Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 9 June (BelTA) – Serbia is Belarus’ important partner in the Balkans, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said as he met with President of the National Assembly of Serbia Maja Gojkovic on 9 June, BelTA has learned.

According to Vladimir Andreichenko, the bilateral relations of the two countries are based on friendship, trust and mutual respect. The Presidents of the two states are playing a special role in it. “Belarusians treat your country and people with deep respect and sympathy. Today we have no barriers and disagreements to develop cooperation in every area. Last year we marked the 20^th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. I would like to say that today Serbia is one most important, key partner in the Balkans,” he said.

The Speaker also stressed active cooperation between the two countries in international organizations. “We coordinate our activity in these organizations, provide mutual support in the UN. I would also like to stress our cooperation within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Serbia is currently presiding in the OSCE and is doing it very successfully,” Vladimir Andreichenko noted. In his words, in July Finland will host the 24^th annual meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Belarus will take part in its work. Besides, Belarus will hold presidential election in autumn 2015. “We hope for positive attitude towards the elections in Belarus within that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE in general. We will hold the elections in line with the national legislation and in compliance with all principles of the international election law,” the Speaker of the House of Representatives said.

According to Vladimir Andreichenko, Belarusian MPs and senators are ready for collaborating interaction, search for new ways to intensify cooperation between Belarus and Serbia. “We are ready for more active cooperation on trade and economic issues, which was repeatedly stressed by the President of Belarus during today’s meeting with you,” he said. According to the Speaker, Belarus is interested in developing investment cooperation, cooperation in education, healthcare, science, culture and other areas. “We fully support the approaches that have been voiced before, i.e. to work out an action plan on the results of the visit. The action plan will be aimed at the development of our cooperation in every area of mutual interest,” he said adding that the parties are also expected to sign a memorandum.

In turn, the Speaker of the Serbian parliament expressed hope that her visit to Belarus would give additional impetus to the development of bilateral relations. Maja Gojkovic stressed that the two countries have been recently strengthening their political dialogue at the high and highest levels. Apart from that, she invited Vladimir Andreichenko to visit the Serbian parliament.

The bilateral inter-parliamentary dialogue has intensified after the parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia in 2012. It got an additional impetus after a group of friendship with Belarus was set up in the Serbian parliament in January 2013. The new parliament also formed a group of friendship with Belarus comprising 57 people. The group on cooperation with the Serbian parliament in the National Assembly of Belarus has been led by Chairman of the Council of the Republic’s permanent commission on international affairs and national security Vladimir Senko.

Maja Gojkovic is on an official visit to Belarus on 8-10 June on the invitation of the heads of the chambers of the National Assembly of Belarus. It is the first visit of the head of the Serbian parliament in the history of the bilateral relations.