Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Greek President Karolos Papoulias yesterday agreed that good bilateral relations between the two countries are primarily based on traditional friendship between Serbian and Greek people.

Cvetkovic voiced his appreciation to the Greek President for his support to Serbia’s EU integration and Serbia’s efforts to preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The Greek President said that Greece will continue supporting Serbia, adding that it is necessary that all Balkan countries join the EU. He also pointed out that Serbia is an important factor for stability in the Balkans.

They agreed at the meeting that economic cooperation can be further improved, as well as the volume of trade exchange.

Prime Minister Cvetkovic said that one of the Serbian government’s priorities is the construction of Corridor 10, adding that Greece’s participation is of huge importance since the project is significant for the entire Europe.

It was also agreed that today’s forum at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, themed “The Dynamics and Perspectives of Greek and Serbian Economic Cooperation”, affirmed that there is mutual interest and a huge potential for developing cooperation between the two countries.

Yesterday also at the National Assembly House, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received the President of the Republic of Greece, Karolos Papoulias, in official visit to Serbia.

The meeting focused around the political and economic relations between the Republic of Greece and the Republic of Serbia, as well as future intensification of parliamentary cooperation.

Giving full support to Serbia’s efforts to keep its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Greek President Papoulias stressed the importance of ensuring the rights of the Serbian ethnic minority and preserving the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo-Metohija. Papoulias expressed full support for Serbia’s integration into the European Union and his belief that the issue of visa regime liberalisation for Serbia will come to a positive conclusion by the end of the year.

National Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic thanked Greek President Papoulias for the principled position of the Republic of Greece which did not recognise the independence of Kosovo-Metohija, stressing as extremely important the fact that the solution to the status of the southern province has been transferred from the sphere of politics into the sphere of international law. The Assembly Speaker briefed President Papoulias on the legislative, supervisory and representative function of the National Assembly, as well as the cooperation between the Parliaments of Greece and Serbia.

At the end of the meeting, the officials agreed in their estimate that intensive cooperation on the parliamentary as well as economic level is the highest priority, aimed at Serbia’s speedier integration into the European Union and deepening the traditionally good relations between the two countries.