Dendias: Greece's stance on Kosovo remains unchanged, dialogue is the path to regional stability

Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasic met today with the Minister of National Defense of Greece, Nikolaos Dendias, at the "Banjica 2" barracks in Belgrade, and on that occasion, he stated that unilateral actions by Pristina, which, as he emphasized, go unpunished by international institutions, threaten the continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as the agreements that have been reached.

Dendias emphasized that Greece's stance on not recognizing Kosovo remains firm, adding that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is the only path to prosperity and stability in the region.

Gasic informed Dendias of a series of unilateral actions by Pristina, accompanied by an increase in ethnically motivated incidents targeting the Serbian population.

"The non-recognition of so-called Kosovo by Greece is a friendly position towards Serbia and also an indicator of Athens' consistency in respecting the sovereignty of other states. During today’s discussions, we informed the Greek side of a series of unilateral actions by the provisional self-governing institutions in Pristina, which have been followed by an increase in ethnically motivated incidents directed at the Serbian population. We express great concern, as such actions, which go unpunished by international institutions, threaten the continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, invalidate all discussions and agreements reached, and render the dialogue process meaningless, despite Serbia's commitment and interest in continuing it," Gasic stressed.

He expressed his gratitude to Dendias for his visit to the Republic of Serbia and for the very constructive and friendly talks.

"Your visit today, which is also your first visit to one of the countries in the region since assuming the position of Minister of National Defense, along with the recent visit of Prime Minister Mitsotakis, during which he met with President Vučic, is proof that the bilateral cooperation between Serbia and Greece is at a commendable level and that the relations between our two nations are fraternal. The traditionally good and substantial relations between Serbia and Greece provide a solid foundation for the development of not only defense cooperation but overall bilateral cooperation, which has been ongoing for 145 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations," Gasic said.

He noted that the historical closeness and strong friendship between the two nations and states always prove themselves when it is most important, in difficult circumstances and challenges, and in that, he added, there is no deviation.

As he emphasized, Serbia owes great gratitude to Greece for its support on the European path.

"I emphasize that the citizens of Greece can always count on Serbia's help in times of crisis, which we have demonstrated on several occasions this year. Full membership in the European Union is a priority of Serbia's foreign policy and a strategic commitment, and for the Ministry of Defense, this strategic commitment is realized, primarily, through participation in the EU Battle Group under the leadership of the Greek army. It is important to note that members of the Serbian Armed Forces are being prepared for participation in the Battle Group at the training center in Kilkis, Greece," the Serbian Minister of Defense said.

Speaking about defense cooperation, Gasic emphasized that he and his Greek colleague agreed that cooperation is very good, with the possibility and mutual desire to further improve it, primarily through strengthening military-to-military, military education, military-technical, and military medical cooperation.

"In terms of military-economic and military-technical cooperation, I believe there is potential to enhance cooperation in these areas as well, taking into account the capacities of the defense industries of our two countries. Therefore, I am particularly pleased that you will have the opportunity to visit the Military Technical Institute and familiarize yourself with some of the projects of our defense industry. I am confident that the results of today’s meeting will contribute to the development of defense cooperation for the mutual benefit, as our commitment is to continue nurturing and improving close relations with Greece, as a significant partner, in all areas of mutual interest, and high-level meetings provide a stable foundation for improving cooperation," Gasic concluded.

Minister Dendias, in his remarks, first expressed his deepest condolences regarding the tragic events in Novi Sad.

He then thanked Serbia for the significant support it provided to Greece during the large-scale fires in that country.

Speaking about today’s meeting, Minister Dendias said it was an opportunity to discuss many issues related to the security of the entire region, as well as the bilateral relations between Serbia and Greece.

"These are our relations, which also have strategic significance based on the Agreement we signed, and we discussed how our cooperation should be improved and how we can benefit from exchanging our experiences," the Greek Defense Minister said and expressed his satisfaction with the upcoming visit to the Military Technical Institute.

He emphasized that during today's meeting, the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was discussed, and he reiterated the words of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis that Greece's stance on Kosovo remains firm.

According to him, only progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina can bring prosperity and stability to this region.

"Greece is part of the KFOR mission, and we are ready to make every effort towards maintaining stability in the region. I would also like to remind you of Greece's position regarding the Western Balkans – Greece advocates for lasting peace, stability, and security through good neighborly relations, respect for international law, and the rule of law," Dendias stated, emphasizing that Greece believes all Western Balkan countries should become members of the European Union. He also expressed support for Serbia's decision to pursue this European path and congratulated Serbia on the progress it has made.