The screening of the horrifying documentary on the sufferings of Jews, Serbs and Roma in Jasenovac concentration camp by filmmaker Simo Brdar opened the international roundtable on “Serbia-Israel Relations” at the National Assembly today.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Head of the PFG with Israel Prof. Dr Vladimir Marinkovic said he was very happy to see the National Assembly’s PFG with Israel, Israeli Embassy in Serbia and the Institute for National and International Security co-organize this gathering to help strengthen overall bilateral relations by remembering the two nations’ joint history of suffering. He reminded the attending that last year was the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the State of Israel, a relationship which Serbia holds in the highest esteem especially in light of the historic ties and current opposition to the new revisionist trends in the modern world.
“We see Israel as a state that defends peace, human and civilizational heritage. We are very understanding of the modern challenges and very grateful to Israel for respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in Kosovo-Metohija. Serbia remains dedicated to dialogue with the Albanian side but the recent events such as the establishment of the so-called Kosovo Army which is in direct violation of UNSC Resolution 1244 and imposition of 100% customs tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, directly threaten the rights of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and can only have a negative impact on stability in the region. By protecting our national interest we protect international law as recognized by the international community, proven by the numerous retractions of the recognition of so-called Kosovo independence”, said Deputy Speaker Marinkovic.
He went on to say that he personally works on promoting parliamentary cooperation between the two states, as well as cooperation in the fields of education, culture and tourism.
Israeli Ambassador in Belgrade H.E. Alona Fisher Kamm praised the activities of the National Assembly’s PFG with Israel on promoting the relationship between the two states and their peoples. She said how pleased she was by the adoption of acts that respect the dignity of the Holocaust victims and the promotion of relations between Serbia and Israel as evidenced by the National Assembly Speaker’s visit to Israel. The potential to expand relations is ample, she said, with a special focus on academic relations which benefit from gatherings such as this one.
The Director of the Institute for National and International Security Prof. Dr Darko Trifunovic announced the initiative to co-found a virtual museum of genocide by the Institute, Faculty of Mathematics, Genocide Museum and Israeli partners, while MP Prof. Dr Zoran Dragisic said that by advancing relations and building strong states Serbia and Israel can combat the burgeoning hidden fascism and revisionism in the world and the populism that relativizes the genocide against the Serbia, Jewish and Roma people.
The gathering is attended by MPs, members of the university, representatives of the scientific community and guests from Israel.
