Djuric: We are proud of the decades-long friendship between Serbia and Cyprus

The Serbian Foreign Minister expressed his pleasure at being able to address Cypriot ambassadors and to particularly highlight the decades-long friendship and very close, almost brotherly, relations fostered by Serbia and Cyprus.

Djuric emphasized that Serbia is very proud to consider itself a true friend of Cyprus, as evidenced by this visit at the beginning of the Serbian Foreign Minister’s term, sending a strong message to the Cypriot leadership that they can count on Serbia as a reliable friend.

Speaking about the most current issues in Serbia and the region, Djuric highlighted that Serbia today has much to be proud of, having managed to double its GDP in less than ten years, which he added is an extraordinary achievement, as well as to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.

This success of Serbia, as the Serbian Foreign Minister noted, came largely as a result of its ability to attract investments and its intensive focus on creating an environment conducive to foreign direct investments, having understood the strategic importance of a strong economy.

Djuric also reminded that Serbia had significantly reduced its external debt over the past decade, leading to a healthy and stable macroeconomic environment, and that it is committed to significant infrastructure improvements, as evidenced by current projects for the construction of high-speed railways and highways.

The strategic goal of Serbia, Minister Djuric pointed out, is to complete all the necessary political, legislative, economic, and other reforms by 2027 and join the European Union. In this regard, Serbia seeks equal conditions in EU membership, not an asymmetric position with limited rights.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stressed that the biggest challenge for Serbia is the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and that the international community’s support for the so-called Kosovo's independence has been a significant problem for Serbia, affecting its ability to fully align with the EU’s common foreign and security policy.

On this occasion, Djuric expressed deep gratitude to the Government and people of Cyprus for their long-standing support and understanding for Serbia, adding that in doing so, they also support the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

The Minister noted that the dialogue with Pristina is challenging, but that Serbia remains committed to finding a peaceful and democratic solution.

During his stay in Nicosia today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia will meet with President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos.