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.