10.6.2022.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb signed today the Agreement on cooperation between the two countries in the field of culture, education and science.

After the signing of the agreement, Brnabic said that this is a result of a long work of over ten years on harmonisation of everything that this all-encompassing Agreement contains.

The Prime Minister underlined that the Agreement will be of greatest utility to educational institutions, scientific institutes, cultural institutions and the film industry, but also to young people as it deals with cooperation in the field of youth entrepreneurship and sports.

She recalled that Germany is our most important trade partner and the largest bilateral donor, with German companies in Serbia employing over 76,000 workers.

Last year we reached trade exchange with Germany in the amount of €6.5 billion, and if we look at the overall exchange of goods and services, in 2021 it reached almost €8 billion, Brnabic stated.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the fact that the signing of the Agreement on cooperation in the field of culture, education and science additionally deepens cooperation between Serbia and Germany and creates bases for even more successful partnership in the years to come.

I thank the entire team at the Embassy and the German government who have worked with us on this, followed every step and were persistent enough so that we could get today to the point where we are, the Prime Minister said.

The nicer part of the job is now ahead of us, she added, and that is the implementation, which will be to the benefit of the young people, students, scientific and cultural institutions.

Schieb expressed gratitude to the Serbian government and the Prime Minister on their contribution to signing this Agreement, noting that in this way cooperation in the field of culture, education and science between the two countries is being raised to a higher level.

31.5.2022.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with representatives of the German Economy Committee for the East about strengthening economic cooperation, business of German companies in Serbia and prospects for investing investors from this country in new areas.

Pointing to the fact that Germany is among the leading economic and foreign trade partners, the Prime Minister assessed that this country is one of the most important foreign investors in Serbia.

She pointed out that, thanks to the reforms it is implementing, Serbia is a reliable partner for German companies, which are, at the same time, an instrument of success for the Serbian economy in terms of work systems and technologies they bring to our market.

In addition, economic cooperation is increasingly including investments in the high-tech sector, which, as the Prime Minister explained, is one of the priority tasks of this and the future government of Serbia.

Representatives of the Committee of German Economy for the East assessed that the cooperation with Serbia is very good and that there is a positive growth trend, not only when it comes to the arrival of German companies in Serbia, but also in the quality of their investments.

The officials also discussed cooperation in the field of education, bearing in mind that Germany is one of Serbia's main partners in the development of the dual education system.

Potential areas of cooperation have been defined, such as energy transition, environmental protection and digitalisation.

Opinions were also exchanged on future steps that would further facilitate the business of German investors and contribute to future cooperation being even more successful.

In addition to the representatives of the Committee of the German Economy for the East, the meeting was also attended by Ambassador of Germany to Serbia Thomas Schieb.

11.05.2022.

Today, in Marrakesh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

Minister Selaković said that Serbia was committed to the multilateral aspect of the fight against terrorism, adding that he firmly believed the United Nations should be the key forum for international cooperation in this field.

Minister Selaković stated that Serbia was fulfilling all international obligations pertaining to the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, especially those related to the introduction of arms embargoes, including bans aimed at non-state actors, terrorist organisations and related individuals. He emphasised that Serbia was a signatory to 15 international conventions against terrorism. “By participating in multinational UN and EU peacekeeping missions, Serbia is making a concrete contribution to preserving regional and global security,” Minister Selaković said, paying tribute to a member of the Serbian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Dejan Stanojević and his colleagues, who tragically lost their lives on March 29 in the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Serbia does not diminish the importance of other international forums, which is why it joined the Global Coalition from the very beginning, and selflessly contributes to international efforts to fight ISIS, primarily through various forms of donations in military equipment, ammunition, and training in Iraqi security forces”, Minister Selaković said. He added that as a candidate country for membership in the European Union, Serbia gave its full contribution through active participation in European policies on the fight against terrorism, and had developed a strategic cooperation with EUROPOL.

Minister Selaković noted that Serbian criminal legislation provided instruments to prevent and punish the encouragement, organisation, and participation of its citizens in wars or conflicts in foreign countries. He explained that the Serbian judicial authorities had completed proceedings against 7 persons engaged in foreign battlefields, and that several investigations against persons connected with terrorist activities were underway.

Minister Selaković said that the fight against terrorism, radicalism and extremism was a priority, and that Serbia was actively involved in combating these challenges and threats at the domestic, regional, and international level.

1.3.2022.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković met today with the Head of the EU Delegation Emanuel Giofre and the Ambassadors of the EU Member States accredited to Serbia.

Minister Selaković informed the ambassadors present about the Conclusion of the National Security Council, which was adopted by the Government of Serbia on February 27 - regarding the situation in Ukraine. 

The Serbian Foreign Minister said that Serbia deems the outbreak of the crisis and conflict in Ukraine deeply regretful, emphasizing that Serbia considers it very wrong to violate the territorial integrity and sovereignty of any state, as in the case of Ukraine. In this regard, Foreign Minister Selaković reiterated that Serbia very clearly insists on the respect for the principles of international law, pointing out that this is the foundation of the Serbian foreign policy.

FM Selaković underscored that Serbia gives fully supports the negotiations between the two sides and all credible international efforts to find a peaceful and political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

Mr. Selaković pointed out that Serbia will continue to consistently maintain peace and stability in Southeast Europe in these challenging times, emphasizing that modern challenges also show that all disagreements on our continent must be resolved by peaceful means and dialogue.

4.2.2022.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković met with Bundestag Member from the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Rapporteur for the Western Balkans Adis Ahmetović today.

Minister Selaković emphasised Serbia’s strong commitment to achieving the best possible cooperation with Germany in all fields, as well as its desire to continue the high-level political dialogue with Germany during the tenure of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Congratulating Mr. Ahmetović on his appointment as the Rapporteur for the Western Balkans, Minister Selaković expressed his hope that he would in this capacity further improve the relations between Germany and the region of Western Balkans, as well as strengthen the dialogue within the region.

Minister Selaković highlighted Germany's role as one of Serbia’s top economic partners and major investors in Serbian economy, and his expectation that this positive trend in foreign trade and use of investment opportunities would continue. He thanked Germany for its support to Serbia's European path, and stated that Serbia expected Germany’s further support in the opening of new clusters.

Minister Selaković also noted the major importance of the Berlin Process for Serbia, as a forum providing support to Western Balkan countries in their EU integrations through concrete projects and measures, and emphasised Serbia’s commitment to the Open Balkan Initiative. He stressed that Serbia would continue to promote peace and stability in the region, as its foreign policy priority.

As regards the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Minister Selaković reasserted Serbia’s commitment and readiness to continue the dialogue, but noted that the other side was constantly obstructing it and failing to meet its obligations.

In this context, Minister Selaković expressed concern over the fact that Pristina had not allowed any voting in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. He also emphasised that Serbia expected major international community actors to make efforts in order to enable Serbian citizens in Kosovo and Metohija to vote in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.

7.2.2022.

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 16^th 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.

Izvor/Foto: Tanjug

6.1.2022.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with the ambassadors of France, Italy, Germany and the USA and the charge d'affaires of the United Kingdom and the European Union Delegation to Serbia about the upcoming referendum on changing the Constitution, scheduled for 16 January.

The Prime Minister stated that Serbia has made great strides in the field of the rule of law and that the change of the Constitution is the most important reform in that area.

Representatives of the Quint countries stressed the importance of the rule of law and called for further progress in judicial reform.

In that context, they stated that the judicial reforms proposed in the referendum represent important steps in strengthening the independence of the judiciary and improving the rule of law in Serbia.

That is also important in the context of Serbia’s obligations in the process of EU accession, it was concluded at the meeting.

Brnabic expressed disapproval of the position of interim institutions in Pristina not to allow the holding of the referendum in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

12.11.2021.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today in Paris that she expects positive news and support from France for opening one or two clusters at the intergovernmental conference to be held in December.

At the press conference, Brnabic stated that she talked with French President Emanuel Macron about the situation in Serbia, primarily in the context of European integration, i.e., whether we can count on the country's support for opening a cluster at the December intergovernmental conference.

We have two clusters ready for opening, so I expect positive news and support from France for one or both clusters, but certainly significant support, the Prime Minister said.

She pointed out that Macron told her to convey greetings to the President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vucic, and the whole of Serbia, as well as that he remembers his visit to Belgrade with great joy.

Today, I had good talks with the President of Cyprus, but also with the President of Slovenia, with whom I also talked about European integration, i.e., the country's support, which is clear and unambiguous for opening a cluster and further progress of Serbia towards full EU membership, regional relations and regional cooperation, said Brnabic.

She stated that she also talked with EU High Representative Josep Borrell in Paris.

There were interesting and good talks, it seems to me that we have done good things for our country and I expect it to continue today, the Prime Minister concluded.

Source/Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs
 

2.11.2021.

"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.

25.09.2021.

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.

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.

15.07.2021.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, sent a telegram of condolences to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Heiko Maas, on the occasion of weather troubles and floods that hit that country, during which a large number of people were killed and significant material damage was caused.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on my own behalf, I extend my deepest condolences to you, the citizens of Germany and the families who have lost their loved ones", the telegram from the head of Serbian diplomacy reads.

The Minister pointed out that Serbia sympathizes with the German people in these difficult moments, as well as that it is ready to provide support within the available possibilities in the spirit of friendly relations.

15.07.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, sent the following message regarding the floods in Germany: "I am deeply shaken by the horrific scenes of the catastrophe that befell Germany. My sincere condolences to the victims and our full support to those searching for their loved ones. Germany can always count on Serbia’s help, especially in these difficult moments.".

30.06.2021.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, spoke over the phone with the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, on the eve of the Berlin Process Summit to be held on July 5, where our country will be represented by Prime Minister Ana Brnabić.

 President Vučić conveyed his gratitude to Chancellor Merkel for initiating the Berlin Process and thus contributing to creating a different atmosphere in the Western Balkans and opening up new opportunities for cooperation, which makes the region more peaceful and stable. He reiterated his strong support for the initiative because, as he said, "the policy of cooperation in the region remains at the top of Serbia's foreign policy priorities."

 President Vučić pointed out that our country is a constructive partner of the Berlin Process and, as such, seeks to contribute to the success of the upcoming Summit and to improve the everyday life of everyone in the region. In this regard, he expressed satisfaction with the abolition of roaming in the Western Balkans, to take effect tomorrow, as an important relief for citizens and the economy. He also expressed hope that the Niš-Priština highway project would be implemented, which would contribute to the creation of conditions for, above all, economic cooperation between Serbs and Albanians.

 President Vučić also acquainted Chancellor Merkel with the agreements within the joint initiative for cooperation between Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, known as Mini-Schengen, stating that it is related to the Berlin Process and the idea of a Common Regional Market and that it is open to other regional participants who would recognise the importance of the free movement of people, goods and services.

 President Vučić also talked with Chancellor Merkel about the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština. He stated he was always ready to respond to the invitation to the Brussels meeting, as he believes that only through dialogue can a compromise solution to open issues be found.

 President Vučić expressed hope that the situation would allow Chancellor Merkel to visit Serbia once again, before the end of her long and successful chancellor's term, as Serbia has very good relations with Germany, especially in terms of economic cooperation. In this regard, the President informed the Chancellor about the economic results achieved by our country, and about the fact that the number of our workers in German companies in Serbia has exceeded 70,000.

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo: www.predsednik.rs

09.06.2021.

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.

26.05.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the delegation of the German company BISERBA and attended the signing of the Agreement on Incentives for Investment of the Company BISERBA in the city of Valjevo, signed by the Minister of Economy Anđelka Atanacković and the company's representative Frank Reinhardt.

20.05.2021.

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.

8 May 2021

President Vucic said tonight that the visionary idea of Robert Schuman brought a true victory of the new trust after the Second World War and faith in the unification of differences in peace and solidarity, with the message that Serbia has that faith, as well as hope that it will become a country that will be gladly regarded in the European family of nations.

Congratulating everyone in Serbia and the EU on Europe Day, Vucic reminded that 9 May was also the day when the great victory of freedom is celebrated, which was won with huge sacrifices.

8 May 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic extended a congratulatory message on the occasion of 9 May, Europe Day, to High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, expressing confidence that the idea of uniting in diversity, in peace and solidarity, would continue to be the guiding idea of the European Union. 

"I am deeply convinced that the Republic of Serbia, through a policy of peace and good-neighbourly cooperation, can contribute to the European Union becoming an even better place to live, with the sincere belief that our achievements on the path to membership in the European family of nations will be adequately valued", reads the congratulatory message by Minister Selakovic, adding that the European perspective gave a strong impetus for our country to comprehensively implement political, economic and social reforms with the aim of becoming a full member of the European Union in the foreseeable future.

The Serbian Foreign Minister underlined that Serbia historically, culturally and in terms of values, belonged to the circle of countries united under the flag of the European Union and expressed hope that not only our country, but also our neighbours in the Western Balkans, would have the opportunity in the near future to become a part of what is without a doubt the most successful peace, democratic and economic project in the history of our common continent.

Selakovic also took the opportunity to extend gratitude on behalf of Serbia to the European Union for its assistance in the fight against the infectious Covid-19, emphasizing that our country highly appreciated the expressed solidarity and support in the difficult times of the pandemic outbreak and expressing confidence that the period ahead would see us contribute by joint forces to identifying solutions for overcoming the economic consequences of the corona virus pandemic.

21.04.2021.

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 percent 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

20.04.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation for Europe Hans Kluge, to discuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cooperation in improving health care in our country and other joint activities.

President Vučić thanked Dr. Kluge for his personal engagement and support during the current pandemic, especially for technical assistance and expertise. On this occasion, he informed the WHO official about the results of immunization in Serbia and plans on how to provide the vaccine to all citizens who want to get it.

Dr. Kluge congratulated President Vučić on his leadership and personal commitment to provide vaccines. He emphasized that Serbia, with its good immunization strategy, ranked among the global leaders, thus becoming an example of humanity and solidarity by enabling vaccination of elderly people in rural areas, foreign citizens and donating vaccines to other countries.

"Serbia has accepted the vaccine as a life-saving product and has not looked at it geopolitically", said Dr. Kluge.

The two interlocutors agreed that the world should increase production capacities for vaccines, as well as develop new adequate therapies for the fight against COVID-19, and, in this regard, work on increasing the level of citizens' trust in science.

President Vučić informed Dr. Kluge about the plans for improving the work of the Institute for Virology, Vaccines, and Sera "Torlak".

"We want to make 'Torlak' one of the best vaccine factories in Europe", said President Vučić.

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo: www.predsednik.rs

19.04.2021.

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 immunization of citizens in Serbia.

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

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

Kluge assessed the immunization 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 immunization 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

24 March 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic made a statement on the occasion of marking the Day of Remembrance of the victims of the NATO aggression.

"Your Holiness, distinguished Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished Speakers of the National Assemblies of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Prime Ministers of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Ministers of both Governments, dear guests and friends, representatives of the Serbian People from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, thank you for the fact that we are all together tonight and that the Serbian spirit is unbreakable and invincible.

One child a day and a little more than that. That is the most difficult, sickening and painful number of the NATO aggression from 1999. Killed, stopped, guilty of nothing, having committed no sin, without the right to defence, without the right to justice and without the right to life.

No one has ever been held accountable for this crime, a crime greater than a crime. No one, for the 2,500 killed civilians, but also soldiers and policemen who were only guilty of guarding, protecting themselves and their homes. No one has ever been held accountable for more than 6,000 persons injured.

Even today, 22 years after the aggression, it is not possible to explain that, there is no universal justification, despite all the work done to that end, there is no reason, it makes no sense, and only names remain, as eternal as sin.

09.03.2021.

Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Germany Dr. Snežana Janković had a meeting with Dr. Mark Speich, State Secretary for Federal, European and International Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The discussion was focused on cooperation between Serbia and North Rhine-Westphalia and potential opportunities for further improvement, especially through cooperation between cities and economic exchange.

Ambassador Janković informed Dr. Mark Speich about Serbia's progress in the process of European integration.

08.03.2021.

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.  

07.03.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić attended today the ceremonial opening of the factory Continental Automotive Serbia. President Vučić said that the opening of one of the most powerful companies in Novi Sad is a great day showing how much Novi Sad, Vojvodina and the whole of Serbia have progressed in the last three years.

04.03.2021.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic said that Serbia could expect pressures from both Brussels and Washington concerning the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, and that Belgrade should fight and defend its position and national and state interests with arguments.

 "This is not a simple task. Were there any unpleasant moments at the meetings in Berlin? There certainly were, especially when our positions differ. But that is yet another reason to come to Berlin and to discuss this. And if need be to come here time and time again", Selakovic told Tanjug news agency, at the end of his visit to Germany, in response to the question whether there was an understanding for our position and whether he expected pressure from Berlin and Washington.

03.03.2021.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today in Berlin that he had heard words of praise from the members of the Bundestag for the results of the Serbian economic policy, especially in the period since Aleksandar Vucic became Prime Minister until today.

 "I had the opportunity to meet at several meetings with members of the Bundestag, the German parliament, people who influence policy-making. People whose role is important when it comes to Serbia's European path, but also with representatives of the German business community, those whose companies have invested capital in Serbia and thanks to whom the number of employees in German companies in Serbia today amounts to tens of thousands", Selakovic told the reporters.

03.03.2021.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic launched his official visit to Berlin by addressing the German Bundestag Committee on EU Affairs where he stated that Serbia, with full membership of the EU as the foreign policy priority, remained committed to the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina while pointing to the lack of trust as a major problem in this process.  

Selakovic underlined that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija was a topic of utmost importance not only for Serbia, but also for preserving peace and stability in the entire region.

"I am convinced that this issue is therefore important for Germany as well, because we have witnessed that any instability in the Balkans ultimately had an impact on the German society. It is the issue of finding a lasting and sustainable solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija", Selakovic said.

He emphasized that Serbia supported the process led by the EU, but was also aware of the role played by the Member States, and primarily Germany, in the process.

24.02.2021.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today via video link with representatives of German companies from the Committee of German Economy for the East about strengthening economic cooperation through further improvement of the business environment for German companies operating in Serbia.

24.02.2021.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met today with Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Serbia Thomas Schieb.

Minister Selakovic noted that the bilateral relations were very good, as evidenced by the advanced cooperation in all fields, and assessed that Germany was one of the most important economic and political partners of Serbia.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy said that the very good relations were matched by a high intensity of contacts maintained with German officials and representatives, including frequent visits at the high and top levels.

In this regard, Minister Selakovic expressed the expectation that his upcoming visit to Berlin and meetings with top officials there would contribute to an even better understanding and further enhancement of relations between our two countries.

Furthermore, the Minister expressed hope that a return visit by Minister Heiko Maas would also take place this year.

18.02.2021.

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.

07.02.2020.

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.  

26.01.2021.

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić met earlier today with the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Thomas Schieb, to discuss the most important current topics, with particular emphasis on bilateral relations, as well as current and future projects in the field of economic cooperation.

26 January 2021

Serbia's foreign policy positions are naturally being adjusted to the new developments at 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.

21.01.2021.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić talked today with the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the Head of the European Union Delegation about the continuation of reforms on Serbia's path to membership in the European Union.

Brnabić confirmed that full membership in the EU remains a key foreign policy priority of Serbia, emphasizing that reforms in the area of the rule of law are in the focus of the government of Serbia.

12.01.2021.

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.

3 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 Selaković said.

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 Selaković 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", Selaković 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.

29 December 2020

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.

24.12.2020.

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.

17.12.2020.

The Serbian government stated that at a meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Council between Serbia and the EU held today, the overall progress achieved in Serbia's accession negotiations so far was commended, as well as the adoption of an improved enlargement methodology that should accelerate Serbia's EU accession process.

The participants in the meeting exchanged opinions on the current political and socio-economic situation in Serbia, and above all on the further dynamics of negotiations on EU accession, cooperation within the Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.

16.12.2020.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic had talks today via video link with Head of EU Delegation in Serbia Sem Fabrizi and Ambassadors of the EU Member States.

On this occasion, the Serbian Foreign Minister emphasized that full membership of the EU remained one of the key foreign policy priorities of the Serbian Government, and that the European integration process was a strategic goal also aimed at promoting the quality of the society.

11.12.2020.

Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has held a video meeting today with Michael Roth, the Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office. They have discussed the current epidemiological situation in the two countries and the EU, as well as Serbia’s European integration process.

Joksimović and Roth have also talked about the issues related to the EU’s internal situation, particularly regarding the new seven-year budget, the place and the future of the enlargement policy and the Western Balkans, notably about all aspects of Serbia’s accession process, challenges and expectations from the new methodology, which should bring a faster negotiation process that would be better monitored and directed under stronger political steering.

10.12.2020.

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 its meeting of 18 June 2015, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Decision on visa free entry to the Republic of Serbia for citizens of Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. 
The above mentioned categories of foreign nationals - holders of all travel documents except emergency travel documents and other documents issued in accordance with International Conventions, may, if there are no obstacles according to Article 11 of the Law on Foreigners, without prior visa application, enter and stay in the Republic of Serbia up to 90 days during a six-month period.

This Decision shall enter into force on 30 June 2015.