Minister Dacic opens the 23rd Belgrade Economic Forum
Full statement delivered by Minister Dacic reads as follows:
Esteemed Mr. Tsomokos,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to open the 23rd Belgrade Economic Forum today - an important and influential annual event for both the Republic of Serbia and the region as a whole. I would like to thank Mr. Tsomokos and the Hellenic Business Association for the invitation and the excellent organization, as was the case every previous year. Bearing in mind that the topics addressed by this year's forum are of vital importance for the political and economic development of the Republic of Serbia, I am glad that my colleagues from the Government of the Republic of Serbia, as well as representatives of the private sector, are taking part in this event.
I recently had the honour to speak on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Hellenic Business Association. On that occasion, I also emphasized that there is no doubt that the strong ties existing between the Serbian and Greek peoples, based on common history, culture and spirituality, go beyond any politics and any individual. Serbia is well aware that sincere friendships are rare, so it strives to carefully preserve and further strengthen such friendships.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Reality reminds us time and time again that the only path to peace is through respect for the universal tenets on which we have all agreed, embodied in the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. In the current geopolitical circumstances, I believe that we will all also agree that we need greater trust, solidarity and togetherness, as opposed to divisions and conflicts.
However, it is crucial for trust not only that there are rules and principles, but that they are the same for everyone and are applied in the same way. As a country that consistently respects international law and which, unfortunately, still suffers the consequences of it having been violated, we believe that the existence of double standards has no excuse.
This is precisely why the Republic of Serbia provides principled and sincere support to Ukraine, its integrity, territorial integrity and sovereignty. By defending the principle of inviolability of international borders of a sovereign country - we are determined not to accept the policy of double standards that some apply in the case of the Republic of Serbia. The presidents of the Republic of Serbia and Ukraine reached a full agreement on this position during the talks in Athens in August this year.
Your Excellencies,
The basis of the entire process of the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which is carried out with facilitation of the European Union, is precisely trust and the fulfilment of previously assumed obligations. Unfortunately, with a series of unilateral moves and provocations directly aimed against the life and survival of the Serb and non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija, and especially in its northern part, Pristina betrayed the trust of Belgrade, but also, I am convinced, the trust of a good part of the international community.
No attempts at tendentious distribution of misinformation and placing the blame on Belgrade can hide one simple fact - Albin Kurti, since he has been at the helm of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, bears the most responsibility for the escalation of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Specifically, from the beginning of 2021 until today, as many as 446 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija have been recorded. In addition to the fact that the return to Kosovo and Metohija is still not possible for over 200,000 internally displaced persons, further concern is raised by the fact that, in the past year only, as many as 13% of Serbs have left our Province, due to the continuous harassment and pressures of the Pristina regime on the Serb population. Therefore, we appeal to international actors to have the safety of the Serb population in Kosovo and Metohija ensured, as a condition above all conditions, so that we can continue the dialogue process.
Belgrade will continue to be committed to the dialogue, but we believe that, at this moment, it is necessary to implement all obligations arising from the agreements reached so far without further delay. I am primarily referring to the soonest possible formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities - an obligation that Pristina undertook more than 10 years ago through the Brussels Agreement, which I signed myself.
Despite this problem, which we continuously face and tackle every day, we strive to be forward-looking and use every opportunity to achieve economic and social progress for the benefit of the citizens of our country.
Owing to strategic planning and courageous reform processes, we have achieved excellent economic results, which is why I am free to say that the Republic of Serbia is the most promising and dynamic economy in the Western Balkans today, and a kind of driver of regional development.
The Serbian economy is not immune to the crises that the whole world is facing, but it has a proven ability to proactively respond to various challenges, as evidenced by clear and convincing indicators of economic success we have achieved. The Republic of Serbia is the leader in attracting foreign investments in our region.
We will continue to work on creating the best conditions for investment and fostering increasingly favourable environment for doing business. Our uniqueness is certainly also reflected in the fact that we have friends all over the world and that we are open to cooperation with countries from all regions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Republic of Serbia attaches great attention to the promotion of regional cooperation and fostering best possible good-neighbourly relations. For us, they are an inseparable part of European integration and, at the same time, one of the key priorities of our foreign policy.
For the Republic of Serbia, the preservation of stability in the region and the orientation towards more intensive cooperation in all areas are of key interest. We are aware that the inherited problems, especially with some of the neighbours, are very serious and difficult. However, with our measured and constructive approach, we have contributed and continue to contribute to the relaxation of relations in the region.
I believe that many of you are aware that we recently had the opportunity to host the second Wine Vision of the Open Balkan event, where we welcomed our friends and partners from the region. The Open Balkan regional initiative and the events held under its auspices are significant for the strengthening of existing regional relations, as well as for the general enhancement of business climate and cooperation in all areas, in the best interest of our citizens.
Dear friends,
Membership in the European Union is a strategic commitment and priority of the foreign policy of the Republic of Serbia. We share and stand for European values and are willing to contribute to peace, stability and prosperity of Europe.
I believe that, for each individual, time is the most important resource that, unfortunately, cannot be replenished. The promises made long ago at the Thessaloniki Summit, more than 20 years ago, have long since faded away.
In the past twenty years, we have heard numerous messages about the importance and high position of the Western Balkans on the political agenda of the European Union. The European Union has been our most important donor and foreign trade partner for more than two decades, and I think these are clear and well-known facts. The European Union is present in our region, but we believe that it is high time to revitalize the enlargement policy and valorize the reform efforts, in order to move from the phase of political messages and signals to the phase of concrete steps forward.
History has confirmed that it was the enlargement process that turned the European Union into an important factor in the international arena. It is clear that, in the current geopolitical circumstances, the European Union needs to keep that place, and it is also abundantly clear that with the Western Balkans as its part, it will definitely be stronger and more stable.
Dear friends,
We do not want another 20 years to pass since the recent Athens Declaration, but we want our European story to become a reality as soon as possible. The Western Balkans should have had a place in the European Union long ago. Our peoples deserve that.
Thank you.