the dialogue” clearly diminish prospects for implementing previously agreed provisions and continuation of the dialogue.

Repeated calls to both parties to engage in meaningful dialogue are inappropriate since one side has already done so and the other has not. Belgrade’s readiness to engage in dialogue in a good faith remains steadfast.

Regrettably, the line chosen by Priština undermines not only the dialogue, but also long-standing efforts of the international community in the post conflict settlement. Threats that Priština would opt for a referendum on a union with Albania “if Kosovo had not entered the UN and become NATO member and EU candidate within 5 years” produced only a muted reaction of the international community. I invite you to envisage the reaction if a similar redrawing of borders was propagated in another regional context.

Second, the situation on the ground:

The above mentioned contentious political narrative is also affecting the situation on the ground. Incidents targeting Serb returnees and their property increased in the reporting period. The number of returnees remains shamefully low. Identifying, let alone punishing, perpetrators remained slow and inadequate.

The 2020 European Commission Report underlined that an “increased follow-up of such incidents by judicial institutions is still needed”. The same report cited “the difficulty in implementation of human and fundamental rights legislation due to inadequate financial and other resources, limited political prioritization and a lack of coordination”.

Madam Chairperson,

Issues of coordination or resources are not the primary hindrance to respect of human rights. Deeply rooted intolerance toward non-majority communities is the core problem. As a step to promote tolerance, we welcome the Mission’s efforts to foster people to people contacts, particularly between young people, journalists and women parliamentarians. We appreciate OMIK and HCNM assistance to Priština’s Faculty of Philology to finally re-establish South Slavic studies with modules in Serbian and to meet labor market needs in linguistics, translation, teaching, and inter-cultural communication.

We also value the Mission’s efforts in resolving property issues of internally displaced persons. However, despite some progress, it is clear that the local Property Comparison and Verification Agency does not perform as an effective mechanism for repossession of usurped property. The local Ministry of Communities and Returns and the associations of affected displaced persons were excluded from the process of amending the relevant Law.

Protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of displaced persons is impossible without safeguarding their property and housing rights. We encourage the Mission to continue engaging directly with the IDPs’ associations in central Serbia, to address their concerns and work directly with them on their return.

Madam Chairperson,

The Report points at the continued desecration of cemeteries and historical monuments, burglary and damage to cultural and religious heritage. Local institutions ignore court rulings on property rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The so-called Constitutional Court confirmed, way back in 2016, the ownership of UNESCO Heritage Site Visoki Dečani over 24 hectares of the land in the vicinity of the Monastery. However, the authorities are still refusing to respond to the request of Serbian Orthodox Church to register its land.

We therefore encourage the Mission to continue monitoring institutional responses to such attacks and compliance with court decisions, and to publish a thematic report on threats to the Serbian and other communities’ cultural and religious heritage.

The arbitrary denial of visits of officials from Central Serbia continued throughout the reporting period, without plausible legal explanation. Journalists from central Serbia were denied entry on February 18th without valid clarification. This undermines the Mission’s attempts to improve media standards.

Finally, the way forward:

Only a sincere commitment by all relevant actors to approach outstanding issues in good faith with the aim of normalizing relations and respecting fundamental human rights and freedoms can guarantee reconciliation, coexistence and respect of diversity.

To quote President Aleksandar Vučić, who met yesterday evening EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Priština Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák: “Serbia supports Lajčák's activities and intentions to reach a compromise solution. We believe that a compromise means no one gets everything and everyone gets enough. It means dissatisfaction or partial satisfaction for both sides, but without an ultimatum and imposed solutions”.

Let me finally address some statements we have heard today. Regarding the informal meetings with the Head of Mission and so called the recipient of the OSCE assistance on the ground, we believe it is necessary to be precise: there is no established practice of inviting officials from Priština. There were individual cases, and they were contested. We firmly stand by our position that these calls are inacceptable, go against the status-neutral position of the Organization to Kosovo and Metohija and they also deepen the divisions in the OSCE.

Thank you.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, PhD, as the new Serbian Patriarch, in its convocation in Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade on 18 February 2021.

Immediately after the election a thanksgiving service was officiated and Many Years was chanted to the Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Bells at Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district of Belgrade rang a few minutes before 4:00 pm indicating that the 46th Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

Newly-elected Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (Peric) was born on 22 July 1961 in Becej, to father Radivoje and Mother Radojka. He was baptized as Prvoslav. He finished primary school in Curug, and the “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj” Grammar School in Novi Sad. He was ordained a monk according to the rite of small schime by his spiritual father, then hieromonk Dr. Irinej (Bulovic), at Decani Monastery on Sunday of St. Thomas in 1985.

He graduated from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade in 1986, when the then Bishop of Raska-Prizren Diocese, future Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory, ordained him a hierodeacon at the monastery of Holy Trinity in Musutiste.

He attended postgraduate studies in Athens from 1986 until 1990. That year, upon the blessing of Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa, he joined the monastery of Holy Archangels in Kovilj, where he was ordained as hieromonk and became its abbot.

Many young monks and novices came to the monastery following him. These were the years when the Kovilj Monastery became a spiritual center for many young people: intellectuals, artists, popular actors and rock musicians, especially from Novi Sad and Belgrade. Since then abbot Porfirije has particularly dealt with drug-addicted patients. In 2005, he formed for this purpose a therapeutic community called “The Land of the Living”, which is recognized as the most successful drug-addiction therapy project and, under the leadership of Bishop Porfirije, it has more than a hundred residents in camps throughout Serbia today.

During the ordinary meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on 14 May 1999 he was elected as Bishop of Jegar, Vicar of the Diocese of Backa.

He defended his PhD thesis Possibility of knowability of God in St. Paul’s understanding according to the interpretation of Saint John Chrysostom at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Athens in 2004.

He became a lecturer at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology - Department of Pastoral Psychology - succeeding famous psychiatrist, academician Dr. Vladeta Jerotic. His lectures have been attended not only by students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, but other Belgrade faculties as well.

Together with a group of experts: psychologists, doctors, criminologists, sociologists, Bishop Porfirije founded a civic association that deals with the resocialization of victims of destructive religious sects and cults.

Bishop Porfirije has not been just president of the Steering Board for a decade, but a real spiritus movens of the Humanitarian Fund “Privrednik”, which has provided scholarships for a great number of gifted, but poor pupils and students, regardless of their nationality or religious affiliation.

In 2005, the National Assembly elected him as representative of all Churches and religious communities, to be a member of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, and in 2008 the RBA elected him its president. As President of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, Bishop Porfirije supported the long-term interests of society and citizens, unaffected by political influences.

Since then, church radio stations have been heard in the broadcasting spectrum of Serbia. He has made a key contribution to launching of a series of radio and television shows dealing with religious topics.

In 2010, The Holy Assembly of Bishops entrusted him to establish military chaplaincy in the Serbian Armed Forces. The fruits of his labour in that field include not only the suitable legal regulations, but also the selection of military chaplains, the organization and equipping of churches at barracks and performance of the first religious services.

His expert theological works Bishop Porfirije published in magazines both in Serbia and abroad. He participated in a large number of scientific conferences and symposia across the globe.

Bishop Porfirije, as one of the most prominent contemporary Serbian clergymen and intellectuals, has an extremely wide circle of friends, not only in the Homeland, and he fosters personal friendship and close cooperation with priests and representatives of other Churches and religious communities.

He speaks Greek, English, German and uses the Russian language, while his style of communication is always adapted to his interlocutors.

He was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana on 13 July 2014 in the Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Zagreb. The solemn Hierarchal Liturgy was served by Serbian Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by a large number of archbishops of the Serbian Church and other sister Churches, as well as priests and monks, and pious people.

Source: SPC/Serbian Orthodox Church, 18 February 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic assessed today, in a conversation with the newly elected Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Jan Braathu, that cooperation with this international organization, since its establishment in Serbia, is an example of good partnership and great support in almost all important reform processes in the country.

Congratulating Ambassador Braathu on his new position, Brnabic thanked the representatives of the OSCE Mission to Serbia for constructive cooperation and support in strengthening institutions and the civil sector, the rule of law, strengthening human and minority rights, and encouraging dialogue at the national and regional levels.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she especially appreciates the role of the OSCE in the field of the media and its participation in the process of adopting the Media Strategy and in the Working Group dealing with the safety of journalists.

The Head of the OSCE Mission said that this area is high on the agenda of the Mission's work and the key to cooperation with institutions, but also with civil society in Serbia.

Brnabic informed the OSCE representative that preparations are underway for the adoption of a national strategy for preventing and combating violence against women in the family and partner relations 2020-2025, as well as the preparation of a draft law on gender equality.

Braathu used the opportunity to congratulate Serbia on the exceptional results and successful implementation of immunisation of its citizens, and he described the donations of vaccines to neighbouring Northern Macedonia and Montenegro as an act of friendship and good cooperation in the region.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she expects that the vaccination process will soon give results, and that the preparation for the production of vaccines in Serbia is important, not only for our citizens, but also for the entire region.

The current situation requires greater cooperation in the region, the Prime Minister said and explained that the protection of citizens and the recovery of the Serbian economy is not possible without strong cooperation with its neighbours and mutual regional support.

Belgrade, 18 February 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic had talks today via a video link with OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov.

The Minister congratulated Mr. Abdrakhmanov on his appointment to this important post and underlined the importance that Serbia attached to the institution of High Commissioner, while maintaining a quality cooperation with it for years.

Selakovic stated that Serbia was deeply committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of persons belonging to national minorities who lived on its territory.

He underlined that Serbia was applying one of the most progressive laws on the protection of the rights of national minorities, and that constant work was being done to promote the institutional and legal framework and its implementation. Furthermore, the Minister stated that Serbia had always been open to the advice and support of various international organizations, but also ready to share its wealth of experience gained in the protection of minority rights.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy particularly assessed as surprisingly aggressive the campaign of certain Albanian politicians which aimed to internationalize the issue of Albanian national minority allegedly being endangered in Serbia.

Minister Selakovic emphasized that the state bodies of Serbia enforced the effective legal regulations towards all citizens in the country's territory in an impartial way, regardless of their national, religious or other affiliation, and that this would always be the case.

In today's conversation, the Minister informed his collocutor about the status and position of the Serbian people in the countries of the region and asked High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov to keep this issue high on his agenda.

Belgrade, 9 February 2021

President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army Aleksandar Vucic attended a demonstration of capabilities of one part of Serbian Army units in the "Rastko Nemanjić" barracks in Pancevo. On this occasion, President Vucic stated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

The President said that he would rather put his "head on the chopping block" than sign any document with a recognition and reminded that he had already once refused to do so in Washington, where there were two versions of the agreement.

He stated that he immediately had his delegation leave the meeting, that he told the U.S. delegation that Serbia would not sign such an agreement, while conveying that Serbia would always endeavour to hold peaceful talks in order to preserve peace, but that it would not take any humiliation.

The Serbian President thanked the U.S. President Joe Biden for the letter of congratulations on the occasion of the upcoming Statehood Day, in which, in addition to the usual emphasis on commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability and democratic values, he unequivocally called for mutual recognition of Serbia and "Kosovo" as a result.

Mutual recognition between Serbia and "Kosovo" is not part of any act of any world organization, the President pointed out and reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

According to the president, the situation is difficult and will only be increasingly difficult.

"As I told you three days ago, I can see it and I expect it, I can see the situation slowly tightening, because the conflicts between them at the global level have been increasing and intensifying, and then we have to pay the price", the President said.

President Vucic said that said that it was up to our state to continue strengthening the country in the economic sense.

The President added that the role of the army was very important in the highly complex security and political conditions of the modern world, and that was why Serbia needed to do everything it could to deter any potential aggressor and attacks on citizens and the country.

"The policy of strengthening the armed forces will continue at a faster pace", the President emphasized, adding that the goal was for the Serbian Army to play a stabilizing role with regard to the political developments in the region.

According to him, it should be clear to everyone that Serbia was not a punching bag and that not everyone could attack and threaten it like it was the case in the past.

Vucic said that he was pleased with what he saw and that a lot had been done in the previous period, pointing out that the salaries of military personnel would be significantly increased as of April.

President Vucic also stated that investments in the Serbian Army would continue, whom he told that he expected the Army to continue to be the guardian of our country, its integrity and freedom.

"We expect you to be the guardians of our country, its integrity and freedom, the defenders of our people, the guardians of the homeland, the protectors of the interests of the state of Serbia and to be a deterrent factor for every aggressor and anyone who might consider attacking Serbia", Vucic said.

The military exercise called "Spearhead" demostrated the capabilities of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, and the event, which the President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army assessed as very good, was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Stefanovic and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic.

Photo: Presidency of Serbia / Dimitrije Goll Belgrade, 7 February 2021

Serbia's foreign policy positions are naturally being adjusted to the new developmentsat the international level, but our foreign policy priorities have not changed in a long time. Our top and most important interest is to preserve good-neighbourly relations and stability and peace in the region and, in the same context, to find a peaceful and just solution to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said in an interview with Politika daily.

Another lasting interest of ours is full membership of the European Union, because this is the type of society we strive for. At the bilateral level, our goal is to strengthen ties with traditional friends, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, but also to build new partner relations with the United States. One of the most important tasks of our foreign policy is to improve the position and protect the rights and identity of our people in the region, as well as to provide various types of support to Serbs in the diaspora. All these are very important and more often than not complementary goals, Nikola Selakovic pointed out.

What kind of relations do you expect Serbia to have with the new U.S. administration?

It is too early to speculate about this in public. The new presidential administration in Washington is currently preoccupied with internal issues and this will be the case for some time. There are people in the team of President Joseph Biden who have dealt with our region, and it is likely that the Balkans and Serbia will be the focus of the U.S. foreign policy at some point. I will remind you that President Vucic and President Biden not so long ago had very substantive talks in Belgrade, after which our President stated that he had the opportunity to talk to someone extremely well acquainted with the situation in this part of the world and an extraordinarily prepared interlocutor. Taking their personal relationship into account, but also the importance of enhancing the ties between Serbia and the United States, we have reason to expect that a meeting between the two presidents will be organized in the foreseeable future. I am sure that the nature and dynamics of the relations between Serbia and the United States will be influenced by the fact that Ambassador Marko Djuric now represents us in Washington, whose presence at President Biden's inauguration ceremony is an important signal and, I believe, a harbinger of positive developments in bilateral relations between our two countries.

How would you describe our country's relations with Moscow, Brussels and Beijing?

Russia is our traditional friend and that friendship goes beyond merely political ties. These are deep spiritual, cultural and civilizational bonds, and it is only natural that we have a mutual interest in improving those ties, even though they are at a very high level. We have a relationship with the People's Republic of China which is, in addition to the sincere iron-clad friendship between our peoples and high political representatives, based on deep trust and mutual support. Full membership of the European Union is Serbia's strategic orientation that all our friends are aware of, but our country does not forget its friendships, but strengthens and promotes them instead, and approaches all with honesty and no ulterior motives. In this context, we do not seek any preferential treatment, but only the right to freely and independently make decisions about our future and relations with all who respect us.

Could Serbia pursue a different foreign policy than the one it is pursuing at the moment?

It is always possible to have a different policy, just look at the foreign policy of Serbia ten, twenty or thirty years ago, examine the results at that time and you will realize how irretrievably expensive that policy turned out to be. Whether a policy is right, at either foreign or domestic level, is measured through its results and effect on the lives of citizens and the fate of the entire state. Our foreign policy priorities are not being defined on a whim, but are instead the result of a serious and deep examination of our complex position and strategic thinking about ways to improve it. Today, Serbia has a better international reputation and credibility than two decades ago, and the main reason for that is that our results have shown how serious and responsible we are as a country. That kind of credibility is not achieved by trickery, but only by hard and well-thought-out work on oneself. And I need to emphasize on this occasion as well that the main inspiration for such an attitude towards politics, the state and its future comes from none other than President Aleksandar Vucic. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I have the opportunity on a daily basis to see the level of appreciation and respect President Vucic enjoys beyond the borders of our country.

When can we expect the vacant posts of Serbian ambassadors and consuls across the globe to be filled?

That is one of the main tasks for 2021. This will be a year of reinvigoration and I believe also rejuvenation of Serbian diplomacy. Our country, given its size, has a fairly extensive diplomatic network, which provides it with great opportunities for deepening political and economic relations with countries in all parts of the world. But we need more fresh and energetic staff, people who will be the most honourable representatives of a modern and dynamic Serbia. There are such people in Serbia, and we do need a serious rejuvenation, in order to avoid wide generation gaps in our personnel, and to lay the foundations of a modern career diplomacy.

How would you describe your relationship with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic?

President Vucic and I are, in addition to having close and friendly relations, by virtue of the work we do and our constitutional competencies, the closest collaborators in the realization of Serbia's foreign policy goals. This allows me to talk to him often, and on many occasions learn a lot of new and important things. President Vucic is a man who inspires people around him with his strategic and visionary approach to politics, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to be part of his closest team of associates over the years, and to have had him as a kind of political mentor. In any case, his vision of Serbia as a modern, progressive and prosperous state, which independently and on its own will decides on its destiny, is my wish as well and key motivation for political engagement. For only such Serbia is a country that its own citizens, as well as Serbs beyond our borders, can confidently rely on, while also being an inspiration to the entire region.

Source: Politika, 26 January 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic met today with the new Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia Jan Braathu.

Congratulating Braathu on his new appointment, Minister Selakovic stated that Serbia highly valued and supported the work done by the OSCE Mission in our country, with which it had a partner cooperation based on mutual understanding, and expressed an expectation that the relations would continue along these lines.

"We are interested in cooperation and partnership with the OSCE Mission along Serbia's reform path, as we are sharing the same agenda", Selakovic said.

The Serbian Foreign Minister pointed out that the support of this Mission was very important to our country, primarily in the fields of the judiciary and rule of law, freedom of media and freedom of expression, democratization and human and minority rights, including finding a lasting solution for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons through institutional initiatives.

Belgrade, 25 January 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met earlier today with the newly appointed Head of the OSCE Mission Jan Braathu, who presented to the President the priority areas of cooperation in the upcoming period.

The President emphasised that the Republic of Serbia supports the work of the Mission in Serbia, with which we have had excellent cooperation since its establishment, based on mutual understanding and partnership. Due to that, for many years now, Serbia has stood out as an example in the OSCE as a model for successful cooperation between the host country and the Mission on the ground.

"We particularly appreciate the Mission's support in the comprehensive reform process in Serbia, including expertise in programme areas such as democratisation and the media, the rule of law, strengthening human and minority rights, promoting tolerance and non-discrimination, and security sector governance and reform," said President Vučić and stressed that Serbia supports the further activities of the Mission with the expectation that in the future they will be planned together with the relevant departments and harmonised with the progress and actual needs of the country on its reform path.

"Serbia is ready to intensify cooperation between its institutions and the OSCE Mission, to define long-term goals and priorities jointly and through a strategic approach, which would enable focusing of the Mission's capacity to the country's real needs," said President Vučić, adding that at the request of top state officials, the Mission was involved in the process of developing a new Media Strategy, as well as participating in drafting amendments to the Constitution in areas related to the independence of the judiciary.

Ambassador Braathu thanked President Vučić for his congratulations on the appointment and pointed out that during his tenure he would insist on a friendly and partnership-based relationship that he aspires to maintain in further cooperation with the authorities in Serbia, paying particular attention to continuing constructive cooperation based on mutual trust to implement reforms in priority areas.

Belgrade, 21st January 2021

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pointed out that Serbia is the first in Europe in terms of economic growth, which will be officially confirmed at the end of March, and that this was possible owing to the reform measures taken since 2014 and the rapid opening of the country after the first wave of corona virus.

The President pointed out that Serbia had a growth of 5.2 percent in the first quarter, while the Eurozone was at minus 3.2 percent, in the second quarter Serbia had a growth of minus 6.3 percent, while the Eurozone was at minus 14.7 percent, and in the third quarter, when the Eurozone was at minus 4.3 percent, Serbia's figure was only minus 1.4 percent. Vucic stated that Montenegro, for example, recorded as much as 26 percent minus in the third quarter.

Furthermore, the President emphasized that hospitals were built and renovated in our country, and that two hospitals were built from the ground up in just four months.

He said that the state made significant efforts to procure respirators, masks, gloves, protective suits, medicines, everything that was needed, and pointed out that work was being done on 10 general hospitals throughout Serbia, adding that all these were major achievements that were only possible owing to the success of the 2014 reforms, the enactment of the Labor Law, which yielded excellent results, and also through fiscal consolidation measures.

"These are unprecedented results for Serbia. Was Serbia ever before the first in Europe in terms of growth rate? We will get the results on 31 March that will confirm that Serbia is number one in Europe. All that was possible thanks to people who believed in difficult changes", Vucic said.

According to the President, this year, as many as six highways will be built in Serbia at the same time, and in this regard, he noted that Bulgaria has announced that the highway from our border to Sofia will be completed by the end of the year, after which it will be possible to use motorway to travel to Istanbul, which is very important to ensure that our country is on a transport route.

President Vucic emphasized that in 2020, the so-called year of corona, our country had a net inflow of foreign direct investment amounting to EUR 2.9 billion net, and three billion gross, which means that many foreign companies such as Toyota Tires, Boysen, ZTF and Brose have invested in Serbia even in this year of crisis.

The President said that Serbia has the highest average wages in the region, amounting to 511 or 512 euros, and that in February, due to the January increase, the average wage will be 535 or 536 euros, and that only in Belgrade in the last seven years the average wage increased by 180 euros or 40 percent.

The President said that Serbia was fourth in the region in terms of salaries before, and that today we are officially the first, and that the difference in relation to other countries will only increase faster. He also pointed out that the employment rate is growing in Serbia as well as that our public debt increased less than in most European countries. This is illustrated by the data that in Italy the public debt surged to 156 percent, in Germany to 87 percent, in France to 114 percent, in Croatia to 88 percent, while in Serbia it is at 57 percent.

The Serbian President announced that by Sretenje, 15 February, an additional package of assistance to the economy will be earmarked, and as he explained, it will be a new capital injection for companies, the trade, entrepreneurs, small, medium and large enterprises which, as he said, concerns 1,052,000 people within that system. Vucic specified that it will most likely be help in the form of two or three payments amounting to half a minimum wage each, and that there will also be sectoral aid for tourism, hotel owners, travel agencies, guides, for bus carriers, through another half minimum wage payment.

The President added that efforts will be made to extend the guarantee schemes as well, which proved to be excellent, amounting to 1.5 billion, and this time, through the same system, two more portions amounting to 500 million each could be provided.

Vucic said that the first agreements with DFC worth 300 to 400 million dollars are expected in seven days.

He also stated that the state will endeavour to help pensioners further, in addition to increasing pensions by 5.9 percent in January, which will be reflected in their first checks in February, and added that pensioners should by March receive symbolic aid in the form of packages with vitamin C, D and zinc, which, as the President said, are small things, but they reflect the state's care and efforts made to protect health.

The President announced that negotiations on the procurement of the Chinese vaccine would be completed in the next seven to eight days, after the first quantities of the Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines have arrived in Serbia, and pointed out that the Chinese vaccine was of exceptional quality, but probably the most expensive, which is why he wrote to the Chinese President and asked for a discount for our country.

Vucic thanked the Americans for deciding to sell the vaccine to our country and noted that no one in the region other than Serbia has received it, except for the small quantity that Albania got.

He pointed out that our state relied on itself and its own capacities, and that our state leadership anticipated that vaccines within the European COVAX plan would arrive late.

The President rejected the claims about bad results of Serbia in the fight against the corona virus and stated that our country has recorded the lowest corona virus mortality rate in the region.

He presented statistical information indicating that Slovenia had 144 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, North Macedonia 126, Bosnia and Herzegovina 123, Bulgaria 115, Montenegro 115, Hungary 110, Croatia 107, Romania 85, and Serbia 51.

"The mortality rate in the region is as follows: Bulgaria 3.9, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.7, Hungary 3.11, North Macedonia 3.03, Romania 2.48. Slovenia 2.15, Croatia 1.99, Montenegro 1.4, and Serbia 1.0. This can be seen in the graphs and is no fabrication", the President stressed.

He said that the state will fight for vaccines, and that only Serbia, in the Western Balkans, received significant quantities of vaccines, other than a smaller quantity that Albania received, and added that in one day since the registration for vaccination opened, as many as 63,000 persons have registered.

President Vucic expressed his belief that the year ahead will be better than the previous one as well as that the corona virus will be defeated through vaccination of citizens.

Belgrade, 12 January 2021

Our compatriots living abroad are one of the great potentials that the state has not recognized in the right way so far, which is why a different approach is needed to the issue of how to strengthen our diaspora and use the good will of people who are potential lobbyists for the interests of Serbia and the Serbian people, Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said.

"When it comes to Serbs in the diaspora, and especially in the region, this issue has been a kind of an unattended crop which requires a lot of work, and even when a lot is done at once this is not apparent immediately ", Minister Selakovic stated in an interview with Tanjug.

He emphasized that the appointment of the Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region for the first time after almost seven years since this body was formed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shows that it is one of the priorities of the Ministry he is at the helm of.

Selaković notes that intensive efforts have been long underway on forming a plan to make the diaspora more visible both outside the borders of Serbia and in the mother country itself.

"Every person in the diaspora is a potential lobbyist for the interests of our country and people, and we need to find the right way to use that", he said.

That much can be done in that regar Selakovic illustrates with the fact that only in Switzerland, in 24 cities, there are Serbian cultural and artistic associations which amounts to more than 3,000 young people who get together in order to preserve our tradition, culture, the Serbian language and history.

"If they were able to set up such associations in 24 cities, it speaks volumes about the enthusiasm of these people. There is so much enthusiasm, energy and love in these people. We need to explore ways to help them and use their good will and potential", the Minister points out.

He also cites the example of an emigrant family in Canada, the Varaklic family from southwestern Serbia, who sends Christmas packages for children in the Raska region every year. He adds that they have so far donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-governmental organizations for those needs alone, but he says that we do not see that here.

"The state does not recognize this, and these are people who gained success as entrepreneurs working in a distant country, who can be serious lobbyists for Serbia, for Serbian interests, someone who represents us in the best possible way", Minister Selakovic said.

Minister Selakovic also pointed out that Arnaud Gouillon has been appointed as head of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region and described him as a man of extraordinary energy, great love for the Serbian people, which he showed in his engagement towards Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, where they were seriously endangered.

"By doing so, he showed and set an example to many of our compatriots of what an individual can do. And when one such individual focuses energy, enthusiasm and love for people, on work done within the state administration system, I think that the preconditions have been created for such activities to yield good results", Minister Selakovic said.

Source: Tanjug, 2 January 2021

This year, Serbia could finally have Ambassadors and Consuls General appointed to about a third of the currently vacant positions in the country's diplomatic and consular missions in the world, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic is convinced that most of these positions will be filled, as he points out, by the best possible people.

"In the next year, I am convinced that the majority of these vacancies will be filled", Selakovic told Tanjug, emphasizing that the work is being done gradually, because the state wants to show that is has a quality staff who will represent Serbia's interests in the best possible way.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy reminded that in a number of diplomatic missions, the four-year mandate of Ambassadors and Consuls General has already expired, so that the procedure for appointing new ones will follow, after their recall.

One of the "vacant" spots is the post of the Serbian Ambassador to China.

"We are working hard to find the best possible solution for our new Ambassador to China and as we appointed one of the best people in the state system as Ambassador to the United States, who, I am sure, will perform his duties in the best possible way, I am convinced that it will be the same for the Ambassador in Beijing", Selakovic said.

The Minister, who took over the foreign policy sector in the Government a little over two months ago, points out that circumstances in the world, as well as Serbia's position in it, have changed, but that Serbia's foreign policy goals do not change: the country remains strategically committed to European integration and, while pursuing the EU path, it will also strengthen traditional friendships with Russia and China, as well as promote and strengthen new partner relations with the United States.

"Relations in the region, good-neighborly relations, regional cooperation are also important for Serbia, because this fits into the set of requirements on the European path. But, even regardless of the European path, it is always important who you live next to, who you live with, what your neighbors are like and what the relations are like in the neighborhood", Minister Selakovic said.

He also points out that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is of inestimable importance, it being the main national and state issue for Serbia and the Serbian people.

"When I say that circumstances are changing, but not the goals - the EU and European integration was our goal seven years ago as well, but look at what our room for maneuver was then, in terms of economic aspects, and look at it today. Circumstances changed, and then you adjust your actions to these changed circumstances, to the best extent possible", Minister Selakovic said.

He reminds that foreign policy priorities for 2021 were also outlined by the President of the Republic, and that maintaining peace and stability in the region is the absolute priority.

"Only in a peaceful and stable region of the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe can Serbia thrive economically, culturally and scientifically - in every respect. Peace and stability in the region are “sine qua non” without which there is no development and progress. Serbia has acted, is acting and will act as a factor that stabilizes the entire region and maintains peace in the region, showing that it is the region that benefits everyone the most", Minister Selakovic said.

Relations in the region have always been complex, and the region, Minister Selakovic noted, is to our great regret, burdened with issues that we cannot have a bearing on, and which concern the past.

Serbia's approach is to seek room to influence what is happening today and what will happen happen in the future.

In this context, he states that the so-called "mini-Schengen" initiative for market unification of the region, which originated from Aleksandar Vucic and was met with a positive response from the Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, is one of the opportunities to do much more for the region.

"To show how much more we can do if we act together and if we seek our common denominators, and not what separates and divides us ", Selakovic points out.

When it comes to relations with the United States, Selakovic said that one should not expect the great powers to change their positions the way we would like, want or imagine, but that it is important that the Ambassador in Washington, Marko Djuric, also emphasized that his task, among other things, will be to make efforts to change the climate in bilateral relations with the United States - the most important country in the world, as our lacking communication with them in the past seriously affected the position of the Serbian people and Serbia.

"I am convinced that Djuric will work seriously on that, together with President Vucic, Prime Minister Brnabic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and contribute to a large extent to changing that climate", Minister Selakovic said.

He points out that it is extremely important for Serbia to promote its partner relations with the United States to a higher level.

"This is a country with which we cooperate closely in many areas and a country with which we must strive, and not give up in doing so, to find what we have in common, our common ground and good examples of our cooperation in the past, and to create space for such cooperation in the future as well", Minister Selakovic concluded.

Source: Tanjug, 2 January 2021

Preservation of peace, taking care of the health and better living standard are key for Serbia in 2021, underlined President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic, convinced that even though the completion of this ambitious and by no means easy task will be anything but straightforward, best results can be achieved by working in concert with the Government, while ensuring security and a future of certainty for the citizens.

The President said that Serbia has set for itself great and ambitious goals for the next year, notwithstanding the complex international and regional circumstances, and that it will endeavour to fully preserve peace and stability in the region and the country, while safeguarding the vital national and state interests.

"Serbia will remain on the course of a winning policy - the policy of stability", President Vucic said and stressed that our country remains on the European integration path and that it will carefully foster its friendship with Russia and China, while building a friendship with the United States as well.

According to the President, Serbia will continue to pursue a winning policy, with the country itself as a top priority, i.e., a policy that will enable Serbia to continue being one of the top three countries in Europe in terms of growth rate in the next two years.

A precondition for that, the President noted, is to crack down on criminal groups, but also to ensure even bigger investments in the police and army forces.

"Serbia is the country that recorded the highest growth in Europe in 2020", the President pointed out at the annual press conference and added that he expects to conclude a new arrangement with the IMF, as well as that Serbia, by the end of next year or early 2022, will raise its credit rating to an "investment" one, which will put our country's rating on par with the most developed EU countries.

As the greatest success in 2020, Vucic noted that Serbia will end the year with the highest growth rate in Europe, which, as he said, is expected to be from minus 0.75 percent to minus one.

"I am proud to be the President of a country that is the European champion in terms of GDP", Vucic pointed out and added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also pleased with Serbia's success.

According to President Vucic, this result will encourage Serbia to accelerate its European path, while continuing friendships with those who did not turn their backs on Serbia when it was at its darkest hour, namely Russia and China.

The President pointed out that the activities to attract foreign investors will continue, then that work will be done on investments in agriculture, primarily the food industry, new machinery, and digitalization of agriculture.

President Vucic also emphasized that the goal is for salaries in the public sector to average between 560 and 570 euros by the end of the year. Only in Belgrade, the average salary would be around 700 euros.

President Vucic reminded that the salaries of health care workers will increase by five percent from January 1, while the salaries of others in the public sector will increase by 3.5 percent and an additional 1.5 percent as of April 1, while corporal, private first class and non-commissioned officer army ranks will get an increase of an additional 10 percent. He noted that the minimum wage will be increased by 6.6 percent and so will pensions from January 1, by 5.9 percent, with the plan that the average pension amounts to 270 euros by the end of 2021. The President especially pointed out investments in health care, reminding that two new covid hospitals have been opened and that the renovation and construction of health facilities continues throughout Serbia, while stressing that Serbia is by far the first in the region in terms of hospitalized persons per 100,000 citizens, which is why it has recorded a low mortality rate , and also that Serbia this year has been among the top three countries in the region according to the number of PCR tests performed.

Speaking about tourism, the President said that, next year, efforts will be made on the development of the Danube basin region, from Apatin to Kladovo, that the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge will be developed, as well as our mountain centers.

Discussing the field of culture and information, President Vucic said that the implementation of the media strategy and the completion of the reconstruction of the National Theater in Subotica are important for next year, and he announced investments in museums, especially emphasizing the relocation of the History Museum to the train station building. He also stated that the floor heating in the Church of Saint Sava will be completed next year.

He pointed out that the state will continue to take care of our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, that no one can forbid Serbia to help its people, and that Serbia will not give up on helping our people.

As he emphasized, Serbia is ready to send medicines and vaccines to the Albanian population as well, and pointed out that in the upcoming period our country will pursue a policy of peace in the region and will endeavour to cooperate with Zagreb, Sarajevo, Podgorica and others.

29 December 2020

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic received today the first vaccine against the coronavirus made by Pfizer company, at the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera.

Brnabic, who is the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine, pointed out that this day may be the first since 6 March that we have a reason for a smile on our faces as it marks the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic in Serbia, but also in Europe and the world.

As Prime Minister and as someone who leads the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team, I felt obliged to be the first to receive the vaccine, to show that we believe in it, as well as in our institutions - the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia and experts who worked round the clock to test the vaccine, she said.

Underlining that it was an honour to do this for her country and be the first to pave the way for all citizens, the Prime Minister said that she agreed with President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic that the two of them receive different vaccines, so he will most likely receive the next one that arrives, most probably the one produced by China.

At the moment we have the Pfizer-BioNTech consortium vaccine, and the vaccines from the Chinese Sinopharm are expected in the near future, as well as certain quantities of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.

She expressed her belief that at the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter of next year we will have the vaccine of the company AstraZeneca, and after that the vaccine manufactured by Moderna.

As we promised, all vaccines licensed in their countries and approved by relevant international agencies will be available to our citizens, and of course they will be tested by all of our agencies and institutes as well, the Prime Minister pointed out.

She said that prior to the vaccination of health care workers, Minister of Health Zlatibor Loncar will also receive a vaccine shot as we endeavour to serve as an example and show how confident we are in the vaccines and institutions.

Brnabic pointed out that Serbia, not counting Great Britain, is the first country in Europe to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the third to start a mass immunization and campaign for giving the vaccine - after Great Britain and Switzerland.

We achieved something very important and we will not stop even for a moment until the immunization of the population is completed, the Prime Minister said.

She specified that our country will receive another 16,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in January, as well as that together with other vaccines we will have a total of one million doses in January, and a total of approximately two million doses during the first quarter of next year.

There is a dynamic on which Pfizer delivers vaccines and it varies depending on the production, and this is the case with deliveries to both Serbia and all other countries worldwide. We expected to receive 10,000 doses from Pfizer-BioNTech in December, however 4,807 doses arrived, the Prime Minister explained.

Serbia demonstrated that it is able to fight and succeed if we all work as a team, Brnabic said and called on all not to see the beginning of vaccination as the end of the fight already, but to continue to apply all measures instead.

This is to be certain and to be able to help our health care workers, and once the immunity is acquired we will be able to slowly start taking off the masks in 2021, but until then we should not see this as a victory but as the beginning of the end, the Prime Minister concluded.

After the Prime Minister, vaccine shots were also administered to the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and a member of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team Darija Kisic Tepavcevic and to Predrag Kon who is also on the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team.

Furthermore, vaccine shots were also given to Head of the MMA Department for the Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections prof. Dr. Vesna Suljagic and academician Predrag Pesko, professor of Belgrade and Heidelberg universities and full member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The first quantities of the vaccine arrived in Serbia on 22 December, and today they will be administered to patrons of nursing homes in Belgrade and Novi Sad.

Serbia is the first country in the region to receive a shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

In addition to procuring the vaccine among the first countries in the world, even before EU countries, Serbia is one of the rare countries that managed to build and open two covid hospitals in record time. The hospitals with 930 beds in Batajnica and 500 beds in Krusevac are a major contribution to the expansion of capacities and strengthening the health care system in the fight against coronavirus and, as President Vucic said, represent a monument of the future, that will talk about the accomplishments the state made in a short time.

Also, we recall that investments in health infrastructure have been large in Serbia, and since 2016, 80 health centers and clinics have been renovated, and works are underway on six large health centers. This way more than EUR 200 million was invested in the reconstruction, construction and equipping of hospitals and more than 300 million in the renovation of clinics and specialized hospitals, and many have already been completed, such as the University Children's Hospital Tiršova, and KBC Zemun nad KBC "Dragiša Mišović" hospitals.

The absolute priority of the Serbian Government is the successful completion of health infrastructure projects that are underway, but great attention is also paid to health workers, whose salaries have, by 2020, been increased by 56.8% for specialist doctors, and 66.9% for nurses, while significant funding is invested in the education of health professionals, as well as in equipment and working conditions.

Like other countries, Serbia has faced great challenges this year, most notably health challenges, and all factors in the state were focused on preventing the spread of the virus and safeguarding the lives and health of citizens. Serbia has faced these challenges better than many wealthier and more developed countries in Europe and the world.

Belgrade, 24 December 2020

On the occasion of 10 December, the international Human Rights Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia reaffirms its commitment to the principles and values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on this day in 1948.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been the foundation for the development of international law in this field, and of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, as a unique achievement of modern civilization. It is incumbent upon us today to safeguard and strengthen the international system ensuring respect for human rights, to develop human rights standards, control the implementation of commitments, and also to continue cooperating with international and regional institutions on the protection of human rights.

Serbia is fully committed to the universal values of human rights and implementing in practice the international legal instruments relating to human rights. Our continued cooperation with the Human Rights Council mechanisms in the framework of the United Nations, with the Council of Europe and the mechanisms of the OSCE human dimension, represents an important segment of activities carried out by all state authorities, thus demonstrating our consistent commitment to the implementation of international human rights standards.

The international Human Rights Day is an opportunity to point out once again that Serb and other non-Albanian population is being deprived of its rights in Kosovo and Metohija and to call again on the international community to ensure the respect for the guaranteed international human rights norms and contribute to creating conditions for the return of internally displaced persons and giving them back their usurped property.

At the following links you can find useful information on the Republic of Serbia as a favourable destination for business, as well as investing in research and development of new technologies:

"SERBIA - Emerging tech developing hub" 

"Guide to measures to support the development of innovative economy"

Statement By First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dačić at the 26th OSCE Ministerial Council Bratislava, 5-6 December 2019

Dear Mr. Chairman,

Minister Lajčak,

Excellencies, Dear colleagues,

Ladies and gentleman,

One more year in succession is coming to an end, a year in which our Organization faced serious and accumulated problems. Despite the tireless efforts made by the Slovak and previous Chairmanships to engage participating States in a meaningful dialogue resulting in the strengthened Organization and its efficient performance, thus increasing stability in the OSCE area, this goal is still a long way off while the "Organization dynamics", let me quote Chairman Lajčak, is not what we want it to be. A good point of departure in finding a way out of this complicated situation would be for the participating States to recognize that we do not all necessarily need to share the same views on the current issues and challenges but that we need to respect our differences, demonstrate openness in approaching dialogue in good faith and seek a compromise in eliminating or at least in reducing security risks. We must not give up diplomacy because that would open the door to conflicts.

The coming year is symbolic for several reasons. We will commemorate the 75th anniversary since the end of WWII, the lessons of which must not be forgotten. Representing a country which has suffered enormous loss of life in fighting Nazism, special responsibility and commitment lies with me to emphasize that the horrors of WWII must not be repeated ever again, in any shape or form. Therefore, it is the moral duty of all of us to fight together against any attempt at relativizing WWII developments, which is unfortunately taking place even today, in the OSCE area.

In that context, the Republic of Serbia welcomes, in particular, the endorsement of the Ministerial Declaration marking the 75th anniversary since the end of WWII, which it co-sponsored.

Next year, we will also celebrate the adoption of the most important OSCE documents which not only laid the foundations of our Organization but consolidated the international order created in the post-WWII period. In addition to the commemoration of the 20th anniversary since the adoption of the Charter for European Security, next year will also mark 45 years since the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act which defined 10 core principles governing relations between the participating States, such as equality between States, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, inviolability of internationally recognized borders, resolution of all disputes peacefully and through mutually acceptable solutions.

I would like to briefly reflect upon the situation in the Western Balkans as well, since the countries of the region are currently bitterly disappointed not only over the slowed pace of, but a stalemate in, the EU accession process. Such a situation sends a negative message to these countries, while providing a fertile ground for the rise of radicalization and the strengthening of unilateralism in resolving common problems.

I strongly believe that only through compromise, flexibility and a readiness to appreciate the interests of others, in addition to one's own only, can we reach sustainable solutions for problems facing the region.

Despite such an approach applied by the Republic of Serbia, I have to say that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue has been deadlocked for over a year. The Pristina politicians and their irresponsible, unilateral moves like imposing 100% tariffs on goods originating from central Serbia, have not only jeopardized the survival and rights of the Serbian community in Kosovo and Metohija, but also made it impossible to reach a compromise and sustainable solution that no side would perceive as their win or loss. With a view to reaching this kind of solution, Serbia expects the international community to exercise its influence on the new administration in Pristina and have them revoke this unilateral measure and return to the dialogue in good faith, as the only way to resolve problems existing in the Province.

Thank you!

Delegation of the Republic of Serbia, led by acting Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Security Policies Ambassador Branimir Filipovic and Assistant Minister of Defense in charge of Defense Policy Major-General Mojsilovic, participated in the OSCE Annual Security Review Conference, held 26-28^th June, in Vienna.

This Conference is held every year, in line with the Decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council from December 2002, and represents the most important gathering of the OSCE in the Politico-Military Dimension.

During the three-day engagement, several topics of European security have been discussed and participants exchanged views regarding key security challenges and contributions of the OSCE in dealing with these issues. Special sessions were organized dedicated to ensuring stability in the OSCE region in the context of the situation in Ukraine; developing security and trust in the OSCE, structural dialogue; managing crises and post-conflict rehabilitation, arms control and challenges related to migrations and transnational threats.

Ambassador Filipovic and General Mojsilovic participated and delivered statements during the Opening Session and in sessions dedicated to structural dialogue, arms control and challenges related to migration and transnational threats, in particular terrorism.

The achievements of the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control were discussed in the meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation on 25 October 2017 in Vienna. The Agreement has served as a framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia to engage with each other to promote peace and stability in the region.

Branimir Filipović, Assistant Minister for Security Policy in Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that the Agreement is “a strong contributing factor in the context of the consolidation of reconciliation, security and stability in the region”. He also added that it represents “a successful model of post-conflict rehabilitation, prominent as one applicable to other regions in conflict resolution, on condition that the parties involved in a particular process show readiness to engage in its implementation”.

Filipović said that achievements under the arms control regime are due, first of all, to the political will of the Parties to reach the goals defined in the Agreement. He also highlighted the significant role played by the OSCE and the support provided by the Contact Group countries, the United States, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. These countries, which share the status of verifier, continue to monitor the Agreement’s implementation.

The framework for negotiating the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control, signed in 1996, was provided by the Article IV, Annex 1-B of the Dayton Peace Accord. Hence it is also known as the Article IV Agreement. The Agreement’s core terms consist in the consent to limit arms for five categories of armaments including tanks, artillery guns (exceeding 75 mm calibre), armoured vehicles, fighter aircraft and attack helicopters.

VIENNA, 18 October 2017 – The role of security forces in supporting national governments in managing migration crises was the focus of the today’s debate in the Forum for Security Co-operation under the Serbian Chairmanship in Vienna.

Speakers stressed the importance of consolidating efforts of security forces to regulate migration, particularly with a view to countering transnational threats such as human trafficking along migration routes. They also noted that migration flows, when not managed in a human rights-compliant, comprehensive and co-ordinated way, have the potential to undermine co-operation, stability, and security.

Vladimir Rebić, Serbia’s General Police Director, noted that the response to managing migration flows should be “strong, at national, regional, European and international levels, through mutual assistance and co-operation.” Referring to Serbia’s response, he mentioned the formation of joint forces of the police and the army to protect the country’s borders.

Rebić said that another issue the Serbian government had to address was “the need to meet the needs of a large number of refugees and migrants in an efficient and humane way”.

The Serbian government developed in 2015 an action plan in response to an increased influx of refugees and migrants identifying relevant institutions and organizations, specific tasks, measures and activities to be undertaken, as well as providing necessary resources to address the issue.

Parliamentary oversight of security forces and ways of dealing with challenges in its implementation were the focus of the session of the Forum for Security Co-operation held under Serbia’s Chairmanship on 27 September 2017 in Vienna.

Marija Obradović, the head of the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee of Serbia’s parlaiment, noted that the process of implementating democratic control requires time and effort.

In Serbia, responsibility for the oversight of the army and the police lies with the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee, whereas parliamentary control of security forces is assigned to the Security Services Control Committee, both established in 2012. Two recently introduced practices have strengthened the Serbian parliament’s oversight, Obradović explained: regular briefings of the Committees by the ministries and the holding of public hearings.

„Over the past four years we managed to establish the practice of regular attendance of interior and defence ministers before the Committees, Obradović noted, adding that their appearances before the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee are live streamed on the parliament’s public website.

However, she stressed, the situation is different with the Security Services Control Committee the sessions of which are closed to the public.

“The real challenge is to establish a balance between the need to make the work of the parliamentary committees transparent and the need to protect classified data, which is sensitive for national security reasons,” Obradović said.

Vienna, 20 September

 The participants at the 862^nd session of the Forum for Security Cooperation under the Serbian Chairmanship discussed the Regional Efforts in Combating the Illicit Trade of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Southeast Europe.

Mr. Aleksandar Radomirović, Head of Forensic Department in the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia has presented the national legal framework and results of Serbian Police in countering the illicit trafficking of SALW. Mr. Slobodan Bošković, has informed of the activities of the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC), in the region. Mr. Martin van der Meij, Analyst in EUROPOL shared the experience of the Organization in cooperation with competent authorities of the OSCE participating States.

 Their interesting and thought provoking presentations sparked lively debate at the meeting.

VIENNA, 13 September 2017 – The military plays an important role in moving forward the Women, Peace and Security agenda by increasing women's representation in the army and enhancing their role in both conflict-related and peacetime operations, said speakers in the session of the Forum for Security Co-operation held today under Serbia’s Chairmanship in Vienna.

Opening the session, Serbia’s Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, Zoran Djordjevic, announced that his country launched the implementation of its second  National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of United Nations  Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, adopted in May for the years 2017 to 2020.

The second NAP “contains activities aimed at preventing violence against women in multinational operations, in conflict and post-conflict rehabilitation of society, and in crisis and emergency situations,” Djordjevic said. He added that the new NAP foresees the establishment of Focal Points for its implementation at all levels. “Some ministries, including the Ministry of Defence, are dedicating not only human, but also financial resources,” he said.

 “The Government of Serbia is committed to the protection of women’s rights and promotion of the UNSCR 1325 goals in Serbia and on the international level,” Djordjevic stressed.

VIENNA, 6 September 2017 – Serbia will strive to strengthen the OSCE’s focus on political-military security through negotiations and consultations on military security and stability in the OSCE area, said the country’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić as he opened the first session of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) under Serbia’s Chairmanship today in Vienna.

Dačić noted that the overall security situation in Europe remains fragile as the region is facing multiple challenges including increased radicalization and terrorism, large movements of migrants and refugees, misuse of information and communications technologies and trafficking in drugs, arms and human being.

“While the OSCE is still searching for the best response to these challenges, it is clear that they can be successfully tackled only through joint efforts of the participating States,” Foreign Minister Dačić said.

Referring to the Structured Dialogue, which was launched to foster a greater understanding on the current and future challenges in the OSCE area that could serve as a common solid basis for a way forward, he expressed hope that “participating States will embrace it as a method of de-escalation of tensions”. In this regard he referred to the upcoming special joint session of FSC and the Permanent Council, which will focus on the Structured Dialogue.

Dačić said that during its FSC Chairmanship Serbia will continue efforts to increase the representation of women in the armed forces, with a particular focus on the role of the defense sector in the implementation of the 1325 United Nations Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security.

Other essential areas for the debate include conventional arms control and confidence and security building measures; regional efforts in combating the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons; security forces’ support to national authorities with respect to the migration crisis and the role of parliaments in the democratic control of the armed and security forces. An OSCE meeting will be also organized to review the implementation of the OSCE Assistance projects in the field of stockpiles of conventional ammunition and small arms and light weapons.

Serbia is chairing the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation until the end of the year.

Until the end of the year, Republic of Serbia will chair over the Forum for Security Cooperation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Forum for Security Cooperation is the most important venue for discussing pertinent issues in the politico-military aspects of security within the OSCE. It aims at increasing military security, stability and cooperation in Europe, as well as at pursuing confidence building measures through discussions among the participating States.

As a chair of the Forum in the last trimester of the year, Serbia is committed to open, inclusive and transparent dialogue on the topics on the FSC agenda. In cooperation with the FSC Troika, the Secretariat and the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office, we have prepared rich, versatile and balanced program of work with the focus on strengthening the politico-military security in the OSCE Region through series of security dialogues. Their goal is to promote awareness and the exchange of ideas and experiences in different areas of our work in the spirit of inclusiveness, transparency and cooperation.

Serbian FSC Chairmanship will be formally opened by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ivica Dačić on 06 September.

Vienna, 7th April 2017

Acting Assistant Minister for Security Policies, Ambassador Branimir Filipovic, led the delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the first thematic meeting of the Structural dialogue regarding contemporary and future security challenges and risks in the OSCE region, which was held in Vienna, 7th April 2017. Topic of the meeting was "Agreed and conflicted notions of threats in the OSCE region". 

 At the OSCE Ministerial Council, held in Hamburg in December 2016, ministers of 57 OSCE participating states agreed to initiate the Structural dialogue by adopting the Declaration "From Lisbon to Hamburg", on the occasion of the 20th anniversary since the establishment of the OSCE weapons control.   

 While participating at the meeting, Ambassador Filipovic highlighted that the Republic of Serbia supports the Structural Dialogue that should, in a thoughtful, transparent and inclusive manner, open the doors to crucial and productive deliberations regarding the issues of facing the security risks in the OSCE region, as well as represent an instrument for building confidence and strengthening cooperation between OSCE participating states in this field.

http://www.osce-vienna.mfa.gov.rs/odrzavanje/uploads/Tender_-_Zoran_Djindjic_spomenik.pdf

From 13 - 17 March 2017, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) held its 60th Session, in Vienna. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia had an active participation in the Meeting, as well as in the accompanying side-events.

Session of the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), consisting of 57 participating states, was held on 30 November in Vienna. At the Forum, among other things, Major General Bojan Zrnić, Head of the MOD Defence Technologies Department and Chair of the CASM Executive Committee, presented the results of the current implementation of the Programme for Conventional Ammunition Stockpile Management (CASM) for the Republic of Serbia.

INVITATION TO TENDER FOR THE PROVISION OF REAL ESTATE SALES SERVICES – THE SALE OF DIPLOMATIC REAL ESTATE IN NEW YORK (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA), TOKYO (JAPAN), BONN (GERMANY), AND BERNE (SWITZERLAND)

OSCE Mediterranean Conference titled Young people north and south from the Mediterranean Sea: Facing Security Challenges and improving opportunities was held in Vienna, 5-6^th October 2016. The Conference discussed the position and role of young people with regard to fighting terrorism and violent extremism, as well as their protection in the context of the Migrant Crisis.

Delegation of Serbia was led by ambassador Roksanda Nincic, political director in the MFA of Serbia, who reminded the participants that the topics of this year’s Conference were high on the list of priorities of Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2015, as well as during Serbia’s chairmanship of the Mediterranean Contact Group in 2014. She highlighted that contemporary security challenges are now, more than ever, showing a direct link between the events in the Mediterranean region and stability in the entire OSCE region, and that the young generations are the ones most affected by these tragedies. Ms. Nincic also emphasized that countries share a common responsibility when it comes to effectively combating terrorism and radical extremism.

OSCE Mediterranean partners are made up of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel and Jordan. During 2016, Austria is chairing the Mediterranean Contact Group.

Participation of the Republic of Serbia during the OSCE Security Review Conference in Vienna (28-30^th June 2016)

Annual OSCE Security Review Conference was held in Vienna, in the period 28-30^th June 2016. This Conference, which is organized annually on a regular basis in conformity with OSCE MC Decision from December 2002, represents the most important meeting within the OSCE’s politico-military dimension.

Serbia was represented at the Conference by acting Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security Policy, Ambassador Branimir Filipovic, Head of the Permanent Mission of Serbia to the OSCE, Ambassador Vuk Zugic, as well as the representative of the Ministry of Defense, Head of Organizational Department within the Sector of Defense Policy, major-general Sladjan Djordjevic.

The issue of European Security was discussed at the opening session of the Conference, where participants exchanged opinions on key security issues and the OSCE contribution in facing these challenges. Special sessions were also held, dedicated to achieving security and stability in the OSCE region in the context of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine; challenges brought on by transnational security threats, such as uncontrolled migration and terrorism; strengthening of OSCE instruments in preventing and managing crisis, as well as post-conflict rehabilitation and control of conventional arms and confidence-building measures.

Ms. Jelena Vasiljevic, Assistant Head of the Border Police, Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, participated as a key note speaker at the forth meeting of the OSCE Informal Working Group Focusing on the Issues of Migration and Refugee Flows, held on 11 May 2016 in Vienna. She presented responses of the Republic of Serbia to the increased migration flows.

High-level OSCE Seminar on military doctrines

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army of Serbia, Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, participated in the High-level OSCE Seminar on military doctrines which was held in cooperation with the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation, 15-17th February 2016, in Vienna. Seminar participants exchanged opinions on major security risks, perceptions of primary threats and their possible consequences, changeable nature of conflicts and operational trends. This is the seventh seminar organized by the OSCE where doctrinary changes were discussed and their influence on defensive structures in Europe.

Non-paper on Why Kosovo is ineligible for membership in UNESCO?

OSCE Chairmanship’s Sports Event 2015

As a part of the OSCE tradition, the Serbian Permanent Mission to the OSCE organized a Chairmanship’s Sports Event, with basketball as the chosen sport, having in mind this year’s Eurobasket 2015.

The purpose of the event was to expand our existing links and cooperation and to create new friendships while strengthening old ones.

16 teams from the OSCE Participating States, OSCE Secretariat and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly competed in a friendly and lively atmosphere, with the team Montenegro bringing home the trophy. Other teams in the top four include Serbia, Lithuania and Montenegro 2.

Below, you can find some pictures from the Tournament and share the exciting moments of the event.

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Article by OSCE Chairperson and MFA of Serbia Ivica Dacic on the Project Syndicate website entitled "The Living Legacy of Helsinki"

OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum Preparatory Meeting in Belgrade highlights need for regional co-operation in water governance

OSCE MISSION TO SERBIA