Prime Minister Ana Brnabić stated today that our country does not aspire to NATO membership, but wants to maintain dialogue and cooperation, emphasising that Serbia especially appreciates the position of that organisation on full respect for our military neutrality.
At the opening of the 101st Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly "Euro-Atlantic Integration, Partnership for Peace and Further Steps in Facing the Remaining Challenges in the Western Balkans" held in the Serbian Parliament, Brnabic pointed out that Serbia is building the position of a responsible and reliable partner of NATO.
She assessed that the cooperation between our country and that alliance in the past period was good.
The Prime Minister stated that Serbia, in cooperation with NATO, has successfully implemented more than 40 projects, emphasising that she was especially satisfied with the implementation of the project aimed at the new generation of carbon-based batteries, which will not contain lithium.
Speaking about regional cooperation, the Prime Minister emphasised that peace and security in the region are a basic condition for the progress of each country, but also for the entire region.
Any instability in any part affects the entire region, Brnabić said, adding that Serbia values its neighbours and consistently respects the policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries.
She assessed that the "Open Balkans" Initiative represents a chance for the region in the form of strengthening infrastructure, freedom of movement of people, goods, capital and services, but she also noted that this initiative is not a substitute for European integration.
The Prime Minister sent an invitation to all those in the Balkans who did not join the "Open Balkans", including Pristina, to join, noting that the invitation is constantly open and that the citizens of the countries in the region will benefit incredibly from this initiative.
Brnabić emphasised that Serbia provides full support to North Macedonia and Albania for obtaining a date for the start of negotiations with the EU, because they more than deserved it.
In talks with EU partners, we always emphasise that it is in the interest of the region's prosperity that these countries get a date for the start of negotiations as soon as possible, but it is also extremely important that the EU works with Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure that it is not neglected either.
Speaking about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the Prime Minister pointed out that Serbs in the province face security risks on a daily basis, and that since the beginning of this year, 115 ethnically motivated attacks and nine incursions of special police units in northern Kosovo and Metohija have been recorded.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the fact that Visoki Dečani is ranked among the seven most endangered sites of Europe's cultural heritage is especially devastating.
She emphasised that she did not see readiness for dialogue in Priština, which is evidenced by the growing number of attacks on Serbs and the fact that Priština will not fulfil the Brussels agreement.
It is unreasonable to expect that we will go to negotiations on another agreement, and that Priština did not fulfil the Brussels agreement, after so many years since the signing, the Prime Minister estimated.
The Prime Minister stated that Serbia has unresolved issues from the past, but that it is focused on the future and on maintaining peace.
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Foto: Tanjug