Djuric: By supporting Serbia, Cyprus supports the UN Charter and international law

Dialogue with Pristina is challenging, but Serbia remains committed to finding a peaceful and democratic solution, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said today while addressing participants at the Annual Ambassadors' Conference at the University of Cyprus.

Djuric, who is visiting the Republic of Cyprus at the invitation of Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, expressed his pleasure at being able to address Cypriot ambassadors and to particularly highlight the decades-long friendship and very close, almost brotherly, relations nurtured 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,” the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The strategic goal of Serbia, Minister Djuric pointed out, is to complete all necessary political, legislative, economic, and other reforms by 2027 and join the European Union.

“In this regard, Serbia seeks equal conditions for EU membership, not an asymmetric position with limited rights,” Djuric said.

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 longstanding support and understanding for Serbia, adding that in doing so, they also support the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

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 significantly reducing the unemployment rate.

This success of Serbia, as the Serbian Foreign Minister assessed, is largely due to its ability to attract investments and its intense focus on creating an environment conducive to direct foreign investment, understanding the strategic importance of a strong economy.

Djuric also noted 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.