Marko Parezanovic welcomed the Belgian Ambassador stressing that it was a great honour to be elected Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Belgium, one of the founders of the European Union, United Nations and the NATO, as well as the seat of EU’s highest institutions. Parezanovic said that he knew the Kingdom of Belgium has a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia which had visited the National Assembly House on two occasions, and that he hoped for a visit to the Kingdom to establish personal contacts between the two countries’ MPs. The PFG Head also informed the Ambassador that the Serbian citizens’ interest in joining the EU is in decline in view of the events inside the European Union itself and Serbia’s long accession process, but considerable effort is invested into raising public awareness on its values and the benefits the Republic of Serbia could have as an EU member. Parezanovic added that the Republic of Serbia had invested considerable effort into reform and Euro-integration, but progress is often a political issue, and in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue the other side does not abide by the agreements and is one-sidedly endangering Serbian property on the territory of Kosovo-Metohija, to which the European Union does not react as the mediator in the talks. “Serbia is ready to compromise, but through dialogue”, said Parezanovic.

Parezanovic also spoke about economic cooperation and Belgian companies’ business success in Serbia hoping that, in future, many more Belgian companies would see the benefits of expanding their business onto the Serbian market.

H.E. Leo D'aes, Belgian Ambassador to Serbia, thanked the PFG for the invitation stressing that the Kingdom of Belgium fully supports Serbia’s efforts to join the European Union and follows its integration process very closely. The Ambassador also mentioned the European Commission’s 2016 Progress Report on Serbia which states that tough the state institutions are duly performing their tasks, what needs more work is raising the Serbian citizens’ awareness on EU values. D'aes said that when it comes to Serbia’s Euro-integration, the implementation of the opened chapters 23 and 24 is crucial for Belgium and more important than the different stances on the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija.

The Ambassador said that he is working on boosting the presence of Belgian companies on the Western Balkans, also mentioning Energo Zelena, Belgian company for hazardous animal by-products treatment, closed due to unmet business conditions, and the intent to file proceedings against the state if the working conditions are not met by the end of the year. The Ambassador proceeded to inform the PFG Head about the Kingdom of Belgium’s intention to run for member of the UN Security Council for the period 2019/2020, stressing that Serbia’s endorsement would be greatly appreciated.

The officials also spoke about strengthening cultural cooperation and set up meetings for the coming period, while Parezanovic also said that he wished to learn more about the problem of Energo Zelena, sure that the Serbian Government would find a solution, and added that he has no doubt Serbia would endorse the Kingdom of Belgium’s membership in the UN Security Council.