Ivica Dačić: relations between Serbia and Hungary at the highest level in the past 10 years
At a joint press conference with his Hungarian colleague Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić stated that the relations between our two countries were based on mutual trust, cooperation, searching for common interests, respect and appreciation of the rights of national minorities, both the Hungarians in Serbia and Serbs in Hungary.
"In this way, we make a great contribution to peace and stability in the region, which is of greatest significance. Moreover, I can add that the fact of strategic partnership is not just a dead letter in this case, having in mind that we have signed strategic partnership agreements with many other countries, but it is as though we have not. Here, in fact, we are really solving numerous and very specific issues that are in the interests of our two countries" pointed out the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić. As the main challenges which the two countries faced, the Minister highlighter war, migrations and energy crisis, specifying that Serbia and Hungary were not guilty for any of them.
"We are in a situation where we need to help each other and if it were not for such help it would be much harder for both Serbia and Hungary," stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić specified that the excellent cooperation between the two countries was the result of confidence of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but also of the work of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries.
"We agreed to have at least one meeting annually in Belgrade and one in Budapest. The fact that we met is no longer news, but the degree to which our mutual relation progressed – is the news" stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
The Minister Ivica Dačić added that all the agreements signed between Serbia and Hungary, such as the one of common use of diplomatic and consular missions in the world, were of considerable importance to our citizens.
The Minister Ivica Dačić emphasized that Serbia highly appreciated Hungary's support on the European path of our country.
"I was the witness that Péter Szijjártó affirmatively spoke more than once on the international conferences, supporting Serbia's path to the European Union. The Minister Szijjártó always stressed that Serbia was an example of good interethnic relations and especially spoke of the excellent position of Hungarians in Serbia, comparing it with other countries in the region" Ivica Dačić pointed out.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić said that Hungary was the fifth foreign trade partner of Serbia, with an exceptional increase in commodity exchange and with the desire to develop it even more.
"We are ready to give our best to resolve problems such as border crossings and jams on them, including the reconstruction of the crossings on both sides so as to shorten the waiting time and the construction of railways and roads in Serbia" said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić especially emphasized that the two countries needed to help each other in energy supply.
"Serbia and, I believe, Hungary have no special affection for the origin of gas and oil. It is only important for us to have them. Our citizens cannot live and heat on promises. We are not among those countries that can supply oil and gas from local resources. If we had not finished the Turkish stream, and if it had not been for Hungary I believe we would not have been so persistent in its construction, we would not have been able to round off this story", said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
The Minister Ivica Dačić added that we could now proudly say that we had completed a part of 403 kilometres, the length equal to that in Bulgaria leading to the Hungarian border, passing through Serbia and delivering gas to Hungary and possibly further, to other countries of the EU.
"We are interested in making a connection for oil as well, because we are not exempt from sanctions towards the Russian oil. It is not possible for us to use the specific oil pipeline we have towards Croatia so as to deliver the Russian oil, because it is under sanctions", emphasized the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
Source: Tanjug
Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TANJUG
