Jovanović: Serbia attaches the greatest possible importance to relations with Northern Macedonia

1. Ambassador Jovanović, you have been in the Republic of Northern Macedonia for two months now. Although this is a short period, I will still ask you about your impressions – how did you receive the news that you will be performing diplomatic duties in the immediate vicinity?

Serving one's country and carrying the title of ambassador is a sublime and important task. It is a great honour, but also a responsibility to perform this duty in a country with which we are connected by unbreakable cultural and historical ties, based on a common tradition, friendship and solidarity. The Republic of Serbia pays the greatest possible attention to relations with Northern Macedonia, as one of the closest neighbours, and I hope that in the coming period we will witness further improvement of our already very good bilateral relations.

2. You have been here for a short period of time, but that period is marked by dynamic activities in the relations between the two countries. There is a trend of accelerated development of bilateral relations, which has been characterized by continuous friendship without open issues for years. Who should we thank for the accelerated development in mutual relations?

Relations between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Northern Macedonia are characterized by intensive political dialogue at the highest level, and our bilateral relations are not burdened with open issues, despite different positions regarding the status of Kosovo and Metohija. As our President Aleksandar Vučić stated during his recent visit to Skopje, Serbia does not ask anything from Northern Macedonia and its citizens except friendship, and we have no other interests than to survive together in this area and improve the lives of our citizens.

3. It could be said that the crown of this new dynamic in relations, which certainly means a new quality, is the "Open Balkan" initiative. The Regional Economic Forum was also held in Skopje, where two memoranda and one agreement were signed. What should be done so that these efforts for regional cooperation and the spirit of cooperation do not remain just a "dead letter" on the paper?

I really don't see a reason why something so firmly supported by one president and two prime ministers would remain just a "dead letter" on the paper. The "Open Balkan" initiative is a great idea started in 2019 and it can be considered historic because our three countries – Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania, in accordance with European values, have made a serious step towards improving the lives of their citizens and have shown that they are able to take care of their future on their own. Specifically, it is an initiative whose goal is to establish four freedoms in the region on which the EU is based, i.e., its internal market – freedom of movement of goods, workers, capital and services. The plan is that from 1 January 2023, there will be no borders for the citizens of these three countries. We do not have an easy road ahead of us in the implementation of this vision, but as President Vučić emphasized, we must work hard, to convince our people to be hard-working, diligent and to deliver all results on time.

4. The signed documents cover a wide range of cooperation, namely: facilitation of transport procedures, assistance in crisis situations, cooperation of chambers of commerce, and the post offices have already taken over a specific activity. Can you explain these areas of cooperation in more detail and what help and relief can the citizens of the three countries expect?

At the Economic Forum for Regional Cooperation, held on 29 July in Skopje, which was attended by about 400 companies from Northern Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, President Vučić and Prime Ministers Zaev and Rama signed three documents: 1) Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation for the relief of import, export and movement of goods in the Western Balkans; 2) Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation on free access to the labour market in the Western Balkans and 3) Agreement on Cooperation in disaster protection in the Western Balkans. The first memorandum will increase and improve economic cooperation, simplify procedures related to import, export and movement of goods. The memorandum on free access to the labour market in the Western Balkans aims to simplify the procedures for obtaining work permits for citizens of each of the three countries, as well as for using those permits in the territory of any of them. To simplify, this means that in the future there will be no more waiting for citizens and trucks at the border, there will be one joint work permit for all three countries, and also, mutual recognition of qualifications or diplomas is envisaged. We believe that this can to some extent mitigate the outflow of population that not only our region is facing, but also the whole of Europe. The purpose of the agreement on cooperation in disaster protection in the Western Balkans is that our countries, in accordance with their available capacities, help each other in cases of disasters, which we can see in action right now.

5. Ambassador Jovanović, why is there such resistance from the side of "Kosovo" to join the initiative, which primarily means cooperation, building something new and finally, something that comes from here. If it is any consolation, this time they "attacked" the Albanian Prime Minister Rama, and not the Serbian President Vučić, but still this reaction is not for approval, regardless of who it is intended for. Do you expect other countries will join the Open Balkan?

As for the openness of the "Open Balkan" initiative, it is important to emphasize that the invitation to join was sent from the beginning to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to the representatives of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Pristina. Why this has not happened so far, I think is the question you need to ask them. I will remind you of what President Vučić pointed out when talking about the "Open Balkan" initiative, and that is that Northern Macedonia, Albania and Serbia will have at least one percent higher growth rate compared to others in the Western Balkans, precisely because of their participation in this initiative, and this is something the World Bank also believes in. Also, the region encompassing this initiative will attract more than 80 percent of investments in the entire Western Balkans. All this together tells us that the "Open Balkan" represents a benefit for all and contributes to the deepening of cooperation in the region in all areas. If someone doesn't understand that, we can't do anything about it.

6. Jovanović, Macedonian citizens and institutions thanked for the vaccination and donation of vaccines, and these days, after facing the critical situation with the fires, we asked for help again, and you responded by immediately sending 4 helicopters. I would also like to mention the positions of Prime Minister Brnabić and President Vučić regarding the Bulgarian veto of Northern Macedonia. I mention this in the context of the question of whether we all in the region understand the essence of the immediate neighbourhood and what it means for all of us?

There are some challenges that do not know the borders of individual states, and endangered public health in the conditions of a pandemic or forest fires that we are facing these days are some of them. Thanks to President Vučić, the Republic of Serbia managed to provide a sufficient number of vaccines while the whole world struggled to get them. We had the opportunity to help fraternal Northern Macedonia and we did so, without hesitation. In addition, Serbia is not only a good neighbour, but also a brotherly state that Northern Macedonia and its citizens can count on. The Republic of Serbia is committed to the policy of peace and stability and to resolving all open issues with its neighbours through peaceful means and dialogue. Peace is the most important for us, and that is why Serbia is doing everything not to respond to numerous and frequent provocative messages from the region, but to look to the future. However, we cannot fail to notice that some in our close environment glorify the events that led to a great suffering of the Serbian people.

7. Who and what exactly do you mean?

I am thinking of the anniversary of the tragic suffering of the Serbian people in the Croatian military operation "Storm", which is being marked on 4 August. This date is celebrated every year in Croatia as a great holiday, and while Serbs mourn, our neighbours celebrate. "Storm" represents one of the greatest crimes of ethnic cleansing in the world after the Second World War, with more than 220,000 people expelled. After the civil war and the mass exodus of the Serbian people, the number of Serbs in Croatia was reduced by two thirds. Currently, 1,852 people are on the list of killed and missing Serbs in the "Storm", and the material damage is incalculable. We want peace and reconciliation, but we do not agree to humiliation and silence. Serbia will never call for new conflicts, because it wants to develop in cooperation with everyone in the region, but we are obliged to remember. Serbia does not boast of its strength, but it is strong enough to never allow a pogrom against its people again.

8. How satisfied are you with the rights that the Serbian community enjoys in this country? Although, as they say, there can never be enough of rights. Is it necessary to improve them?

Unlike some previous periods in which the issue of the position of Serbs in the region and the diaspora was not properly treated by the home country, today we are witnessing a different approach. The Republic of Serbia is strongly interested in preserving and strengthening the relations between the home country and the diaspora and the home country and Serbs in the region. Serbs living in Northern Macedonia, as well as Macedonians living in the Republic of Serbia, are an additional bridge that connects us every day. The two countries recently agreed to form a Mixed Intergovernmental Commission for Minorities as soon as possible, which will serve as an additional platform for resolving important issues related to the position and rights of the Serb community in Northern Macedonia and the Macedonian community in Serbia.

9. Ambassador Jovanović, have you learned anything new about the Republic of Northern Macedonia and its citizens, about their cuisine, traditions, customs and culture since you took over the ambassadorial position?

For someone who comes from Serbia, it really doesn't take much time to start feeling "at home" in Northern Macedonia. It gives me special pleasure to learn something new every day about this wonderful country and its people who have given me a warm welcome from day one and whose kindness I encounter at every step.