The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Russia, Igor Braunovic declared relations between Serbia and the Russian Federation to be well developed, adding that the traditional friendship between the two states and two peoples had been raised to an even higher level by the signing of the Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2013.

He said that the fact that the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Russia has 100 members “speaks of the importance that the MPs attach to the development of interparliamentary relations with their colleagues from the Russian Federation”, announcing that they would soon pay a return visit to the Russian Federation.

Braunovic thanked Russia for its support in preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He stressed that the energy agreements, as well as economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, are also very important for Serbia.

Grigory Karasin highlighted the importance of friendly relations with Serbia, stressing that Russia will not change its position on the issue of Kosovo-Metohija. He said that the Committee on Foreign Affairs has participated in the preparation of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II and invited members of the National Assembly Committee to be guests at the celebration of the important anniversary. He concluded that Russia and Serbia should strengthen economic cooperation within the framework of BRICS. Karasin thanked Serbia for not imposing sanctions on the Russian Federation, as well as for the support for the Russian people in Serbia.

The meeting was also attended by members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group Zagorka Aleksic, Ugljesa Mrdic, Ivana Stamatovic and Mitar Kovac, who, in the meeting with the delegation of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, emphasised the traditional friendly relations and the importance of continuous cooperation between parliamentarians, as well as the further development of economic and cultural ties.