Minister Selakovic with Serbian entrepreneurs doing business in Russia

The Head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out that he was proud of our business people who operate successfully and thanked them for the affirmative representation of their country in Russia and support for their country and Embassy.

"You remained here with your economic activities even when it was not easy for the fraternal Russian people and thus showed our commitment, readiness to be beside friends and brothers, even when they are experiencing hardships. Thank you for the great help you have provided, and for the help you have yet to provide", the Minister said.

As he emphasized, he was full of pride when he saw how our fruit producers, meat processors and dairy producers worked and pointed out that they needed help, for which he would personally advocate.

"To remove those barriers that have existed since mid-2019. But, keep in mind - do work successfully and well in Russia, but do not forget Serbia. Our country needs more and I want each of you to spread as good a picture of Serbia as possible", Selakovic said.

The Minister reminded that Serbia had exceeded the number of three million citizens in the vaccination process and that this was a serious result for a country of seven million inhabitants, and that were it not for such state leadership and policy, this would not be the case in our country at this time when many more developed, stronger and more stable countries do not have the vaccines and cannot protect their citizens.

"But finally we have a host in our house, our President is trying to do a really great job and now you can see that some praise us, and some envy us for all that. I am very glad to be here only a day after, owing to serious cooperation with our Russian brothers and friends, we started producing the Sputnik V vaccine in Belgrade at the Torlak Institute, as the first country in the south of Europe", the Minister said.

Selakovic added that owing to the serious foreign policy pursued by President Vucic and the Government, Serbia was a country that wished to be a member of the EU, but jealously preserved, promoted and built friendship with the Russian Federation, the fraternal Russian people and the state that did not leave Serbia behind even when we experienced difficult moments, and which today defended and represented us in all international forums concerning "the most painful, but the most important state issue - Kosovo and Metohija."

Russia is also, the Minister pointed out, a country with which our country built the Balkan Stream and ensured a secure gas supply, for which the need has increased from year to year due to economic development, and also, that Serbia cooperates with the Russian Railways (RZD) with which it builds the best state-of-the-art railways.

"The Russians are among the best in the world in terms of how they run the railways. You will see, by the end of this year, one will be able to arrive from Belgrade to Novi Sad in 27-28 minutes, which seemed impossible. We are pursuing this with the Russian Federation", Selakovic said.

The Serbian Foreign Minister added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was responsible for representing Serbia abroad, but also for taking care of our people beyond the borders of our country.

"When you need help, my door will always be open to you. I am ready for us to think and explore more ways in which we can help. I am aware that the director of the Office for Diaspora was here, I know what he said, but I will see to it that we realize such things. We work as a good, well-coordinated team, and the more of us are on that team, the more we help and support each other, the easier we will fight. Thank you for everything you do and long live Serbia", Minister Selakovic said.