Minister Đurić with the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Marko Đurić, met with Christophe Bernasconi, the Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

The head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized that Serbia remains principled in its commitment to respecting the fundamental principles of international law in the formulation and conduct of foreign policy and places great importance on the work of the Hague Conference and its role in unifying the rules of private international law.

Minister Đurić highlighted that in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter, respect for international law is perhaps more important than ever.

He noted the significance of the Hague Conference, among other things, in enhancing cooperation between states, and providing legal security.

Đurić stated that Serbia supports the work of the Hague Conference and wishes to continue close cooperation with this organization.

According to Minister Đurić, Serbia is making significant efforts in the rule of law and aligning with European legal standards to be fully prepared for EU accession.

He reminded that constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening the independence of the judiciary have been adopted, along with a set of judicial laws that have received a positive evaluation from the EU.

This positively affects not only the life of citizens but also the business environment and the reliability of our institutions in international frameworks.

Considering that full EU membership is a strategic priority of our foreign policy, Đurić reiterated that Serbia will implement all the necessary reforms by the end of 2026.

Regarding the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Đurić assessed that there has been no significant progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština for years, and that the EU must be more present in this process to ensure stability in the region.

He pointed out that the economic, human, and all other rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija are violated, and they suffer unprecedented pressures, resulting from unilateral actions by Priština.

Despite condemnations of such actions by the EU, the USA, and others, this has not prevented political arrests of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, nor the fact that the Serbian people can no longer receive salaries, child allowances, social, and other benefits, Đurić warned.

He concluded that dialogue remains for Belgrade the only way to find solutions where no side will gain everything or lose everything.