Dacic said that he could testify first hand that the relations between our two countries and between our peoples are one of the highest priorities of Serbia’s state policy and that he had been participating in its realization for years.

"When we look back, we have many reasons to be satisfied, regardless of the differences that still follow us, I am sure that we are on the right path to bring our relations back to what they were during most of our common history," Dacic pointed out.

Dacic said that Serbia and the United States did not allow the Corona-eaten year to eat into our relations.

"Our uninterrupted and very lively diplomacy culminated in early September of last year with the meeting of President Vucic and then President Trump in the White House, when an important agreement was reached regarding Kosovo-Metohija, as well as other important issues," said Ivica Dacic. He added that the victims of the COVID-19 virus are a huge and irreparable loss, yet one positive outcome even in these, most difficult of times, is, he deeply believes, solidarity, once forgotten, but now found again.

Dacic said that Serbia is looking forward to a complete normalisation of the global situation concerning the pandemic, and its maximum efforts to that end have yielded excellent results.

"We are also happy that America is at the very top of the world in terms of the number of vaccinated people and that we stand together in the circle of countries that will be among the first to boast that they left the epidemic behind. No matter how much the world has changed in the past year, and it has changed greatly, I am sure that both Serbia and America will know how to maintain one constant, and that is a joint effort to continue working on the progress of our relations in all areas." concluded National Assembly Speaker Ivica Dacic.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH OF THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IN ITS ENTIRETY:

"Dear Deputy Prime Minister,

Distinguished Members of the United States Congress,

Ambassador Godfrey,

Distinguished fellow deputies and distinguished guests,

First of all, let me thank the Serbian-American Friendship Congress and especially Vladimir Marinkovic, as well as the Color Press Group and Mr. Coban for their efforts to organize this conference and for the invitation to open the conference today. Thanks to your engagement, we already have a small but successful tradition of such gatherings where we discuss the state of Serbian-American relations in detail and thematically.

Both Serbia and the United States deserve to discuss cooperation as often as possible, and both our and the American people expect us to work on progress every day. I can testify first hand that the relations between our two countries and between our peoples are one of the highest priorities of Serbia’s state policy and I have been participating in its realization for years. When we look back, we have many reasons to be satisfied, regardless of the differences that still follow us, I am sure that we are on the right path to bring our relations back to what they were during most of our common history. And these relations were partnership, solidarity, and in the most difficult moments, brotherly. We must not forget that.

A very difficult year is behind us, perhaps history will remember that period as one of the greatest challenges faced by modern humanity. We found ourselves in a situation where the same threat came knocking on the doors of both the rich and the poor, the armed and the unarmed, we were all equally exposed to the same danger. In moments like this, there is little that can help except a joint struggle and solidarity. The victims of the COVID-19 virus are a huge and irreparable loss, yet one positive outcome even in these, most difficult of times, is, he deeply believes, solidarity, once forgotten, but now found again.

This time last year, one of the state of Serbia’s most important tasks was to bring all our citizens who had for various reasons remained trapped around the world back into the country.

We did it through dozens of special, humanitarian flights and numerous organised road corridors. I am proud that, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and based on the decision of the state leadership, I led this unique and extensive operation, together with our entire diplomatic network. And I am especially proud that, at the same time, we enabled a large number of foreign citizens to return home from Serbia. Among them were close to 250 Americans, who travelled on two occasions, on special flights from Belgrade, to their country and returned to their families. Around the same time, Serbia received a medical contingent from the United States of equipment vital to our citizens at the time.

I mention these, seemingly small, stories because we must not forget them, because they are examples of the great solidarity of the Serbian and American people in the days that were equally difficult for both of them. We helped each other as much as we could, but at no point did we ask the question - should we help each other. Only if we remember such and similar episodes, will we build up our relations on solid foundations, and that is why today I remind you of the news of March and April last year, which we may have already forgotten.

Serbia and the United States did not allow the Corona-eaten year to eat into our relations. Our uninterrupted and very lively diplomacy culminated in early September of last year with the meeting of President Vucic and then President Trump in the White House, when an important agreement was reached regarding Kosovo-Metohija, as well as other important issues. For Serbia, the change of administration and the arrival of President Biden means only a continuation of the constant partnership and work on finding a compromise on the Kosovo-Metohija issue, as the absolutely most important state and national priority of the Republic of Serbia. We know that we have sincere partners in President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken and all their associates, and their good energy to solve the Kosovo-Metohija issue, as well as other important issues of mutual interest through constant communication and good faith.

Serbia is looking forward to a complete normalisation of the global situation concerning the pandemic, and its maximum efforts to that end have yielded excellent results. We are also happy that America is at the very top of the world in terms of the number of vaccinated people and that we stand together in the circle of countries that will be among the first to boast that they left the epidemic behind. No matter how much the world has changed in the past year, and it has changed greatly, I am sure that both Serbia and America will know how to maintain one constant, and that is a joint effort to continue working on the progress of our relations in all areas. We have a lot of joint work ahead of us, not everything will be easy, but we have a duty to work and progress together, first and foremost to our future generations, as well as to our wise ancestors. To those who established diplomatic relations between our two countries exactly 140 years ago and all those who came after and made those relations better and stronger.

I am convinced that today's conference will also contribute to it.

Thank you".