Upon the invitation by the organizers, the Ambassador Veljko Lazic and the First Counselor Dejan Blagojević attended the exhibition match by two great rivals on the court and great friends off of it Juan Martin Del Potro and Novak Djokovic on December 1, 2024 in Buenos Aires. The farewell match of the famous Argentine tennis player from professional tennis was attended by representatives of the Government of Argentina, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and other authorities, prominent active and former Argentine sports aces, Olympic medal winners, artists, actors, as well as prominent figures from other areas of public life.

After the match, they had the opportunity to talk separately with Del Potro, as well as with the greatest tennis player of all time, Novak Djokovic.

On November 28, 2024, Ambassador Veljko Lazić met with Argentine Congressman Gerardo Cipolini, president of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia.

In a friendly atmosphere, they discussed the possibilities for improving parliamentary cooperation, the twinning of the cities of the two countries, as well as the overall bilateral relations between Serbia and Argentina.

The exhibition "Serbia 1914 - The Female Face of the Great War" Opened in Buenos Aires As part of the planned activities to mark important anniversaries organized by the Embassy, the exhibition "Serbia 1914 - The Female Face of the Great War" was officially opened on November 7, 2024 in the Museum "Mitre" in Buenos Aires. In her address on the occasion, the director of the museum Gabriela Mirande Lamedica expressed her satisfaction that this very important exhibition will be displayed in the museum, and in behalf of the MP Patricia Ines Glize informed of the initiative launched in the Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires to declare "Serbia 1914 - The Female Face of the Great War" as an exhibition of cultural and tourist interest of the capital of Argentina.

In his presentation, Ambassador Lazić pointed out that the exhibition presented both anonymous members of the female population and the well-known women who participated in the war, such as the most decorated woman of the Great War, Milunka Savić. Speaking about the historical context, he explained the causes and reason for the outbreak of the war and recalled the tragic balance of Serbian victims, as well as the fact that one out of every ten soldiers who died in the First World War was Serbian. He particularly emphasized the fact that in honor of the heroic role of the Serbs in the Great War, by order of the American President Woodrow Wilson, the Serbian flag flew at the White House in Washington on July 28, 1918. The exhibition will be displayed in the Musem Mitre until the end of March 2025.

The renowned daily newspaper La Nacion reported on the event.

The renowned Bolivian magazine Datos published an author's text by Veljko Lazić, the ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in Argentina, from where he covers Bolivia on a non-residential basis, about Kosovo and Metohija entitled "Survival of the Serbs in Kosovo - a cry of warning". In the text, Ambassador Lazić reminds that "Pandora's box" was opened by the aggression against the then FRY, which was carried out without a UN mandate, a grave violation of international law, and all under the guise of protecting the human rights of the Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, who were allegedly threatened by the Serbs. The same Serbs who today, away from the spotlight of the international community, are experiencing the grossest violations of their rights and persecution by Aljbin Kurti's regime. He states that since 2021, when he came to power, Kurti has established a repressive regime in all Serbian areas, physical violence, discrimination and intimidation, abuse of the judiciary and the police in order to persecute Serbs, which resulted in the fact that last year alone at least 15% of the total number of Serbs left Kosovo and Metohija.

He emphasizes that for 11 years the Pristina authorities have refused to establish the Union of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority Population (ZSO), which is the most important provision of the Brussels Agreement. The ambassador warned that the situation is getting worse day by day, and that the best example of this is the recent brazen attacks on Serbian public service institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, and that Kurti, on top of it all, is threatening to destroy the remaining health and educational institutions, the last institutions that can serve as a basis for ZSO. "Because of all this, the Government of Serbia has defined the minimum necessary conditions for the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and proposed measures to return to the situation before Kurti's unilateral actions," said Lazić. The ambassador pointed out that Belgrade remains steadfast in its commitment to dialogue, cooperation and peace and that we are ready to work with the EU and other international partners to ensure that these measures are aligned with common principles and contribute to regional stability.

On September 26, 2024, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, Veljko Lazić, met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Economic Relations of Argentina, Ambassador Marcelo Sima, with whom he discussed the possibilities of strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of economy.

The existence of great potential for the further development of overall relations in this area was confirmed on both sides, and concrete areas with the greatest potential were identified, such as energy, agriculture, aviation and the food industry.

Regional and global economic and political developments and their impact on the dynamics of bilateral economic relations between the two countries were also discussed.

During the opening of the "Arteba" exhibition fair, on august 28, 2024 the Ambassador Veljko Lazić briefly met with the MFA of Argentina, Diana Mondino.

In a polite conversation, Ambassador Lazić thanked MFA Mondino for the invitation and the opportunity to attend the inauguration of this important cultural event. In addition, he spoke highly of numerous initiatives, on various ocasions, that help achieve a better and more successful cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina and the diplomatic corps. The exhibition fair "Arteba" in Buenos Aires gathers the most recognized and established Argentine artists with new projects of the contemporary scene.

During the meeting, Ambassador Lazić conveyed the greetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Marko Đurić, highlighting the interest in continuing to strengthen political dialogue and bilateral relations, especially in areas of mutual interest. At the ceremony at the Legislature of the City, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay received the distinction of Guest of Honor of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

At the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Buenos Aires, on the occasion of the presentation of Pablo De Vita's book "Eslavia al sur", Ambassador Veljko Lazić talked with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Argentina, Leopoldo Sahores.

In the conversation, the mutual interest in strengthening the political dialogue between the two countries was emphasized. In this sense, the importance of the political consultations mechanism of the two ministries of foreign affairs, which would define the guidelines in the best way in order to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, was especially underlined.

In the Embassy of Serbia, on August 13, 2024, the presentation of the book by film critic and journalist Pablo De Vita "Eslavia al sur" about the filming of the only film created in cooperation between the cinematographies of the two countries, "The Road to the South", by Argentine director Juan Bautista Stagnaro, was held.

An extremely large number of guests responded to the invitation. From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, Deputy Minister Leopoldo Sahores was present, as well as several foreign ambassadors, representatives of the city authorities and cultural institutions of Buenos Aires, public life, as well as representatives of the local Serbian community.

Ambassador Veljko Lazić, director of the movie Stagnaro, author of the book De Vita, as well as the two most prominent local film critics, Romulo Berruti and Carlos Morelli, addressed those present. In his presentation, Ambassador Lazić pointed out, among other things, that the author of the book, Pablo de Vita, is a great friend and respected associate of the Embassy of Serbia in Buenos Aires. He reminded the audience that a few years ago De Vita was awarded for his special contribution in the implementation of numerous joint projects, as well as in the field of promoting Serbian culture and art, expressing the belief that this fruitful and successful cooperation will continue in the future.

Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia Veljko Lazić met on August 7, 2024 in the Argentine Senate with the Chairman of the Committee for Foreign Relations and Religion, Senator Francisco Paoltroni, as well as with the member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the European Region, Senator Ivanna Arrascaeta.

In a friendly conversation, they discussed the possibilities of improving overall bilateral relations, especially within the framework of parliamentary cooperation. Both sides noted the excellent level of relations between the two countries and emphasized the importance of mutual support in international organizations on the most important issues. The Chairman thanked for the visit, pointing out that there is an interest on their part in strengthening cooperation in areas of common interest.

By a unanimous decision of the jury, the movie "Usekovanje" directed by Sinisa Cvetic won the principal prize for the best movie of the 10th International Film Week in Buenos Aires - ARFECINE.

Ambassador V. Lazić received the award on July 19, 2024 on behalf of the author, from a three-member jury consisting of the Argentinian director Ricardo Preve, French author of documentaries and short films Cedric Robion and Argentinian screenwriter and director Josefina Zavalia Abalos.

Foto: Nicolás Colombo

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with Alliance Française, has organized the Days of Contemporary Serbian cinema in Buenos Aires, within the framework of the ARFECINE festival from July 15 to 19, 2024. On the occasion of the inauguration, the Embassy organized a special cocktail after which the film "Once Upon a Time in Serbia" was screened.

Ambassador Veljko Lazić greeted the present representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Argentina, the Assembly of the City of Buenos Aires, the diplomatic corps, the Serbian community, as well as the representatives of cultural and public life, briefly introducing them to the history of Serbian cinema and its importance in the European and world contexts. He also presented the films that will be screened at the festival and invited the audience to watch them.

Two other Serbian feature films are "Indigo Kristal" and "Usekovanje", as well as the documentary "Another Spring."    

On July 5, 2024 in the Embassy, a recepcion was organized for the members ot the Serbian youth national team in water polo, as well the technical staff led by the Assistant Head Coach Nikola Rađen, which are in Buenos Aires participating in the The World Men’s U-18 Water Polo Championship.

The Ambassador Veljko Lazić pointed out that the Embassy is following the results of the national team with pride and, congratulating them on their success so far (they qualified for the elimination phase as the first in the group), wished them luck in the continuation of the competition.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Marko Djuric participated, from 26 to 28 of June, 2024 in Paraguay, in the 54th Organization of American States General Assembly, in which the Republic of Serbia has the status of a permanent observer.  Summarizing the results of the activities in Asuncion, Djuric assessed that the Serbian delegation had a successful participation in this Summit and pointed out that he was the only European Minister who addressed the plenum of the Organization of American States.

Djuric said that this visit was a great opportunity for Serbia to profile itself as a country that strengthens economic, political and cultural ties with that part of the world. "Serbia uses every opportunity to strengthen relations with countries in this part of the world and we believe that this is our comparative advantage in relation to some other countries from our region", Djuric said. Minister Djuric emphasized that Serbia is recognized not only as a growing economy, but also as a reliable and sincere friend of the countries of the Western Hemisphere. "For many of these countries, Serbia is the gateway to the European continent. This creates many development opportunities for us," the Head of Serbian diplomacy said. As the Summit was held at the time of the commemoration of the anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter, Djuric pointed out that one of his messages to the participants was that respect for international law is crucial today, and that Serbia is a country that is fighting for the preservation of political and economic stability and peace on all meridians. "This was an opportunity to fight for our position when it comes to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country, and in relation to Kosovo and Metohija, but also an opportunity to discuss the growing need for multilateralism in the world," the Head of Serbian diplomacy said.

Djuric stated that he had a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina Diana Mondino, as well as a series of meetings on the fringes of the Summit with ministers from Central and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as with representatives of North American countries, stressing that Serbia will continue to foster friendships worldwide.

On May 22, 2024, the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia organized a concert by Serbian pianist Nenad Ivović in the auditorium of the Public College of Lawyers of the Federal Capital. The concert, in which the pianist performed pieces by Serbian composers Vasilije Mokranjac and Isidora Žebeljan, as well those by Johannes Brahms and Franz Schubert, was attended by the representatives of the diplomatic corps, Argentine institutions, the Serbian diaspora and the media.

In his speech before the concert, Ambassador Veljko Lazić welcomed the audience and introduced our pianist, as well as the Serbian composers whose music was performed.

After the concert, a toast was organized in which the public could meet N. Ivović, as well as learn about the upcoming activities planned by the Embassy to promote Serbian culture and art.

The Ambassador of Serbia, Veljko Lazić, presented, on May 15, 2024, the Letters of Credence to the President Javier Milei, in the solemn ceremony organized at the presidential palace Casa Rosada.

In a brief conversation, he has conveyed the greetings from the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and thanked Argentina for its principled support for the issues of the utmost importance for Serbia. He also expressed his satisfaction at the friendly relations between the two countries and underlined his commitment to working to deepen them further.

 Later, Ambassador Lazić placed a wreath at the foot of the monument to General San Martín. 

A cocktail party for our citizens was held at the Embassy on April 18, 2024, on the occasion of the inauguration of the new ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Argentina, Veljko Lazić. Numerous representatives of our diaspora and representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Buenos Aires gathered at the Embassy.

For many citizens, this was the first time to visit the Embassy, ​​since its headquarters were moved to a new location last year. In contact with citizens, the importance of cooperation with the diaspora was emphasized, which represents an important resource for the development of Serbia itself, while in Argentina it is an important bridge of cooperation between our two countries.

Upcoming events in the field of culture were also announced, primarily concerts by our artists, the week of Serbian contemporary film and the promotion of a book, which the Embassy intends to organize in the coming period.

Ambassador Veljko Lazic has presented, on March 5th, 2024, the copies of the Letters of Credence to the director of the Ceremonial of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina Ambassador Alberto Trueba thus becoming the Extraordinary and Plenipotenciary Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the Republic of Argentina.

During the courtesy meeting, both sides stated the friendly relations and excellent cooperation between the two countries, expressing the will and commitment to its further unhancement. 

The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Porfirije visited Argentina in the period from November 2 to 10, 2023. This was a historic, first ever visit by a Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, not only to Argentina, but to Latin America in general. The central event and the main reason for the visit was the consecration of the newly built Holy Trinity Church in Resistencia, the capital of the province of Chaco, which took place on November 5, 2023.

State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Mr. Goran Aleksic, in the capacity of a special envoy by the President of the Republic of Serbia Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, has attended the solemn ceremony of the inauguration of the President of the Republic of Paraguay, Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, on August 15 2023 in Asuncion.

Congratulating the new Paraguayan President Mr. Santiago Peña and the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Rubén Dario Ramírez Lezcano the assumption of their duties, Mr. Aleksic wished for the progress and well-being of Paraguay, expressing the interest of Serbia to further develop bilateral relations and the cooperation between the two friendly countries.

On the sidelines of the ceremony Mr. Aleksic met with the ministers of foreign affairs of Perú Ms. Ana Cecilia Gervasi Diaz, Uruguay Mr. Francisco Bustillo and Guatemala Mr. Mario Búcaro Flores, with whom he discussed the current issues of bilateral cooperation. 

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

The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia is grateful for all the messages of support we have received.

A book of condolence will be open at the Embassy at Montevideo St. 696, Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, on May 5,8, and 9 from 10:00 to 15:00 hours.

For those unable to attend in person, an online book of condolence can be signed at: srb.emb.argentina@mfa.rs      

Starting from February 10, 2023 holders of all types of Bolivian passports will be required a visa to enter the Republic of Serbia. 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic announced an open invitation for submission of proposals for national awards for exceptional contribution, results and merits in the field of cooperation and strengthening of ties between the home country and the diaspora, as well as the home country and Serbs in the region.

Proposals for awarding national recognitions can be submitted by:

- the organization of the diaspora and the organization of Serbs in the region,

- the association whose activities or part of activities are focused on the area for which the award of national recognition is proposed,

- churches and religious communities.

The open invitation can be seen at the following link https://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/lat/uprava-za-dijasporu-konkursi/

October 18, 2022

Mr. President,

Madam Special Representative,

Ladies and gentleman,

It gives me honor to address this distinguished body once again and to discuss the latest report of the Secretary-General on the work of the UNMIK. I would like to thank the Secretary-General and the Special Representative for submitting the report.

We take note of the efforts that Ms. Ziadeh makes in performing this very responsible duty, especially bearing in mind the necessity of a comprehensive overview and the complexity of the situation on the ground. I also take this opportunity to underline that the Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of UNMIK in Kosovo and Metohija, established under UN Security Council Resolution 1244. We advocate for its continued operation in an unchanged and undiminished scope and capacity, especially bearing in mind that the Mission has not yet achieved the main goal of its mandate - a peaceful and normal life for all citizens of our southern province.

Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia in the period from 1 to 31 October conducts the "Survey on the Citizens of the Republic of Serbia living Abroad". We invite the citizens of the Republic of Serbia who live abroad with all the members of their households or as a single-person household to take part in the survey. The aim of the survey is to obtain as complete a picture as possible on the number and main demographic, migratory, educational characteristics of our citizens abroad. If you wish to participate in the survey, please register and fill in the on-line Questionnaire

September 24, 2022 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković stated that the delegation of Serbia completed very intensive diplomatic activity in New York within the 77th UN General Assembly, that it held a total of 100 meetings on the sidelines of the session, and that 12 agreements, protocols and memoranda were signed with state representatives with whom he had the opportunity to meet.

Minister Selaković stated that the UN General Assembly was an opportunity to hold a series of meetings on the sidelines of the session with fellow foreign ministers from numerous countries around the world and with representatives of both the USA and their Congress, as well as representatives of the American-Jewish Committee, the Alliance of Civilizations, and also the World Economic Forum.

September 22, 2022

Esteemed President of the General Assembly, Distinguished Secretary-General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great honor to address you on behalf of the Republic of Serbia. Due to limited time, please do not mind if I skip the burden of formality, courtesy words, greetings of those who are present in this room or absent, and instead speak directly about the essence of what we gathered here. I've been so many times in these premises. The seriousness of the present moment obliges me to share difficult, but true words with you. Everything we are doing here today seems at least relatively impotent and vague.

Our words make hollow and empty echo compering to the reality we are facing. And that reality is such that no one is listening to anyone here, no one strives towards real agreements and to resolving problems, and almost everyone takes care only of their own interests, breaching often along the way the basic principles of international law; throwing away the UN Charter and other documents this Organization is founded on. It is neither fault of Antonio Guterres nor of anyone from UN, but of those powers who take care of nothing else but of meeting their own political, economic and unfortunately military goals.

September 2, 2022

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic has presided the Summit within the framework of the initiative Open Balkan, together with the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama and the Republic of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovacevski.

Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zoran Tegeltija, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjarto and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkiye Mevlut Cavusoglu have also participated.

August 7, 2022

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic met in Bogotá, Colombia, with his Paraguayan counterpart Julio César Arriola with whom he discussed the strengthening of the political dialogue, economic cooperation and has expressed his appreciation for the principled position of Paraguay regarding Kosovo and Metohija. Selakovic and Ariola also talked about the next years’ marking of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations. 

As a special envoy of the President of Serbia, Selakovic has attended the ceremony of the inauguration of the new President of Colombia Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego.    

August 2, 2022

The official outfits of the Serbian national football team were handed in today at the Embassy to Mr. Luis Bongianino president of the Argentinian Football Association for Cerebral Palsy.

In November, the outfits will be worn by the argentine youths from the Association that will play for Serbia, at a football tournament, a kind of a simulation of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. All the countries that have qualified for the World Cup will be represented at the tournament. We would like to use this opportunity to thank the Football Association of Serbia for supporting the initiative, and first of all for the donation of the outfits.   

18-19 July, 2022

Charge d'Affaires a.i. Dejan Blagojević participated in the business forum "Expo Rueda 2022" in Asuncion, a part of the traditional agricultural fair, where he met with numerous representatives of the Paraguayan public and private sector.

During his stay in Paraguay, he also had a very fruitful meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Director General for Bilateral Policy, Ambassador Cynthia Filartiga Lacroix, Director General for Foreign Trade and Investments, Minister Alberto Caballero, and the Director for Europe, Counselor Ana Mariela Ayala.

July 17, 2022

During his stay in Asuncion Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Mr. Dejan Blagojević visited the office of the Honorary Consulate of Serbia in Paraguay, where he had a cordial meeting with the Honorary Consul Mr. Jorge Hjusić.

July 15, 2022

Having in mind the high tourist season, we would like to inform that underaged foreign citizens, when traveling alone, may cross the Serbian national gorders without the written consent by their parents.

As for the Serbian citizens, those younger than 16, when traveling alone, or acompanied by a person that is not their parent or legal custodian, need to have a certified consent by both parents (if they perform parental duties together) or by the legal custodian. If the child is traveling acompanied by one of the parents, the written consent by the other parent is not required.  

June 21, 2022

Selaković affirmed that Serbia pays great attention to its relations with Argentina, as he said, our important partner in the region of Latin America, with whom we maintain a high level of political relations. In this context, he added that our country is interested in further strengthening the political dialogue with Argentina, stressing out the interest in the visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Santiago Cafiero to Serbia.

May 25, 2022

The President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at the Swiss city of Davos. During his two-day stay in Davos, President Vučić participated in the Diplomatic Dialogue session on the Western Balkans, as well as in the discussion on establishing peace, restoring growth and achieving sustainability.

As of May 3, 2022 all of the control measures and restrictions related to the COVID-19 have been abolished. Serbian citizens and foreigners are no longer required to have a negative PCR/antigen test, proof of recovery from COVID-19, nor a proof of vaccination to be able to enter Serbia.

https://www.mfa.gov.rs/en/citizens/travel-serbia/covid-19-entry-requirements

7 February 2022
Belgrade to get Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution
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.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, received the credentials from the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina, Osvaldo Narciso Marsico, and welcomed him, expressing confidence that his diplomatic experience and dedicated work would contribute to improving relations between the two countries.

La Primera Ministra Ana Brnabic declaró hoy que los graves ejemplos de puesta en peligro del patrimonio cultural, histórico y espiritual serbio en Kosovo y Metohija son prueba del importante papel de la UNESCO en la protección y preservación del patrimonio.

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.

"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.

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.

With the words “welcome home”, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, began his address today at the opening of the Commemorative Meeting on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the first Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

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.

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.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic warned today that Pristina has seriously jeopardised local and regional stability after sending heavily armed special units to the north of Kosovo who are exerting ` against the peaceful Serbian population.

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!

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.

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.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, spoke at the Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) today and on that occasion sent an invitation to the representatives of the members to gather in Belgrade on 11 and 12 October, when the 60th anniversary of the first Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Belgrade in 1961 will be marked.

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.
 

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.

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.
 

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 immunisation in Serbia and plans on how to provide the vaccine to all citizens who want to get it.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.    
 

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.

Message from @MFASerbia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh6idN_HKsQ&ab_channel=MFAoftheRepublicofSerbia

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.    

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.

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.
 

Pursuant to the Article 2, Paragraph 1, Item 1a) and the Article 53, Paragraph 1, Item 5) of the Law on the Protection of Population from Infectious Diseases (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 15/16, 68/20 and 136/20),  the Article  15, Paragraph 4 of the Law on State Administration   (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 79/05, 101/07, 95/10, 99/14, 30/18 – other laws  47/18) and the Article  4, Paragraph 4 of the Regulation on Measures for  Prevention and Suppression of Infectious Diseases  (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia “, Number  151/20) , at the proposal of the Institute of Public Health “Milan Jovanović Batut”,
The Minister of Health enacts the INSTRUCTIONS

Pursuant to the Instructions supplementing the Instructions on the Manner of Applying Restrictions on Entry to the Republic of Serbia for Persons arriving from Countries affected by the COVID-19 Epidemic number 110-00-519/2020-01 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 4/2021), below please find information on the content of the requests which are to be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry by Serbian and foreign nationals when announcing their entry into Serbia for business reasons

* Note: Persons entering the Republic of Serbia for business reasons from countries with an unfavourable epidemiological situation (other than the Republic of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of North Macedonia and Montenegro, whose nationals are allowed to enter the Republic of Serbia without an RT-PCR test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus) and holding a negative RT-PCR test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus issued by a reference laboratory of their country of origin or the country from which they are entering the Republic of Serbia, issued within maximum 48 hours before their arrival, are not required to submit prior notice to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.

A request must be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia within 48 hours before the planned entry into Serbia via e-mail at inocovid19@pks.rs

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today for a farewell visit the Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina, Estanislao Zavels and thanked him for the significant contribution he made to bilateral relations with his diplomatic skills.

President Vučić thanked Ambassador Zavels for Argentina's principled position to respect Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and its support in international organisations regarding the issue and added that Serbia considers Argentina as a true friend.

The two interlocutors agreed that long-term friendship and mutual understanding represent a solid basis for Serbia and Argentina to intensify political dialogue and strengthen economic cooperation, as well as any other collaboration of mutual interest.

Ambassador Zavels expressed his gratitude for the support he had during his work in Belgrade. He singled out several areas where he observes significant cooperation opportunities, such as agriculture, energy, science and research.

President Vučić and Ambassador Zavels expressed hope that vaccination would contribute that Serbia and Argentina, as well as the whole world, overcome the challenges of the pandemic and commit themselves to further economic development.

President Vučić wished Ambassador Zavels good luck in his future private and professional life.

Belgrade,
14th 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.

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

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic sent a video message to the Foreign Minister of Paraguay Federico Alberto González Franco, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Minister Selakovic stressed that Paraguay and Serbia share common values and a desire to deepen cooperation, not only at the diplomatic and political levels, but also in terms of trade and forging closer and stronger cooperation in culture, science, sports and all areas it can be maintained  between two friendly countries.

The Serbian Foreign Minister recalled that the relations between the two countries were established in 1950 and stressed that Paraguay, as a friendly country, in the past managed not to let its friendship with Serbia diminish amid difficult and deep crises and remain our good friend and partner, noting that numerous challenges did not undermine the friendship between our two countries, but have additionally strengthened and solidified it instead.

"We are sincerely and from the heart grateful for the great support and understanding you extended to us in those moments, that you continue to lend to us today when Serbia is making efforts to preserve and strengthen its policy, by peaceful and diplomatic means, insisting on the respect for and the preservation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our state", Minister Selakovic said.

The Minister said that, inspired by the marking of this important anniversary for Serbia and seeking to identify the very foundations of our friendship and good cooperation, we came across the information that in 1903, the then President of the Republic of Paraguay Juan Antonio Escurra in his response to the message informing him about the accession to the throne of Serbian King Petar I Karadjordjevic wrote that the future will see even better and more cordial relations develop between the two countries, and that this cooperation should certainly have a good and bright future.  

Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that in Paraguay the same motivation, seeking for the foundations of the good and friendly cooperation, had them discover the fact that in 1883 correspondence and communication was maintained between the then head of Serbian state - King Milan Obrenovic and President of Paraguay at the time Bernardino Caballero.

"All of this is enshrined in our good, beautiful past we are so proud of, but what is in our hands today is the present moment and our future relations. I am absolutely convinced, dear colleagues and dear friends, that there is a lot more we can do in the future to bring our two states closer together, despite being geographically far apart", Minister Selakovic concluded.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay Federico González, in his video message to the Serbian Foreign Minister, underlined that a new stage opened along the path of deepening the friendly ties between our peoples, based on fundamental principles such as the respect for international law, and in particular strict adherence to the principle of territorial integrity, a position that Paraguay has firmly maintained throughout its history. 

Minister González stressed the need to continue working together to strengthen our bilateral relations and intensify activities to facilitate prosperity and well-being of our peoples.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Paraguay and the Republic of Serbia, a virtual exhibition "Nikola Tesla, Energy for the Future" was arranged on 17 December, in cooperation between the Nikola Tesla Museum and ITAIPU Guarani Museum.

Belgrade, 21 December 2020

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the incident which occurred at yesterday's Serbia-Albania European qualifier game, assessing it as a deliberate and premeditated provocation.

Releasing a drone containing the flag of the Greater Albania, showing the territory covering parts of not only Serbia but Greece, Montenegro and Macedonia as well, is an unprecedented provocation on a football pitch and must have been planned in advance, so that there can be no doubt that it was not a spontaneous incident provoked by hooligans. It was a premeditated political provocation intended to cause disorders in Belgrade that would cast a shadow over the fact that Serbia has been very successfully developing and fostering cooperation in the region.

Head of Serbian diplomacy Ivica Dacic pointed out that the celebratory gathering of Albanian communities following last night's incident surely did not contribute to the de-escalation of tensions, but could, instead, in particular in Kosovo and Metohija, give rise to an atmosphere of fear, sending for the umpteenth time a message to the non-majority population communities that they were not welcome.

Serbia cannot bear the responsibility for the irresponsible provocation on the part of Albanian visitors and will continue to work for the development of good-neighbourly relations which, it believes, are the only way of overcoming potential problems. On the other hand, we are going to take whatever steps are necessary to draw the attention of our international partners, especially those in the European Union, to all the aspects of this incident and call once again for the application of equal standards for all, in order to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents threatening the political progress of regional cooperation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to convey its gratitude to those members of the national team who calmed passions on the pitch by defending and promoting in the best possible way the values that Serbia stands for.