The Parliamentary Friendship Group with Slovakia of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia met with the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia of the National Council of the Slovak Republic.
The Head of the PFG with Slovakia Nikola Radosavljevic stressed that the relations between the two countries are close and friendly, characterised by a desire to strengthen cooperation in all fields. He especially thanked Slovakia on behalf of all the citizens of Serbia for its support on the most important issues for our country and people, such as the non-recognition of the unilaterally declared so-called state of Kosovo. He also thanked Slovakia for the support it provides to Serbia on its European path, which is our country’s chief foreign policy goal.
Radosavljevic said that the Slovak national minority in the Republic of Serbia especially contributes to the relations between the two countries.
"They are part of our people, our relations are extremely good and always will be," said the PFG Head.
He also emphasised that the intensification of interparliamentary cooperation can have an exceptional impact on the improvement of cooperation in a wide variety of areas, from economy to culture. The participants of the meeting was devoted special attention to considering the strengthening of economic cooperation, primarily through strengthening contacts between businessmen and the exceptional climate for foreign investors offered by Serbia. Radosavljevic stressed that this type of cooperation would be fruitful for both countries, because each would open up a part of a new market for the other, Slovakia would open up the European Union market to Serbia, and Serbia the market of the former members of the USSR and CEFTA and EFTA to Slovakia.
The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia Jana Valova expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to meet with members of the National Assembly, highlighting the importance of this type of communication and cooperation. She declared the relations between the two countries friendly, which, she pointed out, is also reflected in the conditions that enable members of the Slovak national minority to preserve and develop their traditions, language and culture in Serbia. In light of that, she expressed her support for the process to include the Kovacica naive art in the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.
Valova also spoke of the current political situation in Serbia and drew a parallel with the protests that once took place in Slovakia, which were later found to have been financed from abroad, and called on Serbia to learn from the challenges that Slovakia faced at the time.
Radmila Vasic, member of the PFG with Slovakia, emphasised the importance of building good relations with all the EU member states that did not recognise the so-called state of Kosovo, and invited the Slovak delegation to have a direct conversation with the population of Kosovo-Metohija to find out what conditions they live in and what problems they face.
Stasa Stojanovic, member of the PFG with Slovakia, stressed that all the members of the Group are available for cooperation on all issues that can contribute to the additional rapprochement of the two countries and two peoples.
