Gojkovic and Matviyenko agreed that Serbian and the Russian Federation have good and friendly relations, something the Serbian Assembly and the Federation Council are dedicated to keep developing.
Gojkovic said that the visit of the Federation Council Chairperson is truly important for the improvement of overall bilateral relations and maintenance of the continuity and dynamics of parliamentary contacts, and it is a testament to the mutual desire to strengthen relations, based on the Agreement on Interparliamentary Cooperation signed in May 2015. The Chairperson of the Federation Council stressed that the two countries’ relations are characterized by friendship, mutual respect and trust and the parliaments would give their due contribution to the development of said cooperation.

Gojkovic thanked Russia for its consistent and firm support on the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija at the bilateral and multilateral level, and its support of Serbia’s belief that it is important to continue to discuss the Kosovo-Metohija issue at the UN Security Council.

Matviyenko said that, over their long history of relations, Serbia and Russia had supported one another and the Russian Federation supports and will continue to support Serbia when it comes to Kosovo-Metohija in the just fight for territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Chairperson of the Federation Council said that Russia appreciates Serbia’s keeping out of the sanctions against the Russian Federation and thanked the Serbian leadership and citizens for it.

Matviyenko stated that despite the two countries good economic cooperation and trade there is still ample opportunity to enhance them further and realize their prospects and potentials.

The Serbian Assembly Speaker restated that Serbia has not and would not impose sanctions against Russia and urged to deepen economic cooperation.

Gojkovic and Matviyenko also spoke about improving cooperation at the level of parliamentary working bodies, as well as cooperation and mutual support in international parliamentary organizations, and speaking on the topic Gojkovic said that the delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia is in favour of reinstating Russia’s voting rights at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Under the auspices of her visit to Serbia the Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation also addressed the MPs at a special parliament sitting.