A very cordial and friendly conversation with the Consul of North Macedonia, esteemed colleague Nikola Gjorcev, with whom I exchanged views on the post-election situation in the USA, with a focus on our region and our expectations of the new administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Once again, the friendship between our nations and states has been reaffirmed.

Today, on Armistice Day in World War I, we remember the Golgotha ​​that our country and our people went through during the war years, but also we remember the perseverance and heroism of our famous ancestors, to whom we owe our existence today.

The Serbian people was the biggest victim of World War I. The Central Powers, driven by imperial ambitions, tried to erase a small but freedom-loving country from the map. In that war, Serbia lost more than a quarter of its population and 62 percent of the working-age male population.

It will remain etched in the annals of world military history that the courageous Serbian people achieved the first victory for the Allies on Mount Cer.

The devastated Serbian state and the suffering Serbian people rose from the ashes, just like the indestructible Natalie’s ramonda flower, an emblem that we proudly wear close to our hearts today.

Serbia paid a high price for freedom in World War I, which is why our country and its citizens will continue to protect Serbian statehood, freedom and independence as supreme national values. Long live Serbia!

At the invitation of the Jewish community, Chief Rabbi Arthur Schneier, and a witness to Kristallnacht, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic, attended the commemoration of the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht, during which Nazis and fascists in Germany and Austria burned down hundreds of synagogues. Along with a prayer in the synagogue and a speech by the Austrian Consul General in New York, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic addressed the attendees at a commemorative luncheon. He emphasized the shared history of suffering between Serbs and Jews during World War II, stressing the importance of cultivating a culture of remembrance so that such horrific and tragic events are never repeated.

Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic, welcomed his colleague, the new Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal for his first official visit. During his visit to the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, Consul General of Türkiye expressed his friendship and deep respect for the Republic of Serbia, its President, and leadership, conveying the greetings of the President and Government of Türkiye, with a desire to continue the successful cooperation between the two Consulates in New York. Consul General of Serbia, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic, thanked him for his kind words, welcomed the Consul General of Türkiye to New York, as well as to the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York. During the meeting, Dr. Bozovic informed him about the highly successful cooperation between the two Consulates and expressed the willingness to continue that collaboration. Dr. Bozovic also introduced the Expo 2027 project and other opportunities for further economic, business, and cultural cooperation. Consul General Yazal thanked Dr. Bozovic for this initiative and offered the space of the Consulate General of Türkiye, also known as the “Turkish House” across from the United Nations Headquarters, for any cultural, public, or musical events that the Serbian Consulate might organize, either independently or jointly with them. Both sides agreed that the bilateral relations between Türkiye and Serbia in New York have been exceptionally successful in recent times, with a shared desire to continue this fruitful cooperation.

I extend heartfelt congratulations to the American people on the successful and exemplary democratic elections. These elections reaffirm the United States' role as a historical beacon of modern democracy—an ideal that has inspired nations around the world, including Serbia. Throughout this process, I have witnessed the Serbian-American community’s pride in its longstanding contributions to the shared values of freedom and democracy, both historically and in this election. This community remains deeply committed to the principles that unite our nations and reinforce our bonds. Warmest congratulations to President-elect Donald J. Trump. We extend our best wishes for a successful term that brings prosperity to the American people, contributes a more peaceful world, and strengthens U.S.-Serbia relations.

On behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York and in my own name, I express deep sorrow and condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic accident in Novi Sad, and I pray for the lives and swift recovery of all the injured.

On this occasion, a Book of Condolences will be opened at the Consulate on Monday, November 4, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Božović, PhD

Today, the Executive Committee meeting of the SOFC (Society of Foreign Consuls) was held in New York. We discussed upcoming activities, including a roundtable on "Religion, Diplomacy, and Migration," taking place later this week. We also talked about the Food Festival at the Turkish House, scheduled for November 14. Additionally, we mentioned the upcoming jubilee – 100 years since the founding of SOFC in 1925, which will be celebrated next year.

https://thepavlovictoday.com/op-ed-serbias-diplomatic-voice-in-new-york-city/

Consul General Vladimir Božović had the honor of attending the Lifeline Benefit Dinner, hosted by Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia. The evening was a beautiful celebration of compassion, unity, and a shared dedication to making a meaningful difference for those in need.

At the Consulate General of Serbia, Marc Alessi, Executive Director of  The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, presented efforts to establish the Center as a hub for honoring Nikola Tesla's groundbreaking work for modern technological innovations. We are committed to supporting this vision, advancing scientific innovation inspired by Tesla’s spirit and ethos.

Хвала Марку Алесију, извршном директору Теслиног научног центра у Варденклифу, на инспиративној презентацији њихових активности за српску заједницу. Радујемо се сарадњи у очувању Теслиног наслеђа и подстицању будућих научних достигнућа!

Join us on October 4, 2024, at Columbia University for the M.I. Pupin Pulitzer Prize Conference, commemorating the centennial of *From Immigrant to Inventor*. Esteemed speakers and a film screening will honor Pupin's legacy. Date: October 4, 2024 Time: 7:00 PM Location: 1501 International Affairs Building

M.I. Pupin Pulitzer Prize Conference | The Harriman Institute

Consul General Vladimir Božović had the honor of presenting Serbian passports to Steve and Janet Wozniak, warmly welcoming them at the Consulate General of Serbia in New York. The Wozniaks expressed their excitement about becoming Serbian citizens and their eagerness to promote Serbia’s global image. They also highlighted their initial meaningful discussions with President Vučić, reinforcing their commitment to supporting Serbia internationally.

We extend our sincere admiration and heartfelt gratitude to the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe for hosting a truly spectacular celebration in honor of Nikola Tesla's birthday at the Tesla Expo. We are proud to have been part of this event in honor of this great Serbian-American and benefactor to the world. The exhibition was both immersive and awe-inspiring, and the drone show was a testament to innovation and creativity. The ambitious plans outlined underscore a promising future. We pledge our full support to their commendable efforts.

https://thepavlovictoday.com/no-matter-what-our-flag.../

https://www.politika.rs/.../Gradonacelnik-Njujorka...

Serbian-American Pianist and Actress Takes Stage at Pushkin Hall!

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Serbia, Bulgaria, And Turkey Showcase Balkan Heritage in NYC - The Pavlovic Today

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https://borba.me/generalni-konzul-srbije-u-njujorku.../

https://rtv.rs/.../bozovic-sa-gradonacelnikom-njujorka-o...

Press Release

Meeting between Dr. Vladimir Božović, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, and Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City

New York April 15, 2024

During the cordial meeting, hosted at the historic City Hall of New York, Consul General Božović expressed gratitude to Mayor Adams for their cooperation in declaring February 26th as a Day of Serbian Heritage in New York. He highlighted that Mayor Adams' exceptional gesture received a very positive response both within the local Serbian community and Serbia. He conveyed the enthusiasm of the Serbian community for further joint engagement in promoting common cultural icons like Nikola Tesla and other community activities.

Consul General Božović also briefed Mayor Adams on the progress of the reconstruction of the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava at 20 West 26th Street, following the fire in 2016. He also expressed the Serbian Orthodox Church and community's interest in collaborating with the city administration for the comprehensive reconstruction of this culturally significant landmark in New York.

Consul General Božović invited Mayor Adams to visit Serbia and also extended an invitation for New York City to participate in the Specialized Expo 2027 Exhibition hosted in Belgrade, themed "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All." He pointed out that the unique nature of this event offers an exceptional opportunity for innovative collaboration in various fields. He also conveyed the interest of certain Serbian IT companies in opening their American branches in New York.

Mayor Eric Adams thanked Consul General V. Božović for his engagement and cooperation. He reiterated the commitment of New York City to establish partnership relations with the Serbian community and Serbia. He praised the contribution of the Serbian community to the cultural identity of the city and expressed the desire to explore further opportunities for joint engagement. He expressed gratitude for the invitation to visit Serbia and confirmed his willingness to include the visit in his upcoming European tour. He also emphasized his interest in exploring the proposed forms of cooperation, highlighting his willingness to engage in further communication on this matter.

At the end of the meeting, Consul General Božović signed the New York City Hall honorary guest book.

The meeting between Consul Božović and Mayor Adams is a confirmation of the joint commitment to further deepening the longstanding friendship between Serbia and the United States, laying the groundwork for future joint efforts between Serbia and the city of New York.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Olgica Vlacic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

https://www.glasamerike.net/.../autizam.../7553505.html

Press Release

Consul General Vladimir Bozovic met with Mr. Zoran Knezevic, President of Serbian Academy of Science and Arts (SANU), during his business trip to Belgrade 

New York April 2, 2024

During his ongoing business stay in Belgrade, Consul General Vladimir Bozovic had the privilege of meeting Mr. Zoran Knezevic, President of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts (SANU). On this occasion, Consul General Bozovic expressed enthusiasm about strengthening ties between SASA and American academic circles, emphasizing the importance of fostering intellectual exchange and promoting Serbian talent on the global stage. Discussions centered on enhancing partnerships in research, education, and cultural endeavors, with a focus on nurturing the next generation of Serbian scholars and artists.

Consul General Bozovic also had the honor of attending the presentation of the collected works of Mr. Miro Vuksanovic, a distinguished writer and esteemed member of SANU. Additionally, Consul General Bozovic met Mr. Aleksa Djilas, a prominent intellectual who was one of the leading voices in the Serbian diaspora. Mr. Djilas, son of the renowned writer and Yugoslav dissident Milovan Djilas, shared valuable insights into the political and cultural landscape, as well as intellectual pursuits within the Serbian community abroad.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Olgica Vlacic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Generalni konzul u Njujorku, Vladimir Božović, obezbedio film pod pokroviteljstvom prve dame Tamare Vučić (FOTO) - Quicknews

Press Release

Consul General Vladimir Bozovic at the grand premiere of the film "In a Different Tone", that took place today at the Ilija Kolarac Endowment in Belgrade

New York April 1st, 2024

As part of the observance of International Autism Awareness Day, a grand premiere of the film "In a Different Tone" took place today at the Ilija Kolarac Endowment in Belgrade. This event was initiated by the Consulate General of Serbia in New York and held under the patronage of the First Lady of the Republic of Serbia, Tamara Vucic. The film, authored by Caren Zucker and John Donvan, stands as a true feat in artistic expression, depicting an authentic narrative that explores the realm of autism through the prism of love, understanding, and empathy.

A significant number of parents with their children on the autism spectrum attended the film screening, adding an extra layer of emotional significance to the occasion. Following the screening, a prolonged gathering provided an opportunity for parents to engage with the dedicated advocate of the cause, the First Lady of the Republic of Serbia, Tamara Vucic.

Her commitment was demonstrated by her participation in a special session during the previous session of the United Nations General Assembly on the topic of "Billions Missing in Healthcare Systems: Children and Persons with Developmental and Disability Challenges," held at the New York Public Library and organized by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the non-governmental organization "Autism Speaks." Through collaboration between the Ministry of Health of Serbia and these organizations, Serbia has become part of the pilot project (CST-Caregiver Skill Training).

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Olgica Vlacic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

On the eve of the great Christian holiday of Easter according to the Gregorian calendar, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia Dr. Vladimir Božović had the honor and opportunity to have a conversation with His Eminence, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Belgrade, Monsignor Dr. Ladislav Nemet. In a warm and friendly manner, he extended Easter greetings and best wishes to his brothers of the Roman Catholic faith, conveying to him both personal greeting and regards from His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York and the head of the iconic Cathedral of Saint Patrick in New York.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dačić, ceremoniously presented awards to the winners of the competition for children's works on the theme "I Love Serbia," at the Museum of Serbian Diplomacy. Upon the initiative of the Consulate General of Serbia in New York, in collaboration with the Sector for Public and Cultural Diplomacy, a competition for children's works (essays and poems) was announced, in which ten winners emerged, three from the United States and seven from Serbia.

Minister Dačić presented the winners of the competition with a book about Nikola Tesla and addressed the audience on this occasion. Minister Dačić's address is presented in full:

"Dear students,

It is a great pleasure to have you with us today and to have the opportunity to present you with these symbolic awards for your works on the theme 'I Love Serbia.' All the works that arrived on this topic at our Consulate General in New York represent an additional incentive for all of us to do our jobs even more responsibly, better, and more devotedly. Your touching words about how much you love Serbia are our obligation - to do everything to ensure that your love for our homeland remains with you and that you stay here even when you become adults, and also that your peers around the world never forget where they come from and proudly proclaim their Serbian origin.

Dear children,

In such competitions, there is no winner; there are only words that task us with doing everything to make our Serbia your home that you will be proud of, a country that will enable you to grow up happy and carefree and fulfill all your potentials.

I hope you will enjoy today in the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and I believe that some of you will come back to this building again, as our diplomats.

Once again, congratulations on your wonderful works, and I wish you to continue learning and developing, to love your Serbia, and to be, as always, the pride of your families, the places you come from, and our entire country."

Minister Dačić also presented the title of Tesla Ambassador to American journalist Michael Freud, Greek Ioanna Batsialou, and Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York Dr. Vladimir Božović on this occasion.

Consul General Vladimir Bozovic attended the screening of Mila Turajlic's acclaimed documentary film, "NON-ALIGNED: SCENES FROM THE LABUDOVIĆ REELS" held at Anthology Film Archives in New York City on March 25, 2024. During the post-screening discussion, Dr. Bozovic expressed his admiration for the documentary and praised Turajlic's creative focus on significant yet less known moments from the 20th century. As such, it encourages reflection and fosters dialogue on themes of political emancipation and resistance.

"On the occasion of the terrible terrorist act in Moscow in which innocent civilians and residents of Moscow were killed, on behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York and on my own behalf, I express deep regret and sympathize with the families of the victims, the city of Moscow and the entire Russian people. PhD Vladimir Bozovic Consul General of Republic of Serbia in NY."

The Consulate General of Serbia in New York hosted an enchanting poetry night, extending a warm welcome to esteemed guests from the Serbian community, American publishers, and admirers of Dr. Biljana Obradović's poetry and translations.

Consul General Vladimir Bozovic opened the event with a heartfelt welcome, emphasizing that the Consulate's commitment to supporting cultural and artistic endeavors goes beyond the scope of public diplomacy. He highlighted Serbia's rich heritage and the creativity of its people, both at home and abroad, underscoring that in a city as vibrant and diverse as New York, Serbia has much to offer. He called upon everybody to join hands in promoting our country and community, allowing our culture and art to shine and be recognized.

Looking ahead, Consul General Bozovic expressed his hope for continued engagement and participation in future events hosted by the consulate, as well as larger cultural venues across New York City.

The evening's highlight was Dr. Biljana Obradović’s presentation of her life and artistic journey, from growing up in a diplomatic family to becoming a notable poet, leaving an indelible mark on the literary world. With her Serbian roots and experiences spanning across Greece, India, and the United States, Dr. Obradović's unique perspective resonates deeply with audiences worldwide.

The evening concluded with enriching conversations, captivating poetry readings, and a celebration of Mrs. Obradovic’s artistic expression.

https://qninfo.rs/gk-dr-vladimir-bozovic-prisustvovao.../

As we observe the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombardment of Serbia in 1999, we solemnly honor and commemorate the sacrifices endured by our people. March 1999 to March 2024 encapsulates a quarter-century since our nation endured the illegal and inhuman assault. 

We cannot forget the devastation inflicted upon our sovereign land, then - the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, an internationally recognized member of the United Nations. The bombardment, carried out without the approval of the UN Security Council, remains a stain on the conscience of those who orchestrated it, participated in it, or sought to justify it. May the innocent souls lost during those dark days rest in eternal peace, and may their memory continue to inspire our quest for justice and reconciliation."

As we reflect on this somber milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to justice, truth, and remembrance. We stand united in our determination to ensure that the sacrifices of our people are never forgotten, and that those responsible are held to account.

Let us strive to ensure that the lessons learned from this tragic experience guide us in building a bright future for Serbia and its people, rooted in compassion and integrity.

https://serbiantimes.info/zalost-zbog-terorizma-i-u.../

Upon the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce of Ecuador in America, Consul General of the Republic of Serbia, Dr. Vladimir Božović, participated in the international celebration of International Women's Day, where, alongside marking the 8th of March, the opportunities for economic cooperation with this country were presented. Among other representatives of the diplomatic corps, Consul General Dr. Vladimir Božović greeted the attendees and thanked Ecuador for voting against the entry of so-called Kosovo into UNESCO in 2015, emphasizing positive economic cooperation and the export of products from our IT industry to Ecuador, which is growing from year to year.

Don’t miss Mila Turajlic’s Non-Aligned & Ciné-Guerrillas: Scenes from the Labudović Reels, a documentary diptych of two feature-length films that take us on an archival road trip through the birth of the Third World project, based on unseen 35mm materials filmed by Stevan Labudović, the cameraman of Yugoslav President Tito.
Monday, March 25, at 7:30 PM and Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 am at Anthology Film Archives
http://anthologyfilmarchives.org/film_screenings/calendar

https://qninfo.rs/generalni-konzul-dr-vladimir-bozovic.../

https://www.mfa.gov.rs/mediji/aktivnosti-predstavnistava-srbije/njujork-generalni-konzul-bozovic-sastao-se-sa-nadbiskupom-njujorske-nadbiskupije

https://www.tanjug.rs/svet/politika/79020/bozovic-nadbiskup-njuorske-nadbiskupije-uputio-pozdrave-predsedniku-vucicu-i-patrijarhu/vest?fbclid=IwAR01RoiSEJcW_ArTgA2Iad3GEq473T2tXqfTJC78tO64IkGJMd6tP6nHeBc

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H.E. Mr. Vladimir Božović has signed the Book of Condolence at the Consulate General of Canada on the occasion of the passing of the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, former Prime Minister of Canada. In his message, Consul General V. Božović emphasized that Mr. Mulroney’s leadership and dedication to diplomacy will be deeply missed. He expressed heartfelt condolences to the people of Canada, as well as to Prime Minister Mulroney's family, particularly his wife Mila, who is of Serbian descent.

Press Release

 Consul General Vladimir Božović attended the special event titled "American-Serbian Defense Partnership: From Operation Halyard to Today"

New York, March 06, 2024.

Vladimir Božović, Consul General of the RS in New York, at the invitation of the Embassy of the RS in Washington, attended the special event titled "American-Serbian Defense Partnership: From Operation Halyard to Today." This event took place in the ceremonial hall of the Capitol building in Washington, the seat of the US Congress. As part of this commemorative gathering, the film "The Heroes of Halyard," directed by Radoš Bajić, was screened.

Operation "Halyard," conducted during the Second World War on the territory of present-day Serbia, remains the largest rescue operation of American airmen in history. In 1944, American bombers targeted German oil supplies in Romania. While flying over Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, around 1,500 pilots and aviators were shot down. For months, Serbs in the Pranjani region provided assistance to these downed Americans for months. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor of the CIA, devised a plan to evacuate American pilots in a daring mission coordinated with the Serbian resistance. By August 1944, more than 500 of them had been safely returned behind Allied lines.

The event commenced with a panel discussion moderated by retired Colonel John Capello, president of the Halyard Foundation. The discussion included Serbian Ambassador to the USA Marko Đurić, members of the US House of Representatives, and co-chairs of the Serbian Congressional Caucus Claudia Tenney and Emanuel Cleaver. Also participating were Major General John Harris, commander of the Ohio National Guard, and Nemanja Starović, State Secretary in the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney emphasized the significance of remembering Operation "Halyard" as a testament to the friendship and alliance between the Serbian and American peoples during challenging historical moments. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver highlighted that the shared heroic past should serve as a pledge for the future partnership between the two nations.

Ambassador Đurić particularly underscored that the historical alliance of the two nations in two world wars obligates the continuation of developing their relations based on common achievements and the joint struggle for freedom and democracy.

The screening of "Heroes" evoked strong emotions among the audience, particularly among family members of the real heroes of the Halyard Mission, such as Xenia Wilkenson, daughter of George Voinovich; Stephanie Adams, daughter of Nick Lalich; and JoAnne de la Vera, daughter of George Muslin. All three were American officers of Serbian origin in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and played significant roles in the rescue mission of American and allied pilots from occupied Serbia.

On this occasion, Consul General Dr. Vladimir Božović had the special honor of expressing deep respect for the historical and family heritage of their fathers. He conveyed that the Consulate General he leads will be actively involved in organizing a similar event for the relevant audience in New York in the near future.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

https://nyweekly.com/news/mayor-eric-adams-declared-february-26th-as-serbian-heritage-day-in-the-city-of-new-york/

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RTS :: Vesti :: Na ceremoniji u Njujorku podignuta zastava Srbije povodom Dana srpskog nasleđa

Mayor Eric Adams Proclaims February 26th as Serbian Heritage Day in NYC – La Voce di New York

Press Release

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York organized an official reception to celebrate Serbia's Statehood Day

New York, March 01, 2024.

Last night, at the "Kimberly" Hotel in the center of Manhattan, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York organized an official reception to celebrate Serbia's Statehood Day, marking the occasion for the first time since the restoration of Serbia's state independence in 2006.

The reception was attended by over 250 guests, including numerous representatives of the City of New York, the New York Chamber of Commerce, the business community, the UN and diplomatic-consular corps, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Serbian diaspora.

Consul General Vladimir Božović and Deputy Mayor and City Secretary for International Cooperation Edvard Mermelstein addressed those present.

Consul General Vladimir Božović emphasized the historical and symbolic importance of February 15 - Sretenje for the establishment of modern Serbian statehood. He said that marking this day is a tribute to the spirit of freedom and the state-building endeavors of the Serbian people.

He emphasized that together with the celebration of Sretenje in the Heart of New York, we are also celebrating the historic alliance between Serbia and the USA, as well as the achievements of the Serbian community in the USA, especially the American Serbs in New York. He recalled examples of the historical alliance between the two countries, as well as the uniqueness of the Serbian community in New York. In this context, he stated that a particularly strong confirmation of the historical foundation of relations between Serbia and the USA occurred on July 28, 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the Day of Prayer for the Serbian People and ordered that the Serbian flag be flown over the White House in honor of the victims of the Serbian people and alliance between the USA and Serbia during the First World War. It should also be recalled that during the Second World War, as part of Operation "Halliard", the largest rescue operation in American history, with the help of Serbs from the Pranjani region, more than 500 downed American airmen were safely returned behind Allied lines.

Consul General Vladimir Božović pointed out that it was a special honor for him that recently in New York, during his mandate, another significant and historical reminder of this friendship took place. At the flag-raising ceremony, New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared February 26, 2024, Serbian Heritage Day. He noted that these events, the proclamation of Serbian Heritage Day and the raising of the Serbian tricolor in Boling Green Park, a place of historical importance for the USA, were the first of their kind in the history of Serbian-American relations within the city of New York. With that, the mayor E. Adams and the City of New York expressed deep respect for Serbia and the Serbian people, as well as recognition of the historical contribution of the Serbian community to the social, economic and cultural profile of New York.

Consul General Vladimir Božović especially underlined that no slanderous campaign, regardless of its intensity, can diminish this legacy, the reputation of Serbia in the USA or the improvement of bilateral relations between the two countries. He indicated that Serbia's commitment to fostering friendship and improving partnership with the United States and New York remains unwavering. In this context, he emphasized that the recent assumption of the post of the Consul General of Serbia in New York is an honor which provides him with a unique opportunity to represent R. Serbia, not only in this cosmopolitan city, but also in the consular area that covers a significant part of the USA. In accordance with the strong mandate he received from PR RS A. Vučić and the Government of Serbia, he expressed his personal commitment to providing a full contribution to the improvement of bilateral relations between Serbia and the USA to a strategically appropriate level, appropriate to our common values and mutual interests. He announced the additional engagement of the Consulate General towards American partners with the aim of affirming relations in all areas for which there are significant potentials - from economic cooperation, through cultural exchange to more comprehensive political understanding. He especially emphasized that in his interactions with American officials and relevant business circles, he emphasizes that Serbia is not asking for US help, but economic engagement based on attractive and sustainable investment opportunities. Serbia's credibility in this regard is confirmed by the fact that our country is a leader in the region in attracting foreign investments, as well as that it is regulation-wise open to American investors and the accompanying business standards.

Consul General Dr. Božović noted that this approach is an integral part of Serbia's foreign policy, to jointly address open issues and existing challenges in the region through cooperation with the US, in a way that reflects shared values and aspirations.

Deputy Mayor of New York and City Secretary for International Cooperation E. Mermelstein thanked for the invitation and the opportunity to convey the congratulations of Mayor E. Adams. He assessed that the history of relations between the two countries is impressive, and that American Serbs, especially the Serbian community in New York, had a special contribution in this regard. He pointed out that on this occasion, not only exceptional personalities like Nikola Tesla are celebrated, but also all Serbian immigrants who arrived in New York in the last 200 years. He emphasized that New York is enriched by their contribution in all spheres of public life, which is why the identity of this city also includes a rich Serbian heritage. The aforementioned obligates to respect and provide further contribution to the relations between the two countries and the role of the Serbian community in the City of New York. In this context, he pointed out that the city management is very enthusiastic about the possibility of further communication and cooperation with the representatives of R. of Serbia and members of the local Serbian community.

The speeches were preceded by the performance of the Serbian and American national anthems by Sophia Morel. The special highlights of the reception were the performance of members of the KUD "Opančići", as well as the jazz duo Vlada Dinić and Miloš Čekić (piano and saxophone). During the evening, the song "Tamo daleko" was performed by Korean artist Juhyun Lee. The repertoire of the jazz duet included numerous traditional Serbian songs, which particularly impressed the famous British-Indian-American actress Tehmina Suni who was among the attendees. The guests had also the opportunity to enjoy Serbian specialties.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

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"Mr. Edward Melmestain, Commissioner of City of New York for international cooperation,

Your eminence, Bishop Irinej,

The Honorable members of the City Council,

Excellences and esteemed colleagues,

My fellow Serbians,

Dear Guests,

Welcome and thank you for joining us today at the reception marking the National Day of the Republic of Serbia.

Two weeks ago, on February 15, the hearts of Serbia and Serbs across the globe beat in unity as we marked the anniversary of the Serbian Revolution. It was on that memorable Sretenje day in 1804 that Djordje Petrovic, famously known as Karadjordje, led the First Serbian Uprising. On the same day in 1835 under the leadership of Prince Milos Obrenovic, another founding father of modern Serbia, the Grand National Assembly adopted the Sretenje Constitution, at the time one of the most progressive legal documents of this kind.

These landmark dates have been crucial in establishing Serbia as a proud member of the community of independent nations and a loyal friend to all who stand for freedom and human dignity.

It is for these reasons that on this day, we pay tribute to the resilience and spirit of the Serbian nation.

Today, as we honor this special occasion in the heart of New York, we also celebrate the bonds of friendship with the U.S and this great city. I cannot help but feel a profound sense of pride speaking about the resilient connection between Serbia and the United States, shaped by our common history. In times of global conflicts, Serbia and the U.S. have stood together as loyal friends, committed to doing what's right.

A powerful confirmation of this friendship occurred on July 28th, 1918, when President Woodrow Wilson declared a Day of Prayer for the Serbian People. He also ordered the Serbian flag to fly over the White House in honor of the sacrifice made by the Serbian people and the enduring alliance between the United States and Serbia during the First World War.

The same alliance grew stronger in World War II. In 1944, for months, brave Serbs in the Pranjani region hid and protected American airmen shot down during their flights targeting Germany's oil supplies in Romania. With their help, during Operation Halyard—the biggest rescue operation of its kind in American history—more than 500 American airmen were safely returned behind the Allies' lines.

It is my honor and privilege to say that yet another reminder of this friendship took place here in this great city just three days ago. At the flag-raising ceremony, on behalf of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, February 26, 2024, has been declared Serbian Heritage Day. This event was the first of its kind in the history of Serbian-American relations within the City of New York.

Mayor Adams' noble gesture signifies a profound respect for Serbian-American relations and recognizes the historical contributions of Serbian communities to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of New York City.

Indeed, the American Serbs and the Serbian community have a lot to be proud of - from Djordje Šagić, known as George Fisher, a hero of the Texas Revolution, Mihailo Pupin, a luminary at Columbia University, Nikola Tesla, the visionary inventor, to Mladen Sekulovic known as Karl Malden, a legendary actor, Charles Simic renowned American poet to Marina Abramovic, a global icon of the art of performance, the Serbian community has left its notable mark across various chapters in the history of the United States and New York City.

Tonight's gathering is a testament to this legacy as well.

I feel compelled to emphasize that no smear campaign, regardless of its intensity, can diminish this heritage, Serbia’s reputation in the US, or the advancement of our bilateral relations.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Serbia’s commitment to fostering friendship and promoting partnerships with the United States and New York City remains unwavering.

The position of Serbia’s Consul General provided me with a unique and honorable opportunity to represent my country in this great nation and remarkable city and contribute to the goal close to my heart – bringing our relations to the historically suitable level, appropriate to our common values and joint interests.

I am proud to have the full support of President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Government, who have entrusted me with a strong mandate.

One of my priorities at the new position will be comprehensive engagement with the US partners aimed at mutual objectives and interests. The possibilities are boundless. From economic cooperation to cultural exchange to more comprehensive political understanding.

Allow me to emphasize that the message I share with the city administration and the relevant business circles underlines that Serbia is not asking for US aid but economic engagement based on attractive and viable investment opportunities. My country is economically and in terms of regulation wide open to US investors and eager to embrace their business practices and standards.

This is fully in line with Serbia's policy to address longstanding issues and newly raised challenges in the region through cooperation with the US, as a reflection of our common values and joint aspirations for a better future.

 At the end, allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our distinguished guests, diplomats, and friends of Serbia who have joined us this evening. Your presence here underlines the strength of our relationships and the importance of collaboration in today's world.

Certainly, my special gratitude goes to the members of the Serbian community, leaders of its organizations as well the representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

I would particularly like to thank Commissioner Edward Melmestain for honoring us tonight with his presence. I had the privilege to raise with him the Serbian and the American flag at the ceremony on Monday. He is a great friend of Serbia and the Serbian Community in New York.

I invite you to join me in raising a glass to the friendship between Serbia and the US, the well-being of this great city, and the peace, prosperity, and success of Serbia and the Serbian people.

Long live Serbia,

Long live United States,

Long live New York

I invite Commissioner Edward Melmestain to take the floor.

CONSUL GENERAL

VLADIMIR BOZOVIC, PhD"

Press Release

Mayor Eric Adams declared February 26^th as Serbian Heritage Day

in the city of New York

New York, February 26, 2024

At the flag-raising ceremony, on behalf of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, February 26, 2024, has been declared Serbian Heritage Day. This event signifies the first of its kind in the history of Serbian-American relations within the City of New York.

Mayor Adams' proclamation signifies a profound respect for Serbian-American relations and acknowledges the historical contributions of Serbian communities to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of New York City. The ceremony was held in the very center of New York - Bowling Green Park, a place of significant historical events for the USA and the city of New York. This is the first event of this kind in New York in the history of Serbian-American relations. During the ceremony, the flags of Serbia and the USA were symbolically raised together with the anthems of the two countries being sung. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the City of New York, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the diplomatic corps, and the Serbian diaspora. Notable speakers at the ceremony included Consul General V. Božović, City Commissioners Edward Mermelstein and Manuel Castro, and Gordana Vunjak Novaković, a Columbia University professor and recipient of the Sretenje Medal.

Commissioners Mermelstein and Castro highlighted the significant role American Serbs have played in the development and progress of New York City, expressing confidence in their continued contributions to the city's prosperity and fostering stronger relations between New York and the U. S. with Serbia. They reiterated their appreciation for Serbia's proud heritage and the historically close ties between the two countries.

Consul General V. Božović expressed gratitude to Mayor Adams for proclaiming February 26 as Serbian Heritage Day. He pointed out that just two weeks earlier, on February 15, Serbia and the Serbs around the world marked the anniversary of the beginning of the Serbian Revolution (1804) and the adoption of the Sretenje Constitution (1835), the first supreme legal document of the Serbian modern state. These historic dates have firmly established Serbia as a proud member of the league of free nations and a steadfast ally to all who champion the cause of liberty and human dignity.

Consul General Bozovic also emphasized that throughout history, throughout history, Serbs were part of the immigrant waves that reached American shores. From Djordje Šagić, known as George Fisher, a hero of the Texas Revolution, Mihailo Pupin, a luminary at Columbia University, Nikola Tesla, the visionary inventor, to Mladen Sekulovic known as Karl Malden, legendary actor, Charles Simic renowned American poet to Marina Abramovic, global icon of the art of performance, the Serbian community has left its notable mark across various chapters in the history of the United States and New York City.

Consul General Bozovic particularly underlined that today's ceremony was a touching display of the deep respect of Mayor Adams and his team for the Serbian flag and all the sacrifices made in its honor. The declaration of the Day of Serbian Heritage on February 26 has additional symbolism, considering that on the same day, the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Saint Simeon or Stefan Nemanja, the progenitor of the holy line of Nemanjić, the Serbian medieval dynastic family.

In closing, Consul General Božović expressed his optimism for further strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation between Serbia and the City of New York, echoing the support received from the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Serbian Government.

The ceremony, led by Lazar Paroški, President of the American branch of the Organization of Serbian Students Abroad, featured performances of traditional Serbian songs and dances by the Serbian folklore society "Opančići."

Additionally, on this occasion, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia proudly announced the permanent placement of the Serbian flag on the building of the Consulate General in Manhattan.

At the flag raising ceremony R. Serbia, on behalf of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, February 26, 2024 has been declared Serbian Heritage Day. This is the first event of this kind in the City of New York in the history of Serbian-American relations

The proclamation by Mayor Adams is an expression of deep respect for Serbian-American relations and recognition of the historical contribution of Serbian communities to the overall social, economic and cultural identity of the city of New York. The ceremony was held in the very center of New York - Bowling Green Park, a place of significant historical events for the USA and the city of New York. This is the first event of this kind in New York in the history of Serbian-American relations. During the ceremony, the flags of Serbia and the USA were symbolically raised together with the anthems of the two countries being sung. 

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the City of New York, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the diplomatic corps and the Serbian diaspora. In addition to the general consul V. Božović, city commissioners Edward Mermelstein ane Manuel Castro, as well as Gordana Vunjak Novaković, professor at Columbia University and recipient of the Sretenje Medal, addressed the audience. In their respective speeches, commissioners Mermelstein and Castro emphasized  that American Serbs have always played a significant role in the built-up  and progress of New York. They expressed their conviction that the Serbian New Yorkers will continue to provide their recognizable contribution to the prosperity of this city and even stronger relations , of New York and the USA with Serbia. In this context, they re-emphasized their appreciation of the proud heritage of Serbia and historically close relations between the USA and Serbia.

Consul General V. Božović emphasized his plaseure and grattitude Mayor Adams, for the fact that Mayor Adams,in recognition of Serbia and the Serbian community in New York, proclaimed February 26 as Serbian Heritage Day. He pointed out that just two weeks earlier, on February 15, Serbia and the Serbs around the world marked the anniversary of the beginning of the Serbian Revolution in the 1804 and the adoption of the Sretenje Constitution, the first supreme legal document of the Serbian modern state.  These historic dates have firmly established Serbia as a proud member of the league of free nations and a steadfast ally to all who champion the cause of liberty and human dignity.

Consul General Bozovic also emphasizedthat throughout history, throughout history, Serbs were part of the immigrant waves that reached American shores. From Djordje Šagić, known as George Fisher, a hero of the Texas Revolution, Mihailo Pupin, a luminary at Columbia University, Nikola Tesla, the visionary inventor, to Mladen Sekulovic known as Karl Malden, legendary actor, Charles Simic renowned American poet to Marina Abramovic, global icon of the art of performance, the Serbian community has left its notable mark across various chapters in the history of the United States and New York City. 

He particularly pointed out that today's ceremony is a touching display of the deep respect of Mayor Adams and his team for the Serbian flag and all the sacrifices made in its honor. The declaration of the Day of Serbian Heritage on February 26 has additional symbolism, considering that on the same day the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Saint Simeon or Stefan Nemanja, the progenitor of the holy line of Nemanjić, the Serbian medieval dynastic family.

At the end, Consul General Bozovic his own enthusiasm and optimism regarding the contribution to the further development of relations between the two countries and cooperation with the city of New York, in line with the strong mandate and support he has received form the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian Government.

The ceremony was led by Lazar Paroški, president of the American branch of the Organization of Serbian Students Abroad. On this occasion Serbian folklore society "Opančići" performed traditional Serbian songs and dances.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia also is proud to share that for the first time in more than twenty years, for marking “Sretenje” as the national day of Serbia this year, a flag was placed on the building of the Consulate General of the RS on 45th Street in the center of Manhattan.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Mayor Eric Adams Declares February 26 As Serbian Heritage Day In New York City - The Pavlovic Today

The conversation was attended by Dr. Aleksandar Bošković, lecturer at the Harriman Institute, and Lazar Paroški, president of the American branch of the Association of Serbian Students Abroad.

https://fb.watch/qdUv4HtuRs/

H.E. Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Božović PhD, attended a ceremonial reception last night at the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Washington, D.C., in celebration of the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia. On this occasion, he had the opportunity to meet with various diplomats, representatives of the Serbian business and scientific community, business professionals, and numerous representatives of the American administration. He reminded them of the speech of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, at the last session of the United Nations Security Council and the need to hear and respect Serbia's perspectives on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the need to strengthen strategic cooperation with the USA, on which H.E. Ambassador Marko Đurić has been working diligently until now, and for which the Consul General expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

https://x.com/SRBinUN/status/1755827574473712060?t=3NpkTgWqN5HyxotJRYZ_Ag&s=08

Kindly confirm your attendance by February 23^rd  at  rsvpcgserbianyc@gmail.com.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Press Release

Consul General Vladimir Bozovic at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC

Washington DC, February 1st, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, was one of the guests at the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton hotel on Thursday, February 1.

The National Prayer Breakfast is one of the most well-known and longstanding prestigious events in the United States, with the purpose to bring together people of different religions and political beliefs from around the world in the capital city of the U.S., Washington D.C, in the spirit of the values ​​promoted by Jesus Christ during his earthly life, calling for love and peace among people. At the same time, it represents the largest gathering of political, national, and religious leaders in the world after the United Nations General Assembly.

President of the United States, Joe Biden, addressed those present, stating that peace in conflict-affected regions of the world is not only in the prayers but also in the actions taken to find peaceful solutions.

This year, participants in the National Prayer Breakfast included numerous distinguished individuals, entrepreneurs, diplomats, political, and religious leaders from as many as 127 countries worldwide, including the Republic of Serbia. In addition to the Prayer Breakfast itself, guests participated in several seminars: "Reconciliation and Forgiveness," "Promoting Care and Support for People living with Disabilities," "First Nations: When the Land Hears," "The Essence of Jesus' Teaching to His Followers" "Religious Freedoms," as well as a seminar dedicated to children worldwide who have grown up in orphanages and found new families.

On the sidelines of the event, Bozovic met with a large number of participants from Balkan countries and other parts of the world who, despite other differences, are all united by their love for God, respect for faith, and a shared idea greater than everyone – peace for all people, regardless of their origin, national identity, faith, or political orientation.

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York is participating in several seminars today, placing special emphasis on religious freedoms and freedom of speech, as the foundations of the United States. During all of his meetings, Bozovic emphasized and promoted these values that are also cherished by both the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian people.

"It is a great honor for me to be here today, in the company of esteemed diplomats, political, and religious leaders from around the world. I am happy that organizers recognized my wish to contribute to the reconciliation of people in our region and all other conflict-affected areas. Today, more than ever, we need to be united in our love for God, regardless of which God we worship, and to refrain from any further escalation of conflicts in the world," said Bozovic after the National Prayer Breakfast.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Press Release

Bozovic on cooperation with the Consulate General of Mexico

in New York

New York, January 31st, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, had a conversation with his Mexican counterpart, Jorge Islas Lopes, about the cooperation between the two consulates in the upcoming period.

Bozovic spoke to the Consul General of Mexico in New York about his impressions of the Mexican people, stating that he has always admired the pride and dignity of Mexicans. He expressed gratitude for Mexico historically standing by the Serbian people.

Islas Lopes told Bozovic that the Mexican Consulate is considered to be very busy among the consulates in New York, especially considering the large Mexican diaspora living and regularly arriving in the city. He emphasized that the Consulate is mostly occupied with providing assistance to its people regarding the documentation necessary for living in the U.S. Additionally; he mentioned that significant attention is given to educating Mexican citizens about their rights in the U.S. as well as the healthcare.

Islas Lopes told Bozovic that Mexico has the ambition to be among the top economies in the coming years (currently among the ten largest economies in the world) and expects an influx of around 80 billion dollars in foreign investments in the next 4-6 years. Bozovic informed his Mexican colleague that he would be happy to discuss possibilities for business connections between successful individuals from Serbia and Mexico, as well as to explore opportunities for increased investments resulting from stronger and more organized collaboration between the two countries. Bozovic mentioned his close friendship with the current Mexican ambassador in Serbia and his predecessors, adding that he plans to visit Mexico soon.

The meeting was also attended by the Mexican Consul for Political and Public Affairs, Carlos Gerardo Izzo, and the Consul in charge of documentation, Maria Angelica Amador Meza-Calix.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

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(Marija Nikolic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Press Release

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York participated in the ceremony of 'Giorno della Memoria'

New York, January 29th, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, participated in the traditional public reading of the names of Jewish people who were deported from Italy and other territories under Italian command during the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini.

The ceremony, titled 'Giorno della Memoria,' started with a traditional Jewish prayer, and took place in front of the Italian Consulate in New York. Bozovic, along with other participants, including a large number of diplomats from other countries such as Consuls General of Germany and France, read some of the names of Jews who experienced tragic fates during the war years of the twentieth century. Additionally, Giorno della Memoria commemorates the day of 1945 in which Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet Army. European countries and the United Nations observe this day with a variety of programs and ceremonies organized to create awareness about this challenging period in history, foster social dialogue, and counter racism, discrimination, intolerance and xenophobia in today's societies.

Prior to the event, Bozovic was on an official visit to the Consul General of Italy in New York, Fabrizio di Michele, who officially invited him to participate in the 'Giorno della Memoria' ceremony.

After the conclusion of the ceremony, Bozovic informally engaged in conversations with several diplomats present and subsequently held an official meeting with the Consul General of Canada in New York, Tom Clark. During the meeting, Clark expressed gratitude for the significant contribution of the Serbian diaspora to the development of modern-day Canada, stating that he believes it is essential to enhance relations between the two countries on all levels, not just among major cities. Clark and Bozovic discussed international political developments, agreeing that the defense of liberal democracy would be a priority for all modern societies in the next decade. The two consuls exchanged experiences in diplomatic service and committed to mutual support in future activities of the consulates of Serbia and Canada in New York.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

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Press Release

Bozovic at the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust and on an official visit to the American Jewish Committee

New York, January 26th, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, had several significant meetings with representatives of the Jewish community in New York on Thursday and Friday.

The Consul General was welcomed at the American Jewish Committee, founded almost four decades ago with a mission to protect and support members of the Jewish community worldwide. Through its global network spanning six continents, this organization achieves its goals through various forms of diplomatic activities, strategic communications, and building friendly relationships with different ethnic and religious communities around the world.

Bozovic spoke to the hosts from the American Jewish Committee about the great respect and admiration he holds for the Jewish people. He agreed that in the last few decades, it has never been more important to highlight the danger of antisemitism as one of the most extreme forms of anti-civilizational social issues. He emphasized that this is a threat not only to the Jewish community but to the entire world. The hosts of the meeting were thrilled by the level of interest shown by the Consul General. They expressed great satisfaction upon hearing about the levels of security and integration of Jews in the Republic of Serbia.

The American Jewish Committee expressed readiness to connect with groups both from the Republic of Serbia and those operating within the larger Serbian diaspora who share similar goals. They also made a friendly request for Serbia to continue maintaining a strong protection for the members of the Jewish people living within the country's territory.

On Friday, the Consul General attended the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Accompanied by the Chargé d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the United Nations, Sasa Mart, Bozovic represented Serbia at the event. On this occasion, they paid tribute to all victims of the Holocaust worldwide, as well as to all victims of the Holocaust and genocide in the territories of both the Republic of Serbia and the former Yugoslavia.

Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in New York

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(Marija Nikolich, +1 212 596- 4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Press Release

Bozovic visits the consulates of Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Italy

New York, January 25th, 2024

This Wednesday, the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, made his first official visits to the consulates of Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Italy in New York.

Luisa Pais Lowe, the Consul General of Portugal in New York, briefed Bozovic on her previous diplomatic experience in the Balkans and praised the tradition of Serbian diplomacy, stating that she believes the Republic of Serbia has had excellent diplomatic representatives throughout history. Bozovic told Pais Lowe about his stays in Portugal, which were related to participation in numerous high-level conferences, and expressed his admiration for fado music and Portuguese culture. The two then discussed both the ways in which Serbian and Portuguese traditions are presented in New York and the possibilities for closer collaboration between the two consulates in the near future.

During the conversation with the Consul General of the Czech Republic, Arnost Kares, Bozovic and his Czech colleague exchanged views on recent global events and concluded that the past decades have brought Serbian and Czech people closer in many aspects. Both nations fought for democracy, independence, and the preservation of identity during years when this was a challenging task in different regions of Europe. Bozovic particularly praised the fantastic neighborly relations between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, stating that they serve as an excellent example for others on how two societies can continue to coexist beautifully and functionally as neighbors after the dissolution of a former common state. Kares informed Bozovic that his country is celebrating 25 years of NATO membership this year, which is one of the important circumstances receiving attention. Bozovic mentioned to Kares that EU membership and strategic political and economic partnerships with the U.S. are now priorities for the Republic of Serbia in international relations.

At the end of the day, the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia met with his Italian counterpart in New York, Fabrizio Di Michele, with whom he discussed the priorities of his mandate in New York. Being a consul who has been living and working in New York for several years, Di Michele assured him of his support. The Consul General of Italy invited Bozovic to attend the "Giorno della Memoria" ceremony next Monday, dedicated to the memory of members of the Jewish people who were deported from Italy and other territories under Italian command during the tumult of conflict in World War II. This ceremony is traditionally held every year in front of the Consulate General of Italy in New York. Bozovic gladly accepted the invitation and informed Di Michele about his close relationships with numerous friends and family members who are professionally and personally connected to Italy.

To all the colleagues he visited, Bozovic presented gifts from the Republic of Serbia – Serbian Chardonnay and a book about the great scientist Mihajlo Pupin. At the end of the day, he concluded that fantastic collaboration can be achieved with the consulates of Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Italy. These are three states with which the Republic of Serbia has good relations at the highest level. He emphasized the significance of having all three colleagues with extraordinary, longstanding experience in diplomacy, both in New York and in duties worldwide.

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolic, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Press release 

Bozovic and Vanden Bulcke talked friendship and cooperation between Serbia and Belgium

New York, January 24th, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, was in the first official visit to the Consulate General of Belgium in New York on Tuesday afternoon.

The Consul General Filip Vanden Bulcke first thanked Bozovic for the visit, stating that such visits are not very common among colleagues in New York, and so he was extremely pleased with Bozovic's initiative to meet. He then briefed Bozovic on the scope of his work, as the Consulate General of Belgium in New York, within its jurisdiction, is responsible for as many as 23 federal states in the U.S. In addition, they discussed the numerous trade offices that operate under the umbrella of the Consulate General of Belgium.

Afterwards, the two discussed Serbia and its path towards the European Union, as Belgium has recently taken over the EU presidency. Bozovic confirmed that Serbia's strategic interest is EU membership, as well as strengthening friendship with the United States, which Vanden Bulcke welcomed. Vanden Bulcke then spoke about the positive experience with American investments in the pharmaceutical sector in Belgium.

Bozovic also mentioned his intentions for an initiative to erect a monument to Nikola Tesla in New York, one of priorities in his mandate. Vanden Bulcke considered it an exceptional idea, stating that although such initiatives take time, they are worth the effort.

The friendly discussion was followed by a photo session, during which Bozovic presented gifts from the Republic of Serbia to his colleague from Belgium – the Serbian Chardonnay, and a book about the great scientist Mihajlo Pupin.

The two agreed that there are no issues in the relations between the two countries, opening opportunities for stronger collaboration between the consulates in New York. They promised each other to meet at future events organized by the consulates representing their respective countries.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York                                         

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolich, +1 212 596- 4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

Press release

The first official meeting of Vladimir Bozovic and Camilla Mellander

New York, January 23^rd, 2024

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, held the first official meeting with the Consul General of Sweden in New York, Camilla Mellander.

They agreed that it is of great importance that there are no issues hindering the further development of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which simultaneously enables more intensive cooperation between the two consulates in the near future.

On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, Bozovic expressed special gratitude for Sweden being a home to a large number of Serbian citizens who, due to various circumstances, have continued their lives in one of the friendliest countries in Europe. He particularly thanked Sweden for welcoming Serbian people with open arms and praised the country for being recognized in Europe as one of the most positive examples of accepting foreign nationals and integrating them into Swedish society. He also commended the reputation of the Swedish Ambassador in Belgrade, Annika Ben David, for her dedication and commitment to Serbian society.

After expressing gratitude for Sweden's continuous support in strengthening the human rights of vulnerable groups in the Republic of Serbia, Bozovic briefed his Swedish counterpart on the priorities of his mandate in the United States. This included plans for one of the greatest scientists of all time, Nikola Tesla, to get a monument erected in New York, which Mellander viewed as a fantastic initiative.

Both agreed that the Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, strongly welcomes the activities planned by the two consulates and provides his support for their implementation. Mellander informed Bozovic about the latest business trends of many large Swedish companies and their positive experiences with the city of New York.

At the end of the meeting, Bozovic and Mellander agreed to meet again soon to discuss opportunities for further collaboration in more detail.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York                                         

For media inquiries, please contact:

(Marija Nikolich, +1 212 596-4241, officecgnyc@mfa.rs)

(13) Deca srpskog porekla u poseti konzulatu Srbije u Njujorku - YouTube

Earlier today, the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, presented a Christmas gift sent by the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, to the Bishop of Eastern America Irinej.

The Consul General visited the Bishop of Eastern America Irinej after spending the most joyous holiday among Orthodox Christians, Orthodox Christmas, in his homeland, in Belgrade, surrounded by family and friends.

"It was extremely important for me to visit the Bishop of Eastern America Irinej immediately upon returning to my duties in New York and present him with a special gift from the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic. On behalf of the Republic of Serbia, I expressed gratitude for the immeasurable role that the Serbian Orthodox Church plays in preserving the identity of the Serbian people in today's world. Despite all the challenges it faces, the Serbian Orthodox Church manages to maintain a high position among the institutions that enjoy the greatest trust of the citizens of Serbia, both in our homeland and here in New York, as well as among our people throughout the United States of America. That is why it is an honor for me to mark my return to work in the New Year in this way. I believe there is a lot of symbolism in that, and I expect that in 2024, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York and the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the joint support of our strong diaspora and the Republic of Serbia, will achieve many significant results that we will all be proud of when this year ends," said Consul General Vladimir Bozovic after presenting the gift and conveying warm regards from the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

https://rtv.rs/sr_lat/drustvo/skup-u-njujorkeru-tesla-zasluzuje-mesto-u-istoriji-kao-prometej-modernog-doba_1508860.html?fbclid=IwAR03hHzK15Q21Nc-blsFNF4LRqdwcIGVQuN4h8FRnc6CSrnz9OMMimeY4pI

https://www.glassrpske.com/cir/novosti/svijet/skup-na-menhetnu-posvecen-nikoli-tesli/503332?fbclid=IwAR2N4KsPbdhHil1znlGEEYbS2o7wqrdtEfve1ReHTdoxOoO9nVFbSLmLDBw

https://rtv.rs/sr_lat/drustvo/skup-u-njujorkeru-tesla-zasluzuje-mesto-u-istoriji-kao-prometej-modernog-doba_1508860.html?fbclid=IwAR2-VQ6SXxL4bjhMshMwAePeDw47_brTmFbJTjesu1f894bVnLwPT5JhohY

https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/594037/Skup-u-Njujorkeru-Tesla-zasluzuje-mesto-u-istoriji-kao-Prometej-modernog-doba?fbclid=IwAR1hLF1pQ4yreGLQQeTWSdcQZE1jgOhNJeonzWkaBfbq1RR5-Ncvtp0M9rs

https://lat.sputnikportal.rs/20240113/skup-u-njujorkeru-tesla-zasluzuje-mesto-u-istoriji-kao-prometej-modernog-doba-1166333063.html?fbclid=IwAR20Wz6l2o8M8I7OfBZzGkDxQ5l9Ns_A3B_MyDpab_T3MOIS5ZaJaWz_tC8

Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Vladimir Bozovic, had a series of significant official meetings this Friday, January 12th.

The meetings, held separately with Bozovic’s counterparts from Greece, Norway, and Denmark in New York, aimed to foster mutual cooperation and enhance bilateral relations.

During the meeting with the Consul General of Greece, Dinos Konstantinou, Bozovic emphasized the strong bond between the two Balkan nations and expressed gratitude to Greece for the support the country has provided to the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian people during challenging years in the recent past. Konstantinou warmly thanked Bozovic for this gesture, hoping that this day marks the beginning of even closer ties and stronger cooperation between the two countries and their representatives in New York.

Consul General next met with the Consul General of Kingdom of Norway in New York, Heidi Olufsen. The two agreed that bilateral relations between the two countries are very good, and Bozovic expressed gratitude for the assistance and continuous support that Norway provides to Serbia through numerous projects, which has intensified in recent years, following the efforts of the Republic of Serbia to fully integrate into the EU.

Finally, this afternoon, Bozovic met with the Consul General of Denmark in New York, Berit Basse, who briefed him on the trends in public and cultural diplomacy of her country.

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, speaking after the meetings, expressed optimism about the outcomes achieved and regarded them as a significant step toward further strengthening diplomatic ties. These meetings served as a platform to develop new connections, establish new partnerships, and promote understanding, contributing to the overall advancement of Serbia's bilateral relations with Greece, Norway, and Denmark.

On the occasion of the passing of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Consul General Dr. Vladimir Bozovic signed the condolence book, which was opened on this solemn occasion at the premises of the Consulate General of the State of Kuwait in New York. On this occasion, Consul General Dr. Bozovic wrote: "On behalf of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian people, as the Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, I express condolences to the people and the State of Kuwait on the death of Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah, who was an example of modesty and sacrifice for his people and country."

H.E. Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York dr Vladimir Bozovic had a productive meeting today with Acting Consul General of India Dr. Varun Jeph.

A warm and fraternal meeting today between H.E. Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic, and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America. Strengthening bonds and fostering friendship between our communities.

Consul General Dr. Vladimir Božović visited the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Sava and our community in Boston for his first official visit. During his stay, he attended the holy liturgy, celebrated with the choir, participated in the church committee's work, and explored the activities, including the Serbian language school for ages 3 to 13. Consul General Vladimir Božović expressed gratitude for the warm reception and hospitality, pledging full, active, and dynamic cooperation.

HE CONSUL GENERAL DR. VLADIMIR BOZOVIC AT A WORKING VISIT TO THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. SAVA AND OUR NUMEROUS COMMUNITY IN BOSTON.

Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Božović, met today with the Consul General of Austria in New York, Mrs. Helene Steinhäusl, fostering diplomatic relations and cooperation.

A warm, fraternal meeting and conversation between Consul General dr Vladimir Bozovic and Acting Consul General of North Macedonia, Mr. Nikola Gjorchev. Both sides expressed mutual readiness for further development of cooperation in achieving common goals and enhancing bilateral relations.

Consul General dr Vladimir Bozovic had a cordial and friendly meeting with the Consul General of Romania in New York, Mihaela Simona Florea, reflecting the amicable relations between our peoples and states. Agreed on full cooperation and mutual assistance for the benefit of our nations and citizens.

Consul General Dr. Vladimir Bozovic met today at the Turkish Consulate General in New York with Consul General Mr. Reyhan Özgür. Consul General Özgür welcomed Dr. Bozovic and expressed interest in mutual cooperation. Özgür then showed Dr. Bozovic around the Turkish House, a luxurious 36-story skyscraper housing the Consulate General, UN Mission, and the center for Turkish cultural activities. Mr. Özgür emphasized the Serbian Consulate General's welcome to Turkish Consulate events and openness to joint initiatives. Dr. Bozovic thanked Consul General Özgür for the warm welcome and expressed openness to future collaborations and joint endeavors.

The Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in New York, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic, attended the Liturgy and patronal celebration of the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin in New York, following an invitation from His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. During this occasion, Dr. Bozovic met with Metropolitan Nicholas and members of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad from London, Germany, Canada, and the USA.

At this event, Consul General, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic also met with our Venerable Bishop of Eastern America, Irinej, who represented the Serbian Orthodox Church and served alongside Mitropolitan Nicholas and members of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

During a warm reception and discussions, Consul General, Dr. Vladimir Bozovic familiarized himself with the work of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in the USA and worldwide, highlighting the traditionally good relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York.

Consul General Dr. Vladimir Bozovic participated in @PISecurityForum, where discussions revolved around the most significant geostrategic and security threats and challenges to global security. Alongside Bozovic Serbia was represented by People's Deputy of the National Assembly Prof. Dr. Zoran Dragisic.

At the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, Inc., Consul General of the Republic of Serbia, Dr. Vladimir Božović, was warmly received with attention by the president @AmnaAlmuhairy and members of the executive committee, leading to a very productive and successful session.

RSVP

Consul General dr Vladimir Bozovic had an extremely cordial and constructive conversation with the Consul General of Bulgaria in New York, Mr. Angel Angelov, which confirmed our good bilateral relations.

It was a pleasure this morning at the Consulate General in New York, to host Mr. John Cappello, president of the Halyard Mission Foundation. Mr. Cappello informed the Consul General Dr. Vladimir Bozovic about all the activities of the Mission, which the Consul General fully supported.

AN APPEAL TO THE SERBIAN DIASPORA TO HELP #TSCW TO SAVE TESLA’S LEGACY

Consul General Dr. Vladimir Bozovic had a very productive, open and friendly conversation with his Hungarian colleague HE Consul General István Pásztor, who in this way once again confirmed the extremely good and friendly relations between our countries and peoples.

New York, November 22^nd, 2023

This morning, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York was deeply saddened to receive distressing news regarding the fire at the Tesla Science Center in Shoreham. The Consulate General wishes to convey its profound shock and disbelief in the face of this incident. While awaiting official information and the results of the ongoing investigation, our primary concern is to express solidarity and support to our friends at the Tesla Science Center during these challenging times.

            Consul General Vladimir Bozovic, along with the Consulate General team will be fully committed to providing any necessary assistance to the Tesla Science Center in the coming period. Our thoughts are with all those who hold deep respect and admiration for the invaluable work and dedication demonstrated by the Tesla Science Center in preserving the legacy of Nikola Tesla, a great Serbian-American inventor.

           Amidst the shocking news, our heartfelt hopes go out to the injured firefighter, and we express our sincere wishes for a swift and complete recovery. While grateful that no lives were lost in this tragic event, we acknowledge the severity of the damage, the full extent of which remains uncertain at this moment.

          Consul General has promptly informed President of Serbia and the Government officials about this incident. The Republic of Serbia will be committed to responding in a manner befitting the gravity of the situation. In the coming days, Consul General will be visiting the Tesla Science Center to personally convey genuine support to all those affected by this horrible event.

             In conclusion, the Consulate General remains confident that what happened today will not affect the ongoing restoration efforts of Nikola Tesla's last laboratory. Instead, we anticipate that this event will serve as a unifying force, bringing together individuals from all walks of life to celebrate the enduring legacy and achievements of Nikola Tesla for years and decades to come.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia

Consul General

Dr. Vladimir Bozovic

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Tamara Vujovic, Consul: +1(646) 744-4117, tamara.vujovic@mfa.rs)

Last night Consul General of Serbia in New York dr Vladimir Bozovic had an honor to attend the fourth #SerbianPhilanthropicGala in the heart of Manhattan. In a dedicated commitment to prioritize the welfare of children, this year's Gala focused on channeling support towards projects vital for their health.

Consul General wants to extend his sincere gratitude to the #SerbianPhilanthropicAssociation, as well as to all individuals and organizations, for their noteworthy charitable contributions to this year's Gala.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia played a role as the main communications partner for the fourth Serbian Philanthropic Gala. It is truly inspiring to witness the impactful collaboration of the Serbian diaspora when united for noble causes.

The inaugural day in the capacity of Consul General in New York was a success and he is looking forward to everything that comes next.

We are proud to have taken part in this year's International Food Festival organized by the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, and hosted by the Consulate General of Turkey in New York. With great pleasure, we presented some of the Serbian national specialties, as well as our rich tradition and culture.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today in Geneva the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, the first of its kind in the Western Balkans.

The agreement was signed at the headquarters of that forum by Director of the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment Mihailo Jovanovic and Managing Director and Head of the Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Jeremy Jurgens.

The centre in Serbia will be the 16^th in the network of centres of the World Economic Forum in the world and the first in the region of the Western Balkans.

The new centre will start operating on 1 March and will function as a non-profit organisation and a platform for public-private partnership and cooperation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while the focus of work will be on artificial intelligence and bioengineering.

This centre will work within the Serbian government’s Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment and will cooperate with scientific institutes, state institutions and the private sector.

The signing of this document was also attended by founder and Executive Director of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and President of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende, with whom Brnabic had previously met.

Addressing the press, Brnabic pointed out that this agreement is the result of many years of joint work between Serbia and the World Economic Forum.

We started talking in 2018, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, then 2020 hampered us a bit, but we continued to plan in 2021 and here we are today, she said.

According to her, the centre will be focused on the development of artificial intelligence, biomedicine and biotechnology, and on the ways in which digitalisation can raise the productivity of companies and the entire economy.

This is what further leads to higher salaries, a better standard of living, as well as to an economy that is mainly based on knowledge, creativity and innovation, Brnabic emphasised.

Today, we have received great recognition for everything that Serbia has done in the field of digitalisation, development of high technologies and paradigm shift – from an economy that was based on labour-intensive investments to digital development.

That is why this agreement shows that Serbia has been recognised as one of the leaders in the economy and IT industry in the last six years, the Prime Minister pointed out and assessed that this is the announcement of the beginning of an even closer cooperation between Serbia and WEF.

She added that they will have a joint meeting with the 16 WEF centres for the fourth industrial revolution in the world every month, at which they will talk about what each of them is doing, since each has a different focus.

That is how we will hear what everyone is doing every month, learn from each other and I am sure that the centre in Belgrade will be one of the best, the Prime Minister said.

According to her, this gives us visibility, the opportunity to further establish Serbia as an investment destination, a country good for living and investing in new technologies and knowledge.

Jovanovic said that the ecosystem formed around the centre will use the infrastructure of the National Platform for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Genome Sequencing and the future bioeconomic centre – BIO4 Campus.

At the end of his visit to Chicago, where he spent the Christmas holidays with members of the Serbian diaspora, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Serbia would deal more intensively with the needs of Serbs living outside the homeland.

"We came here not to ask anything from the members of the diaspora, but to hear from them what they expect from the motherland and what Serbia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region can do for them", Selakovic said.

According to him, one of the most numerous Serbian communities in the world lived in Chicago and its surroundings, which is connected by a very strong patriotic feeling and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which had been active in that area for more than a century.

“I was able to see that our people here have an extremely high potential. And that is what we have to work on much more in the future, on establishing even greater national unity, even stronger ties with the motherland - the Republic of Serbia, and to work much more on promoting what Serbia is today”, the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

On the second day of Christmas, Selakovic visited the oldest Serb organization in this part of the USA - the Serbian National Defense, talked to members of various associations of the Serbian people and participated in the celebration of the patron saint day of the Republic of Srpska.

Minister Selakovic pointed out that the visit to Chicago was also an invaluable opportunity to meet with representatives of the business community in this part of the United States, who have the desire and need to invest and increase their capital in different parts of the world.

Selakovic underlined that this was an opportunity to promote Serbia as one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and a country that is the absolute regional leader in attracting foreign investments.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković told the Serbs in Chicago that the compatriots in the diaspora and the region are one of the absolute priorities for the state of Serbia and for him personally.

Minister Selakovic, who is spending the Christmas holidays with Serbs living in Chicago, spoke with representatives of associations, organizations and prominent individuals from the Serbian diaspora at the headquarters of the Serbian National Defense Council (SND).

In the conversation, he stated that Serbia's attitude towards the largest Serbian community outside the homeland, in the United States, went through different phases - from the persecution of people who had different views and different ideals through complete negligence to the time periods when some state officials visited the diaspora only to seek for help for themselves or for the people.

He also pointed out that Serbia has not had a Consul General in Chicago for eight years, whose duty is to meet with citizens, talk to them and to listen to them as there is a huge potential in the Serbian community in that city.

Saying that there will not be many of us if we divide, quarrel and do not understand each other, the Minister stated that last year he had about 400 meetings with foreign officials who were interested in how Serbia grew from a country with no perspective into what it is today, which, he said, it had succeeded through work and the creation of unity.

"After we managed to consolidate the situation at home, we can now turn to other things and our diaspora and expatriates take an important place in this context," Selaković said.

He also conveyed to the those gathered that President Aleksandar Vučić said that last year Serbia attracted more than four billion dollars of direct foreign investments, which is a record that surpassed the best 2019 so far. 

Minister Selaković said that he came to Chicago on Christmas, a holiday that is spent with the family and not visiting, because he was among his own people.

"I feel that way from the very first moment. I came to hear what you have to say, to hear what your troubles are, problems, how you see Serbia today and in what context and in which way it needs to pay more attention to you," the Minister said.

Welcoming the guests, the President of the SND in the USA, Dragan Vujosevic, said that this was a historic event since for the first time official representatives of the motherland met Serbs at the headquarters of this oldest Serbian association in the USA, which was founded by Mihajlo Pupin at the beginning of the last century.

The Consul General of Serbia in Chicago Damnjan Jovic said that the goal was to save Serbian organizations from extinction, to restore the old splendor and importance of SND and other associations.

The Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Arnaud Gouillon pointed out that for him Christmas was a holiday when the family gathers and that since 2015, when he decided to be converted to Orthodox religion together with his daughter Milena, Christmas has been the Orthodox and spiritual holiday for him that he likes to celebrate where he feels more spiritual.

That is why, he said, he often celebrated Christmas in Kosovo and Metohija, in the Gracanica or Visoki Decani monasteries.

"When we celebrated Christmas, this time in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Chicago, the feeling was the same as in Kosovo and Metohija, the feeling that we were all in a great sanctuary, even though this one was not in Serbia, but it was spiritually connected with the Serbian people" he underlined.

He also mentioned the famous scientist Mihajlo Pupin, the founder of the SND, saying that today the people who speak, think and dream in Serbian and live in the USA are his successors.

"Many other communities have blended into, but you are proof that the Serbian community, although well integrated, has not forgotten its roots. That's because Serbs, in addition to preserving their language, also have their Orthodox faith, Saintsavahood, the Kosovo Myth and associations that have been functioning and bringing together all people on this continent for decades," Gouillon said.

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković attended the premiere of the documentary "The Last Hero of Halyard" in Chicago on Christmas, which tells the story of the fate of George Vujnovich, the only American war hero of Serbian origin who rests in the country of his ancestors.

The screening of the film and the reception, organized by the Consulate General of Serbia and the Halyard Mission Foundation at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library in downtown Chicago, were attended by numerous Americans, representatives of the Serbian diaspora and the diplomatic corps.

On that occasion, Minister Selaković stated that the film spoke about the primordial closeness between Serbian people and their allies in the Second World War, and that it aroused a sense of pride and sadness because the heroic operation to rescue American pilots in Serbia has not been known for decades.

"In this way, we revive the memory of those people and show the genuine humanness of the Serbian people while celebrating a kind of our historical alliance and friendship with the United States," Selaković said.

As he pointed out, today we are witnessing what will one day be history, and President Aleksandar Vučić and the Government of Serbia are making efforts to further develop cooperation with the United States, to build a new partnership in the times to come.

"I am convinced that many forgotten pages of our common history will come to the fore only in the time ahead. This was a special moment for our Serbian community in the United States, and especially here in Chicago, and a unique way to celebrate Christmas and our alliance and friendship. "Selaković said.

Minister Selaković celebrated Christmas in Chicago with Serbian diaspora, attending the Christmas liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America and the clergy in the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković celebrated Christmas with Serbian diaspora in Chicago.

Minister Selaković and Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Arnaud Gouillon attended the festive Christmas liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America and the clergy in the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.

The Cathedral exuded a festive atmosphere and the Serbs who were in attendance said they were pleased that a representative of their motherland was with them in Chicago for Christmas for the first time.

Speaking to Tanjug News Agency, they said that the visit would contribute to strengthening the ties between the Serbian diaspora in the United States and the motherland.

"Christmas is very important for us Serbs. It means a lot to us that a delegation from the homeland is with us," an elderly Serbian woman said.

Her compatriot, who came to the liturgy from Milwaukee pointed out that the unity of the Serbian people was important as well as the visit of Minister Selaković, adding that Gouillon was a "great Serb".

Serbs from Chicago welcome the arrival of the head of Serbian diplomacy, pointing out that the state should always be with its people, including with the diaspora.

"We are always happy when they come for a visit. We support our government, which is blessed by God and which should continue along the same line," he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković met today in Chicago with the representatives of some of the largest companies from that city and presented the economic potential of our country, primarily the benefits and opportunities provided to investors.

Selaković stated that Serbia has had the fastest growing economy in Europe in the past two years, that, despite the pandemic, it has remained stable in terms of public debt and that it is convincingly the first in the region when it comes to foreign investments level.

As he explained, the progress of the Serbian economy is the result of numerous reforms initiated at the time when the incumbent President Aleksandar Vučić was at the head of the government, primarily fiscal consolidation but also extensive changes in the education system.

Selakovic said that Serbia offers excellent conditions for business development in many areas, especially in the IT sector which has achieved impressive growth in the last five years and continues to grow.

According to him, the fact that German companies in our country employed around 17,500 workers only a few years ago speaks of the attractiveness of Serbia as an investment destination, and that today about 74,000 people work in German companies in Serbia.

Minister Selaković explained that Serbia offers excellent benefits to investors from the USA, favorable tax conditions but also fewer administrative obstacles than EU countries, adding that companies such as Microsoft and Amazon already operate in our country, and that NCR employs as many as seven thousand people.

He also pointed out the importance of infrastructure development in Serbia, emphasizing that ten highways are currently being built, which will completely change the way and quality of life and business doing in our country.

He added that Serbia is also unique with regard to the fact that every potential investor is received by the president or prime minister and that an efficient system of protection of investments against corruption has been created, while the comparative advantage of our country is numerous free trade agreements.

Minister Selaković also informed his interlocutors about the epidemiological situation and the measures that Serbia is taking in the fight against the corona virus, emphasizing that, through concrete assistance, we have expressed solidarity with our neighbors and many countries worldwide.

The Director of the World Business Chicago Michael Fassnacht said that the citizens of Chicago were proud of the fact that the city was home to the largest Serbian emigrant community in the United States as well as of the established partnership with the twin city of Belgrade.

Representatives of Chicago companies had a number of questions about the specific conditions for investing in Serbia.

Minister Selaković also had the opportunity to visit the DRW Holdings where he learned in more detail about the economic potential of Chicago, primarily about the financial sector.

Minister Selaković arrived in Chicago, together with the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region Arnaud Gouillon, to spend Christmas with the Serbian emigrant community. The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also includes Assistant Minister for Economic Diplomacy Miroslav Knezevic.

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic spent Christmas Eve at the New Gracanica Monastery in Chicago where he attended the liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America.

After burning the Badnjak (Yule log) in the churchyard, Selaković talked with the members of the Serbian diaspora.

On this occasion, Selaković said that he was honored to spend Christmas with the Serbian diaspora in the State of Illinois, noting that in the past representatives of our country were visiting that part of the world in order to seek some sort of assistance and expressed his desire to present Serbia as it is today-a lively and proud Serbia that experienced its full renaissance in the time of Aleksandar Vučić.

According to him, Serbs are well established in this part of the United States, they have achieved many life and professional successes and are closely following the progress of Serbia and increasingly want to return to their homeland.

"It is our task to show that Serbia is a mother to her children wherever they are and that their return to Serbia is always desired," Selaković said.

Bishop Longin said that it was encouraging that for the first time a representative of the Government of Serbia came to Chicago for Christmas, where the Serbian people, although geographically far from the motherland, are faithful and loyal to the name of Serbia and Orthodox faith.

"I believe that this day will remain inscribed in golden letters in our annals here. "I have a feeling that the time has come for the representatives of the state not to come expecting support and help from the Serbs, but to come and ask what the state can do for them," the Bishop said.

The liturgy was also attended by the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region Arnaud Gouillon. The Delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia will also attend today the Christmas service at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox  Cathedral.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended tonight the opening of the exhibition entitled "Twenty Years of Partnership / Creating Together" on the occasion of marking 20 years of partnership between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Republic of Serbia.

Some of the partnerships from the past two decades were presented in photographs and videos at the Yugoslav Cinematheque, and the opening of the exhibition was attended by Serbian Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic, US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey and USAID Mission Director Susan Fritz.

On that occasion, Brnabic pointed out that USAID is a partner not only of the government of Serbia, but also of businessmen and companies.

Godfrey said USAID's support for small businesses ranges from providing equipment and technology to helping improve their products, better connect and conquer domestic and foreign markets.

Fritz underlined that Serbia has proven to be a strong development partner and that it is planned to continue cooperation in the next five years on the foundations that have been set together.

It was pointed out at the ceremony that USAID invested $882 million in Serbia, which are intended for the economic and democratic development of our country, and as announced, that cooperation will continue in the future.

All travelers, no matter their nationality, that are arriving to Serbia form countries of special risk of spread of Covid-19 virus ( 1. South Africa 2. Botswana 3. Zimbabwe 4. Namibia 5. Lesotho 6. Mozambique 7. Malawi), are allowed to enter Serbia if they present one of the following documents:

1) Negative PCR test result for presence of SARS-CoV-2, not older than 48 hours from the date of issuing, which is issued by a competent national laboratory in country from which they are arriving from, if there is a delay in entering the Republic of Serbia, which cannot be attributed to the passenger's fault, but is a consequence of an external event that could not have been foreseen, avoided or eliminated – delay of the flight, the departure of buses, trains, etc., then the test cannot be older than 72 hours when entering the Republic of Serbia).

2) Certificate of completed vaccination issued by the Republic of Serbia, i.e. a foreign state with which the Republic of Serbia has concluded an agreement on the recognition of vaccination (GREECE, HUNGARY, ROMANIA, SLOVENIA*, TURKEY, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, CZECH REPUBLIC) or with which there is a de facto reciprocity in the recognition of the vaccination certificate (ANDORRA, ARMENIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, CABO VERDE, CROATIA, CYPRUS, EGYPT, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GEORGIA, GERMANY, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, LEBANON, LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA, MALTA, MOROCCO, MOLDOVA, NETHERLANDS, SAN MARINO, SLOVAKIA, SPAIN, SWITZERLAND, TUNISIA, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, UKRAINE).

3) Certificate of overcome COVID-19 disease – a certificate or other public document stating that the holder of the document has overcome the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, i.e. that this person has been diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, provided that no less than 14 days and no more than six months may elapse from the first test, issued by the Institute of Public Health established for the territory of the Republic of Serbia, i.e. the competent authority of the state with which the Republic of Serbia has concluded an agreement or de facto reciprocity on the recognition of such documents (ANDORRA, AUSTRIA, BULGARIA, GREECE, DENMARK, CROATIA, ESTONIA, IRELAND, ICELAND, CABO VERDE, LIECHTENSTEIN, LUXEMBOURG, GERMANY, ROMANIA, SAN MARINO, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SLOVENIA, TUNISIA, TURKEY, SWITZERLAND, SPAIN).

FOREIGN CITIZENS arriving from countries of special risk, or that have been in a country of special risk within the last 14 days prior to entering Serbia, must also additionally present:

1) An e-mail received after registration via following link www.ezdravlje.gov.rs , section „Foreigners Surveillance Registration“, as a proof of successful registration prior to arrival to Serbia.

2) Filled in and personally signed statement of consent  of acceptance of quarantine measures at home 

ALL TRAVELERS will be subjected to a 14-day home quarantine with a mandatory testing within the first 24 hours from entry and on the 7^th day from the start of the measures. Testing will be done by the Institute of Public Health at the expense of the person being tested (negative result is not a condition for release from quarantine). If no symptoms appear within those 14 days, quarantine measures end without a need for additional testing.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that severe examples of endangering the Serbian cultural, historical and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija are proof of the important role of UNESCO in protecting and preserving heritage.

At the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, Brnabic emphasized that four jewels of the Serbian medieval cultural heritage in Kosovo – Visoki Decani, Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica and Bogorodica Ljeviska, have been preserved thanks to the fact that they are inscribed on the endangered world heritage list. Hundreds of other sites and monuments are endangered.

The Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is of immeasurable importance, not only for the national identity of Serbia, but also as a part of the esteemed European and world heritage, she underlined.

"Your Excellences,

distinguished delegates,

dear Sarah, 

At the very beginning, I feel obliged to thank Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Her Majesty’s Government for exceptional hospitality.

I feel privileged to represent the Republic of Serbia at this important place and at the highest-level world forum, in working on the most important topic of today – promoting climate awareness.

We all agree that we must make investment into climate and environment.

We all, likewise agree, that future generations must be educated in order not to repeat the mistakes we made, by hurting the only Planet that makes life possible.

I am very honoured that the Republic of Serbia is co-chairing this year’s Conference as a Non-EU representative of the Eastern Europe Group.

In concrete terms, we see the special contribution of our expert team in finalising negotiations on the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which refers to the establishment of the global market and non-market mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to remaining provisions referring to advanced transparency framework and common timeframes for Nationally Determined Contributions, which are the key provisions of the Agreement that have not yet been covered by the decision that is to be adopted by the Conference, i.e. all member states.

We, therefore, believe that this is an exceptional opportunity for Serbia to give its full contribution to the finalization of negotiations, which, we hope, will secure full implementation of the Paris Agreement.

As a result of strong economic development, modelled for Serbia by 2050, the impact of the implementation of climate measures to employment will be optimal, through new jobs creation and creation of new industries which have not existed so far.

One billion euros was raised at the first green bonds auction in Serbia, which clearly confirms the trust of international investors in our green agenda, but also to the economic and political stability of our country.

Incomes from green bonds issuance will be used for financing renewables, energy efficiency, sustainable water management, prevention of pollution and circular economy development and biodiversity preservation.

And as you can see, dear friends, my people made a terrific speech for me, but I am going to add a few more words and a few more questions for those that are coming from big powers and that haven’t answered yet several questions:

Number one is: how are we going to finance all these activities?

We’ve heard the story of trillions of dollars that are at our disposal. My question would be: what would be the interest rate, what would be the terms for taking these amounts of money, and actually how are we going to tackle that issue?

Number two: how are we going to treat the nuclear power plants? Are we going to shut them all or are we going to build them more?

Then, how are we going to build more renewables if we already started endorsing populist movements against wind parks, new hydropower plants, and are we going to put in jeopardy the level of our public debt to GDP ratio if we raise huge amounts of money?

How are we going to treat natural gas, and how are we going to secure decent prices of natural gas and electricity power as well?

And, I came here using an electric car from Edinburgh to Glasgow. But, how are we going to do mining and refining of lithium, nickel, cobalt and many other very important minerals?

In the end, we all know what is our final aim, what is our final target. But, it’s not a fairytale – we’ll have to work a lot, we’ll have to be 100 per cent dedicated, and we’ll have to be more honest with each other.

The health of people living in Serbia depends directly on the implementation of this Agenda, just like the health and life of each living being on Earth depends on arrangements that will be reached here and on national implementation of the respective arrangements.

Perhaps it is the right time to listen and hear the cry of Mother Earth because if we lose this race against time, our children will inherit an irreparably polluted Planet.

Thank you very much for listening to me."

Tonight, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, visited together with US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey the night works on the construction of the bridge over the West Morava on the part of the Moravian Corridor from Pojate to Kruševac, whose total length will be 112 kilometers in three sections.

During the tour of the works, the President talked to the workers, whom he thanked for working at night under the spotlight, so that the project would be realized in accordance with the planned dynamics and added that the Moravian Corridor is currently the largest and best organized construction site in Serbia, which will also be the widest highway that will connect a large number of cities and municipalities in Serbia.

"I want to thank our American and Turkish friends who organized the work on this section between Pojate and Krusevac, in an incredible way", said the President and reminded that the significance of this project is primarily in attracting additional large investments.

The project itself envisages the construction of 117 major road construction facilities, of which 86 bridges and underpasses, 29 overpasses, as well as 11 traffic loops.

"This highway is the heart of central Serbia! The largest construction site in Serbia and the best organized one, with 450 people working only in the night shift", pointed out President Vučić and added that this is a project that is being carried out "once in 100 years".

Ambassador Godfrey congratulated the contractors who will ensure that this project is carried out "according to the highest standards and in the shortest possible time" and added that "significant and wise investments in highways will make Serbia an important factor in the region and Europe".

"The Moravian corridor is also an important signal to foreign investors that Serbia wants a fair game and top quality products", said Ambassador Godfrey, adding that "the United States are proud of their cooperation with Serbia".

This is also the first digital corridor in Serbia, on the construction of which more than 2,000 workers of the "Bechtel-Enka" consortium were engaged, of which over 1,000 foreigners. Nearly half a million people gravitate towards this road, and the new Pojate-Preljina highway will connect the West with Central Serbia, passing through Cicevac, Varvarin, Krusevac, Trstenik, Vrnjacka Banja, Kraljevo and Cacak. Residents of Cicevac, Varvarin, Krusevac, Trstenik, Vrnjacka Banja, Kraljevo and Cacak will directly feel the benefits of its construction.

The tour of the works was also attended by the Minister of Construction, Tomislav Momirović, and the directors of the companies Corridors of Serbia and Roads of Serbia, Aleksandar Antić and Zoran Drobnjak.

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,

I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate. I would also like to thank the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible, pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve lasting peace, stability and security in the Province.

Mr. Tanin,

Please accept the expressions of our gratitude for your engagement and the cooperation we achieved during your term of office.

Mr. President,

Deep regret and concerns are raised by the fact that the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija in the past period has been marked by an increasing number of various ethnically motivated attacks and incidents targeting Serbs, which was also stated in the Report; that the provisional institutions of self-government (PISG) in Pristina continue to take unilateral steps and refuse to implement the agreements reached in the Brussels dialogue; and that institutional discrimination against Serbs, attacks on the sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the undermining of the economic sustainability of Serb communities in the Province have continued.

We are witnessing that dangerous provocations by Pristina are taking place every day, at an accelerated pace, thus seriously threatening the safety of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and directly violating the agreements and arrangements reached within the Brussels dialogue.

The latest violent incursion of the so-called ROSU units into the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, on 13 October, is the ninth incursion of its kind. Tear gas, shock bombs and unbridled violence are becoming a matter of everyday life for Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and that must be stopped immediately.

In the last attack with firearms and chemicals used by Pristina special forces, 71-year-old Verica Djelic died as a result of chemicals used in the intervention, 10 unarmed civilians were wounded, one of them 36 years old Srećko Sofronijević was critically wounded in the back with of an automatic rifle. A three-month-old baby, who miraculously remained unharmed, was also the target of the shooting.

The false excuse for the latest unilateral action, as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell called it, was the fight against organized crime and smuggling. Ladies and gentlemen, Serbia is strongly against organized crime and smuggling, but the members of the UNSC should know that such an important and general global goal, which we all share, was cynically used for an armed attack on unarmed civilians, which began with an automatic rifle raid of pharmacies in which patients of Serbian and other nationalities are supplied with vitally important medicines. Four days before the local elections in Kosovo and Metohija, in order to gain votes in an irresponsible and inhumane way, fully motivated by separatist goals, the current PISG regime used medicines on which people’s lives depend to prove its position on the status contrary to UNSCR 1244.

Only a few days earlier, another provocation on the part of Pristina led to a dangerous crisis, when personnel of the so-called ROSU unit, armed with long firearms and reinforced with armoured vehicles, were deployed to administrative crossings between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija - Brnjak and Jarinje – in order to remove Serbian license plates and replace them with temporary ones, thus violently preventing the free movement of citizens.

These events do not fall within the reporting period covered by the latest Report of the UN Secretary General on the work of UNMIK, but it is incumbent upon us to address them on this occasion, in order to have everyone understand how dramatic the situation on the ground has been and how serious the consequences of Pristina's unilateral actions can be.

The incursions of heavily armed Pristina police formations, composed exclusively of Albanians, into the north of Kosovo and Metohija, under various pretexts and motives, with the use of excessive force, are provocations that have an extremely dangerous potential to destabilize the already sensitive security situation on the ground. The goal of the latest incursions of Pristina’s special force personnel into the north of the province was to provoke the Serbs and additionally intimidate them with a demonstration of force, as well as to provoke Belgrade to react hastily in some way.

It is obvious that with such moves Pristina aims to erase the 10 years of dialogue, which is the only way to resolve open issues. These provocations once again demonstrate that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, not only do not intend to implement everything agreed in the Brussels dialogue, but that their goal is to completely deny dialogue as a means of resolving problems. An effective response to Pristina's lack of credibility and their dangerous play with fire, which could have unforeseeable consequences, cannot be provided by calling on "both sides" for constructiveness and restraint, which has long been a manner in public communication of some important factors in the international community. There is only one source of destabilization, it has a name – and that is the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina - and after the events of 13 October, it is clear that it can and needs to be stopped by urgent and decisive action of the international community. It is now quite obvious that these are no longer sporadic and isolated provocations by Pristina, but that this is an organized campaign of ethnically motivated violence and discrimination against Serbs.

We also express our concern over the latest imposition of tariffs by Pristina on certain products originating from central Serbia, which was made public on 8 October. We remind you that the unilateral decision of Pristina to impose duties on products from central Serbia in November 2018 resulted in a de facto complete trade blockade and a long-term stalemate in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. In contrast to Pristina, which persistently seeks to raise barriers towards central Serbia through unilateral acts, Belgrade is persistently and consistently working to liberalize the flow of people, goods, services and capital, which is the basic goal of our "Open Balkan" initiative. North Macedonia and Albania joined this initiative, but Pristina did not.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

In the period from March to September this year, which is covered in the latest Report, close to 100 ethnically motivated attacks were carried out against Serbs, their private property, religious and cultural heritage sites. The increase in the frequency of attacks was accompanied by the strengthening of the intensity of ethnically motivated violence, which more and more often targets children, the elderly, women, the few returnees present there, as well as churches and other property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

This systematically intensifies the ubiquitous sense of insecurity of the remaining Serbs, but also deters potential returnees, who are in fact being told that local Albanian communities can attack them with impunity and prevent them from returning to live in their own homes.

The most striking example of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is the case of the displaced person Dragica Gašić, who moved into her apartment in the municipality of Djakovica again in early June. In that town – to which local Albanians proudly refer as a place forbidden to Serbs - Ms. Gašić, on her return, first faced physical and verbal attacks by citizens of Albanian nationality living there. Instead of being provided protection, that seriously ill woman then became a victim of institutional persecution as well, that the local self-government bodies and the police unleashed against her. Since this is a person who is the first and only Serb returnee to Đakovica after more than twenty years, it was to be expected that, at that moment, at least civil society organizations would attempt to protect her rights. However, NGOs from Djakovica soon joined the activities aimed at the expulsion Ms. Gašić, including those receiving funding from international donors for projects related to strengthening democracy and the rule of law.

I must also mention the latest attack on the house of the only remaining Serbian woman in the center of Pec, retired teacher Rumena Ljubić, whose windows were stoned twice in just 24 hours on 13 October.

Dragica's and Rumena’s fate is a frightening reflection of the real situation of human rights that almost every one of over 200,000 displaced Serbs and non-Albanians would face in Kosovo and Metohija - provided that they gather the courage to return to their homes in the Province after more than twenty years. I would like to remind you again that since 1999, only around 1.9% of internally displaced Serbs and other non-Albanians have achieved a sustainable return to Kosovo and Metohija.

Therefore, I believe that the aforementioned will encourage the members of the Security Council and the international presence on the ground to devote priority attention in the future

to the issue of the return of displaced persons, which is an important part of the UNMIK mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

I therefore thank the Secretary-General in particular for keeping this extremely important issue in focus and for calling again, in the conclusions of his Report, for the creation of conditions for the sustainable return of internally displaced persons and the sustainable reintegration of returnees.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, including monuments that, due to their exceptional value but also constantly being subject to threats are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, are still among the most endangered cultural heritage in Europe.

I wish to recall that there are over 1,300 Serbian churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija. Attacks on Serbian cultural and religious heritage are at the same time attacks on the identity of Serbs in the Province and directly affect their sense of safety.

A striking example of disrespect for Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province is the case of the Visoki Decani monastery. The monastery, which has been the target of attacks and shelling several times since 2000, is still secured by KFOR forces due to being under a threat. It is faced with a series of hostile actions, and the perpetrators are not deterred by the fact that this is a World Heritage Site. Despite frequent declaratory statements, even the decision of the so-called "constitutional court" of the PISG in Pristina five years ago confirming ownership of Visoki Decani Monastery over 24 hectares, is not respected. We welcome the assessment made by the UN Secretary General in his Report.

Dear Mr. President,

The Republic of Serbia remains committed to finding a compromise political solution, as prescribed under Resolution 1244, which will ensure lasting peace and stability. We firmly believe that dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached are the only right way to resolve all open issues.

As a state committed to the respect for international law and a member of the United Nations, Serbia opposes any attempt at establishing an artificial balance between the parties in the dialogue, as well as the relativization of responsibility for unilateral acts.

We note with concern that not even eight years after reaching the Brussels Agreement, the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities has not been initiated, although Belgrade has fulfilled all its obligations under that agreement.

There are also numerous and repeated examples of Pristina violating or obstructing agreements reached in dialogue, in the areas of energy, justice, freedom of movement and visits by officials.

One such example is the verdict sentencing Ivan Todosijevic to two years in prison, which is also pointed out in the Secretary General's Report. The Brussels Agreement was directly breached, which was also stated by the representatives of the European Union. With its conduct Pristina caused immeasurable damage to the reconciliation process in Kosovo and Metohija.

Despite the interpretation from the European Commission that this is a violation of the Brussels Agreement, because Todosijevic had to be sentenced by a panel consisting of the majority of judges of Serbian ethnicity, Pristina still does not take any action in this regard.

Pristina also continued with the practice of banning Serbian officials from entering the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

We believe that it is important that the international community, and especially the European Union, as the guarantor of the agreement, firmly insists that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina start implementing all the agreements reached.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

As before, the Republic of Serbia remains fully committed to resolving the issue of missing persons, as also demonstrated through full cooperation with relevant international mechanisms as well as participation in the work of the Working Group on Missing Persons. We expect that the representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina will fulfill their obligations.

Bearing in mind everything I delivered here today in my address, we hold the position that the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, is still necessary. In addition to UNMIK, the presence of KFOR as the main guarantor of security and EULEX, due to its engagement in the field of the rule of law, is also important. I would like to emphasize once again that Serbia fully supports respect for international law, comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and activities of UNMIK in an undiminished scope and with adequate financial resources, so that the Mission fulfills the mandate entrusted to it under the Resolution.

Thank you.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the opening of the most modern technological campus of the NCR company in New Belgrade today, which will employ more than 5,000 people. This campus is also the largest in Europe, covering an area of about 30,000 square meters, and it will be a center for the development of new technologies, while the total value of the investment was more than 100 million dollars.

During the tour of the company's premises, President Vučić stated that Serbia has managed to preserve a large number of young talents in the country exactly thanks to companies such as NCR.

"This is a great day for Serbia! It took many years, effort, work and energy to reach this beautiful opening today", said the president, expressing special gratitude to American partners, who have recognized Serbia as a great place to invest and work.

"I am grateful to our American friends for recognizing Serbia, this was also one of our dreams. NCR is the largest American employer in Serbia. The most important thing for us is that those 5,000 young people will stay in their country and plan their future here", said President Vučić.

According to Marija Živanović Smith, one of the company's executives, 85 percent of employees are "millennials" – young people aged 25 to 40.

The new business center of this American company was built according to the highest standards of "smart construction", and the cornerstone for the campus was laid in May 2019.

NCR is an American corporation that is also a world technological leader in providing high quality and professional support to companies in various industries, including companies in the field of finance, tourism, catering and telecommunications.

The Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, and the US Ambassador to Belgrade, Anthony Godfrey, also visited the campus today.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, has met in New York today with the President of the American Jewish Committee, David Harris.

The interlocutors stated that the friendship of the Jewish and Serbian people was honest and traditional.

Selaković emphasized that Serbia was the first European country to adopt the Law on Remedying Consequences of Seizure of Assets from Holocaust Victims. Moreover, he reminded that Serbia was the first country to support Balfour Declaration from 1917.

The Minister said that he was pleased with the fact that the Israel business community was present in Serbia at a very high level.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stated that the USA was one of the most important foreign trade partner of Serbia and that the engagement of Ambassador Đurić strengthened those connection in the year when we celebrated 140^th anniversary of bilateral relations of our two countries.

The Minister emphasized that Serbia wanted to have the best relations with the USA as well as their improvement, especially in the field of economy and increase of US investments in Serbia.

Selaković introduced his interlocutor to the success of economic reforms of Serbia in the past seven years emphasizing that Serbia was the promoter of a positive agenda in the region. According to his words, it primarily referred to “Open Balkans” initiative.

Selaković said that economy might relax political relations and highlighted the gratitude of Serbia to the USA for the support to this initiative.

The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Serbia in the USA, Marko Đurić

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, has met in New York today American Congressman Eric Swalwell.

Minister Selaković informed Congressman Swalwell on the dedication of Serbia to European integrations and reform process of our country emphasizing the results of economic reforms achieved in the previous seven years.

Selaković thanked Congressman Swalwell for the positive standpoint, dedication and true friendship. The interlocutors discussed also the investments in Serbia and partnership of Serbia and the USA.

The Serbian Foreign Minister introduced the Congressman on the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija emphasizing the dedication of Serbia to the dialog and peaceful and compromised solution to open issues. Selaković added that the regional stability is the key interest of Serbia.

The Minister informed the interlocutor on the “Open Balkans” initiative and promotion of the freedom of movement of people, goods and capital in the region.

The meeting at the building of the Serbian Mission at the UN was also attended by the Ambassador of Serbia in the USA, Marko Đurić, Head of the Serbian Mission at the UN, Nemanja Stevanović and the General Consul of Serbia in Chicago, Damjan Jović.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic participated today at the Global COVID-19 summit, organized by the White House, which was opened by US President Joseph Biden.

The video messages are attended by a large number of world leaders and officials of international organizations, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British and Canadian Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson and Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and many others.

In the message, the Prime Minister pointed out that Serbia was among the first European countries to procure a covid vaccine, and that she was the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine.

Thanks to years of investment in digitalization and development of eGovernment, we have managed to organize a complicated and complex vaccination process very efficiently and in a way that it is focused on citizens, she explained.

However, as she added, from the very beginning we were aware that this is not just a matter of our citizens and only our struggle. In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all safe or no one is safe.

That is why, in addition to procuring vaccines for our citizens, we donated vaccines to the citizens of the Western Balkans, but also to other countries, she reminded and specified that Serbia donated 230,000 doses of vaccines to the region, we vaccinated foreign citizens in Serbia with approximately 300,000 doses and set aside we have 570,000 doses of vaccines for countries in Africa and Asia.

Brnabic mentioned that Serbia has already started the production of covid vaccine from one manufacturer, and that it will start production from another by the end of the year, because in that way we want to help and support all people and countries that need vaccines.

This is a pandemic in which we will either win together or lose together, but we must fight together, the Prime Minister repeated.

That is why Serbia supports the goals of this global summit, she emphasized, and expressed her gratitude to the United States of America and President Biden for organizing the summit and supporting joint efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines are the only way out in the fight against the pandemic, concluded Brnabic.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, met with the Congressmen of the United States of America, Eric Swalwell and Sean Maloney today, with whom he discussed the development of bilateral relations, as well as stability in the Western Balkans region.

President Vučić pointed out the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and improving overall relations with the United States, and especially the importance of improving economic cooperation between the two countries. "Serbia wants to establish better relations with the United States", said President Vučić.

The two congressmen said that they came to visit Serbia encouraged by the economic results, with the intention of encouraging American investors to invest more in our country.

Congressmen Swalwell and Maloney expressed support for the "Open Balkans" regional initiative, which they saw as a great opportunity for the progress of the Western Balkans. President Vučić said that the initiative was open to others in the region and that regional economic cooperation and interconnection were the basis for peace and stability.

President Vučić informed the American congressmen about the results that Serbia has achieved in terms of vaccination. The delegation of the US Congress welcomed the solidarity that Serbia has shown by helping the citizens of the region, as a responsible neighbor, with donations of vaccines. He thanked for the help of the USA so far in the fight against the pandemic, especially having in mind the fact that the USA is currently one of the countries most affected by this virus in the world.

President Vučić reminded his interlocutors that this year marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the United States, expressing hope that we will have the opportunity to adequately mark this important jubilee, despite the restrictive circumstances caused by the pandemic.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the marking of Remembrance Day of all the victims and expelled Serbs in the armed operation "Storm" and said that Serbia remembers!

"Today, when we remind ourselves again of what happened in August 1995, the terrible pogrom, the expulsion of more than 250,000 Serbs, the exodus and ethnic cleansing, we, at the same time, and finally, remind ourselves of who we are, what we are, where we come from and where we are going. Thank you all for being here together tonight and for showing how much we love our people", said President Vučić, adding that we will not forget any of the things that the Krajina people had to go through.

"For us, these are not just terrible numbers of victims", said President Vučić and emphasized that Serbia will not forget.

"History has never been rewritten like today. That is why I want to remind us all not only of what others have done to us, not wanting us to exist, but also of what we have done to ourselves, just as if we ourselves did not want to exist", said the President, noting that we must never again allow Serbia to forget its silent heroes.

President Vučić emphasized that we must never again cover our eyes, ears, and mouths in front of something that truly was a pogrom and the downfall of all humanity.

"Pretending that this is not true, avoiding saying it, is a crime not only against the victims, but also against ourselves, every living Serb, people from Krajina, as well as Serbia and its future", said President Vučić and underlined that people can stand up straight and live with themselves and the others without hesitation, fear and doubt, only if they remember.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia must fight for peace and cradles with children, as well as that not remembering annuls and erases us from the history and the future, depriving us of the right to tomorrow.

"Our mission is a happy future for us and for the new generations! Today's Serbia is based on a clear identity and a culture of remembrance", said President Vučić and reminded that everything that had been neglected for decades had been done, and that a strong Serbia has become the master of its own destiny.

"Eternal glory to you, Serbian martyrs who perished in the "Storm" and all other pogroms. Your children are in their Serbia, taken care of, loved and successful. Sleep peacefully, Serbian falcons, the future of your children is our vow", concluded President Vučić and thanked everyone who showed that night how much they love their country and that Serbia remembers.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, met today with the representatives of the company UGT Renewables LLC, after which an Agreement on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the representatives of this company. President Vučić said that this Agreement is the beginning of a new era and an important step into the future for the energy security of our country, but also one of the projects of crucial importance for economic development and success within the green agenda of Serbia.

After the signing of the Agreement, the President emphasized that it is important to have as many renewable energy sources as possible and that talks on the conditions are now to follow, and he expressed confidence that "the best possible agreement will be reached, which is crucial for the success of our country within the framework of the green agenda".

The president said that the construction of solar panels on an area of about 2,000 hectares and a dozen locations throughout Serbia was being negotiated with the American company, which would provide an additional gigawatt of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.9 million tons per year.

"A big and important thing for Serbia, I believe that this will contribute to the further interest of energy and innovative companies to invest in our country", the president pointed out, adding that after the signing of the contract, the construction would take about two years.

"This is a great investment, that contributes to the economic growth of Serbia", President Vučić emphasized and added that in this way, Serbia will reform and modernize the energy sector. The President pointed out that this project creates new opportunities for attracting other investors, who see the arrival of American investors as a positive signal.

The agreement was signed by Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy, and Peter Goodall, CFO at UGT Renewables LLC. The signing was also attended by US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia is co-financing projects which contribute to preserving and strengthening ties between the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian diaspora.

All relevant information concerning the abovementioned projects is available on the following web sites:

https://www.mfa.gov.rs/

https://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/lat/uprava-za-dijasporu-konkursi/

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, stated at a gathering dedicated to digitalization and the IT sector, which was held in New York, that since she became Prime Minister, she is most proud of Serbia's success in the field of digitalization.

Brnabić, who is on a two-day visit to the United States, said that when she was elected Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in August 2016, she wanted to do everything to change the public administration and what bothered her as a citizen.

She stated that, when she took office as Prime Minister, she knew what her priorities were and that first of all, digitalization needed to be raised to a higher level, that the education reform was supposed to begin, as well as work on strengthening the economy.

I believed in a country that believes in its people, because the Serbian people are creative. From 1 June 2017, we started working as an e-Government, i.e. we started exchanging data electronically, said the Prime Minister.

According to her, our citizens no longer had to go to, say, the Tax Administration, and since then, the public administration has exchanged 50 million documents, which means that citizens did not have to go from office to office for 50 million papers.

Brnabić pointed out that she is proud of what has been done in the field of education since she became the head of the Government, specifying that in September 2017, programming was introduced as a compulsory subject in primary schools.

Nobody believed that we could do that, but we cooperated with the private sector and some social organizations and we succeeded. At the moment, we are far ahead of numerous countries in Europe and the world, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she was most proud when the cornerstone was laid for the science and technology park in southern Serbia, noting that so far, our country has four science and technology parks.

She pointed out that Serbia has since become one of the most successful countries in the world in the field of technology, and that according to some parameters, it is among the ten countries in the world, or among the five, assessing that this is proof that the country can change quickly.

Answering the question about vaccination, the Prime Minister emphasized that our country has never seen it as a geopolitical issue, but as a health issue.

According to her, Serbia talked with producers from both the East and the West and was among the first European countries to sign agreements with the company Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm.

Unfortunately, many countries have viewed this issue as geopolitical. It did not matter to us, as long as the vaccines were safe, the Prime Minister emphasized and added that this was not the end of Serbia's success, because good organization was also needed.

Brnabić explained that the organization is another important thing in vaccination, because it is a logistically very difficult process, adding that, with the help of digitalization, success has been achieved and that everything we did in the previous years has paid off.

She stated that Serbia quickly established a system through which citizens could express interest in vaccination against the coronavirus and choose which vaccine they wanted to receive, as well as to be informed by a message when to go and get vaccinated.

Now I can log in on my phone, to see how many people have received the vaccine, how many more have registered, so that the effects of digitalization are obvious. We have made everything very efficient and easy for our citizens, the Prime Minister explained.

Answering the question of what she can tell other countries of the world about how to progress faster, Brnabić said that it is important to invest as much as possible in digitalization and education.

You need to teach children how to think, not what to think. Not all children will become IT experts, but what they can learn is an algorithmic way of thinking and how to make decisions, she said.

The Prime Minister mentioned investing in high-speed internet and providing infrastructure for start-ups as an important thing for progress, because more and more economies will be based on start-ups and innovations, emphasizing that people should be helped to start companies and implement their ideas.

Speaking about social networks, she pointed out that fake news has become the biggest problem on these networks and that it will remain so for some time.

This is the biggest challenge I face as Prime Minister, especially during the corona virus pandemic, she said, adding that social networks are also a great opportunity for politicians to communicate with citizens.

We have decided – our goal was and remains the EU, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said in an interview with the German daily "Handelsblatt", adding that there is no alternative for Serbia, but also stressing that China is an important partner for Serbia, and that the task of the state is to take care about the interests of its citizens.

He thus answered the question of what Serbia will choose once it has to choose between close relations with Beijing or the EU. Vučić emphasized that Serbia wants to become a full member of the EU.

"We are connected by history, common culture, EU members are already undoubtedly our most important partners", he explained and added that the trade exchange between Germany and China is 3,000 times higher than between Serbia and China, and, as he noted, even despite that, Serbia's business operations with China are portrayed as a problem.

To the statement that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not congratulate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, and that he did so, he replied that Serbia is not Germany, but a small country. On additional insistence on what Serbia will do if it has to choose between the EU and China, he underlined that Serbia has already decided, that its goal was and remains the EU membership.

"Our biggest investors are from the EU. The EU accounts for 67% of our trade while 17 percent of the trade is with countries of the region that are all on the way to the EU. We cannot survive without the EU", he added.

"But can we do a lot of good things with China – of course. And we do that, just like Germany does", Vučić pointed out, and to the remark that the quality of the Silk Road projects was being criticized, primarily because of Chinese workers, he answered that the quality of roads or bridges, which Serbia is building with China, is excellent.

"We give jobs to those who submit the best offer to us. That is why I tell Europeans who criticize Chinese projects in our country – offer us a project for one euro more and you will get it", he emphasized.

In that regard, he pointed out that Serbia is building a railway to Northern Macedonia with 600 million euros of EU aid, stating that that offer was better than China's.

"There is often talk of a 180-kilometer railway to Budapest through the territory of Serbia, which is financed by China. But the railway that is being built with the help of the EU from Belgrade to the northern Macedonian border is twice as long and no one is talking about it. It is all too political", he stated.

Asked whether he welcomes the plans of the EU and the USA regarding an alternative initiative to the Silk Road, Vučić said that he supports everything that brings advantages to our region.

"The Chinese want to expand their presence everywhere, but many processes in the West are, frankly, more efficient and without problems. We still have a lot to learn from the West, but we are getting there", Vučić said.

He pointed out that China was an important partner for Serbia and added that when the consolidation of state finances began in 2014, our country received good conditions from China for development projects.

He also stated that a competition for a copper mine was announced in eastern Serbia, at the request of the EU, that no European company had made an offer for six months, and that it had then been taken over by the Chinese.

"Our job is to take care of our people", he said.

He reminded that the Serbian economy grew by 52% in eight and a half years, which for the EU means that Serbia could be a strong member and engine for the entire region.

Explaining how Serbia is developing so well economically, he pointed out that Serbia has an excellent workforce, which speaks English, that society and administration are digitalized, and that it has the most flexible labor law in Europe, as well as consolidated public finances.

He reminded that previously the public debt was at 78% of GDP, and that today it has been reduced, thanks to the strong growth of the economy, to 52%.

"We can afford to give investors an incentive to come", he added, emphasizing that Serbia offers investment assistance, but that, for example, subsidies were not the motive for the arrival of the development center of the company Continental.

He pointed out that, five or six years ago, only Serbia started using the dual education system in this region, which Germany, Switzerland and Austria also use, that tens of thousands of people are in dual education, and that this is appreciated by foreign investors, who, in addition, can work closely with universities as well.

Germany, he stated, is the most important trade partner and the largest investor.

We started with the arrival of small textile companies from Turkey, and now primarily large German companies are coming. Today, 71,000 people work in German companies in Serbia", he explained.

Vučić said that the European perspective is very important for investors, stating that Nidek, Toyo Tires or Mitsubishi are coming from Japan to Serbia because our country is on a stable European path.

Asked if he believes that Serbia will become an EU member in the foreseeable future, he said that he does not complain.

"It is certain that if we had received 45 billion euros of EU aid, we would have been much further economically. Instead, we received 1.6 billion euros from the EU. We are used to achieving our successes on our own", said Vučić.

The President of Serbia reminded that in Croatia, salaries used to be 2.2 times higher than in Serbia, and today they are only 1.7 times higher.

"We are closing the gap with our own efforts. If we were to become a member of the EU, then we would certainly not ask for the biggest subsidies", he assures.

He said that the Serbian path follows the German path to Europe, and that Serbia wants a fair chance.

"I believe Merkel's words. She is at the end of her term and I would not have to praise her anymore. But she gave us stability, freedom of travel to the EU, helped us with the migrant crisis in 2015, and asked the Minister of Economy Altmeier and others to work closely with us", he reminded.

Asked if there were any indications that the new German government would support Serbia in the same way, Vučić expressed confidence that it would be the same.

"I know Armin Laschet, I talked to him while he was the Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. He is very smart and understands the situation in the Balkans, and he will certainly continue Merkel's policy towards our region as the new chancellor", he added.

Vučić also expressed his belief that Russia, if Serbia's accession to the EU were concretized, would not react similarly as in the case of Ukraine, as this is a sovereign decision of Serbia.

To an additional question in this regard, Vučić pointed out that whenever he met with Vladimir Putin, and there were 18 or 19 meetings, he told him that he was grateful for the traditionally close friendship with Russia, but also that Serbia is on a clear course towards the EU.

"He asked if it was our choice and I answered that EU membership is indeed our goal", he added.

When it comes to "Kosovo", Vučić emphasized that a compromise is needed regarding this issue.

"Only in this way can there be sustainable peace. Serbia wants peace, me as well. Let's stop with the madness of the past. Only then can the whole region become the engine of new growth for Europe", said Vučić.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today in New York that our country has been given the opportunity to cooperate with one of the most powerful investment groups in the world, Goldman Sachs, which it will use.

Brnabic, who talked with Goldman Sachs President David Solomon, during her working visit to the USA, emphasised that the presence of Goldman Sachs gives a completely different level of respect and credibility of the country.

We tried to bring Goldman Sachs to Serbia, it seems that we have succeeded for now, on a small scale, they do not come just like that, they are not present in the region. We managed to agree to have a small joint project to make sure that everything we talk about is really like that, and when you open the door and show yourself, it is a different perspective, she explained.

The Prime Minister noted that she could not give details of the talks on the project that were discussed at the meeting.

She pointed out that the meeting was at a completely different level than in 2014. Namely, this group will now be present as Goldman Sachs and develop some segment of its business in Serbia.

It was an excellent, but difficult meeting, said Brnabic and added that this group knows everything about Serbia – how much we have changed, how serious and credible we are, they appreciate all that.

According to her, Serbia will continue to fight for the cooperation with Goldman Sachs to move to an even higher level.

The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks she had with entrepreneurs in the field of IT gathered in the organisation "Serbian Entrepreneurs", which helped her to have numerous meetings in the USA.

She said that she expects three or four new investments from the working meetings during her visit to the United States, which will bring at least 120 new jobs that will be created in the next year.

The Prime Minister emphasized that from the most important centre of the world, she received confirmation that everything we are doing and planning is on the right path, noting that all those who have already invested in Serbia have stated that we are another country compared to what they saw six years ago, and that it is an incredible step forward.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that the result of the first day of talks with the representatives of American companies in New York was the announcement of three or four new investments in Serbia.

Brnabic, who is on a two-day visit to the United States, said after a meeting with more than 50 members of the New York branch of Young Presidents Organisations, that she is extremely pleased with the meetings in New York, where investments or investment funds were announced for our companies and for our young talents.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she was very well received and that the participants in the meeting announced that they would come to Serbia and that they would redirect the investments they planned to other parts of the world, such as India, to our country.

Brnabic pointed out that they are interested in investing in the IT sector, startup companies, biotechnology and biomedicine, explaining that these investments are not classic, but investment funds.

She expressed satisfaction that the leaders of the blockchain company Guilded, with whom she had previously talked, expressed interest in Serbia and its position in the field of blockchain – the latest technology that provides a high level of data protection and guarantees transactions without the possibility of abuse.

In the years to come, Guilded will be one of the largest and most advanced companies. If we bring them to Serbia, we will succeed in positioning ourselves on the world market in financial technologies, gold trade and the digital sphere, the Prime Minister emphasised.

As she pointed out, representatives Guilded were impressed by what Serbia has done in the field of e-government, but also by the position in the field of blockchain.

The Prime Minister stated that they expressed interest in our data storage capacities and our Data Centre in Kragujevac.

If we finish everything started today, they will come to Serbia or keep their data in our country, said Brnabic, emphasizing that it would be of great importance for our country.

The Prime Minister expressed her gratitude to our diaspora and the organisation "Serbian Entrepreneurs", which helped organize the meetings.

Today, the Prime Minister continues talks with representatives of American companies, and one of the most important will be with the leaders of the largest investment bank, not only in the United States but also in the world, Goldman Sachs.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, congratulated US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Independence Day, emphasizing that the improvement of all forms of cooperation with the United States is one of the foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Serbia.

"On the occasion of the United States Independence Day, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and on my own behalf, I would like to send you my most sincere congratulations and best wishes for the prosperity of your country and the well-being of American citizens", Selaković said in his congratulatory message.

Minister Selaković reminded that this year, Serbia and the United States of America mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and that our two countries were allies in crucial moments in history, guided by faith in truth, justice and progress.

Selaković pointed out that more than a century ago, the Serbian flag fluttered over the White House and that many American citizens, in the difficult days that Serbia went through during and after the Great War, expressed support for the Serbian people worthy of admiration, which is why their charities remained deeply rooted in the memory of our people.

"I use this opportunity to express my high gratitude to the United States for supporting the process of European integration of the Republic of Serbia, as well as for the fact that we are recognized by your country as the economic engine of the Western Balkans", Selaković said.

The Minister also expressed satisfaction with the fact that in the previous period, concrete steps were taken to strengthen and deepen our bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the fact that the regional office of the International Development Finance Corporation was opened in Belgrade, which will contribute to a stronger economic presence of the United States in our country, as well as in the region.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, spoke at the Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) today and on that occasion sent an invitation to the representatives of the members to gather in Belgrade on 11 and 12 October, when the 60th anniversary of the first Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Belgrade in 1961 will be marked.

Selaković informed the participants of the conference that Serbia would organize this important jubilee of non-aligned countries together with Azerbaijan – which is currently chairing the NAM.

In his address, Selaković reminded that the former Yugoslavia and President Tito, as co-founders of the Movement, gave their contribution to creating a vision of a different world, and that Serbia, as one of the successors of Yugoslavia, is proud of that part of its history.

"The spirit of non-alignment is based on equality, freedom, lasting peace, sovereign equality of states and peaceful cooperation of all peoples, and these values ​​are also woven into the state-building foundations of Serbia", the minister said.

Selaković said that the Non-Aligned Movement throughout its history has been a beacon of freedom to all those who sought the right to existence and prosperity in a world that was often ruled, not by the force of law, but by the law of force. He assessed that even today we find ourselves in times of serious global challenges in which the Movement has the opportunity to reaffirm its libertarian traditions and commitment to a world of equals.

"Serbia, as a militarily neutral and politically independent state, will give its most sincere contribution to such goals of the Movement. We hope that by strengthening mutual ties and cooperation, as a group of states and peoples that share the same values ​​and interests, we will strengthen our common capacity to face the challenges of tomorrow. And the challenges are already before us", Selaković pointed out.

The Minister emphasized that international law should be a pillar of political and security architecture of the world, and added that Serbia respects the commitment of the members of the Movement towards the goals and principles of the UN Charter.

"Many members of this movement are aware that by insisting on international law, they are working in their own favor and in favor of preserving regional and global stability," the minister pointed out.

Selaković also said that the COVID-19 pandemic clearly showed that inequality, lack of solidarity and empathy in the world have become very obvious in the roughest way.

"Serbia is eternally grateful to all the countries which, such as Azerbaijan, helped us in difficult times. We later extended that chain of solidarity by making vaccines available, not only to our citizens, but also to others in the region. We supported our neighbors with the belief that solidarity is the best investment in a common future", the minister concluded.

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, received today, at separate meetings, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Kurt Donnelly, with whom they discussed cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy.

President Vučić pointed out that it is important for Serbia to ensure energy security, i.e. a continuous supply of energy sources, for which the needs are growing. American diplomat Donnelly said that for President Biden's administration, energy is one of the key issues in the economy, but also in foreign policy, considering that the United States want to be a global leader in the fight against climate change and encourage Serbia to be ambitious on this issue.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić participated today via a video link in the conference "Mini Schengen" with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Edi Rama, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev. The officials discussed further steps in regional cooperation, as a process vital to the progress of the Western Balkans and the European path as a whole.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić attended today the reception on the USA Independence Day and on that occasion handed over a congratulatory message to Ambassador Antonio Godfrey, addressed to President Joseph Biden, which reads as follows:

"Every 4 July citizens of the USA celebrate memory of a fight for freedom and independence, crowned in Declaration of Independence, adopted 245 years ago. We, in Serbia, share universal values, reflected in the Declaration, that “all men are created equal, and that they are endowed with unalienable Rights, to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Precisely because of the idea of freedom loving, and inspired by belief in truth and justice, in difficult historical moments, Serbia was an ally to the USA. In the light of the 140th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between our countries, such examples of historical alliance should serve as guidance for further development of our relations.

Serbia is committed to stronger cooperation with the USA, which we see as a partner in all areas of mutual interest, as well as in facing different challenges of today. I am convinced that our friendly relations contribute to peace and stability in the region, which we highly appreciate, as well as to promotion of shared values, and to the benefit of safer and more prosperous world. Allow me therefore to tell you how pleased I am for concrete steps in strengthening of our bilateral cooperation, such as opening of regional office of the International Finance Corporation in Belgrade," reads the congratulation of President Vučić.

Dear Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, members of the delegations

I would point to a few ongoing issues in my speech that refer to the competences of the Mechanism, namely, the possibility of serving the sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia, with the current practice of disabling early release of the sentenced persons as well as obligation of the Mechanism regarding protection of sentenced persons.

The second part of the speech will be dedicated to issues that are opened by the six –month Report on the work of the Mechanism by Mechanism President Mr. Agius and Report by the Chief Prosecutor Mr. Serge Brammertz, especially regarding current cooperation of the Republic of Serbia and the Mechanism.

The third part of my speech, and I noticed that in many of your statements even today, is going to be the view of Serbia on everything that took place in The Hague Tribunal and what the Tribunal verdicts brought to people in the region of former Yugoslavia.

The Republic of Serbia has initiated before the Security Council, on several occasions, the issue of possibility of serving sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia. Beside the efforts to move this issue from “square one”, not a single response was obtained from the Security Council. The majority of persons that are serving their prison sentences are citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and it comes naturally that the Republic of Serbia is interested in enabling them to serve their prison sentences in the Republic of Serbia.

ICTY and the Mechanism are making references to the Security Council as an institution in charge of dealing with this issue.

I am ready to reiterate here the readiness of the Republic of Serbia to take over obligations and liability for executing prison sentences that the Tribunal or Mechanism passed on the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, under the monitoring of the Mechanism and full respect for the authority of the Mechanism regarding early release.

Mr. President

A particular problem that we are facing with is disturbance by the judicial institutions established in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which is within Serbia and which is under Interim Administration of the UN. We are witnesses of attempts of retrial for two citizens that are serving their prison sentences for which they had already been trialed before the ICTY. More concretely, in previous period there was an attempt for hearing of Nebojša Pavković and for obtaining extradition of Vlastimir Đorđević.

I urge on the Mechanism and Security Council to prevent attempts of violation of the principle ne bis in idem, a civilization principle that was confirmed in Article 7 (1) of the Statute of the Mechanism and to disable retrials for persons already convicted by the ICTY, particularly to make sure that it is not done in the territory which is under interim UN administration.

Mr. President,

President of the Mechanism (Mr. Carmel Agius), apart from the regular Report, delivered also on 11 May 2021 a letter to the President of the Security Council, whose subject is the alleged omission of the Republic of Serbia to apprehend and turn over to the Mechanism Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta, indicted of contempt of court, claiming that in this way the Republic of Serbia was acting contrary to its obligations towards the UNSC Resolution 1966 (2010) and asking the Security Council to take measures in order to ensure that Serbia meets the alleged obligations in accordance with the Mechanism Statue and Resolution 1966.

The point of the argumentation of the President of the Mechanism comes to that that the Republic of Serbia has the obligation to deprive of liberty and extradite to the Mechanism its citizens accused of contempt of court, regardless of the nature of accusation, circumstances under which such an order was made and consequences that might result from its implementation.

It is about accusations that do not refer to sever violations of international humanitarian law and that are related to a case before the ICTY, which ended in 2018 (Vojislav Šešelj case), by acquitting the defendant in the first instance, and upon the Prosecutor’s complaint the defendant was declared guilty and sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment, which was covered by the time he spent at the UN Detention Unit.

Judge Agius states that Serbia ignores its obligations in accordance with the Resolution 1966 (2010). Quite the opposite- the Republic of Serbia takes seriously its obligations regarding cooperation with the Mechanism. After the warrant for apprehension and extradition of the two persons accused of contempt of court to the Mechanism had been introduced, the Higher Court in Belgrade established that assumptions for their apprehension and extradition to the Mechanism had not been met. The decision is founded on the rules of international law and domestic law of the Republic of Serbia and it is mandatory for holders of the executive power in the Republic of Serbia.

I would remind here that the first decision of a sole judge (Aydin Sefa Akay, 12 June 2018), that was acting in this case was that the criminal prosecution of V. Radeta and P. Jojić for alleged contempt of court was to be forwarded to the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia. In procedures that followed, the argument of the alleged unwillingness of the witnesses to cooperate with the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was stated for the first time, and the decision on deprivation of transferring the case to the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was based on the respective argument.

The Republic of Serbia expressed its readiness to take over the court procedure against Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta on several occasions and it provided appropriate guarantees. Additionally, the Republic of Serbia fully recognizes and accepts the obligation of the Mechanism to monitor trials that were transferred to national courts with the help of international and regional organizations, as well as to take measures envisaged by Article 6 of the Statute of the Mechanism.

I would remind here that the Republic of Serbia extradited to the tribunal all the persons indicted by the Prosecutor’s Office, and among the respective mostly highest political, military and police officials; it enabled presence of vast number of witnesses, delivered extensive documentation. Obligation of the Mechanism, in accordance with the Resolution of this Security Council, is to take measures that enable transfer of cases to national justice system. In previous practice, 13 cases were transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 to Croatia and only one to Serbia.

The last but not the least, I want to remind all of you here of the fact that France- of course as a sovereign and independent country- upon request for apprehension and extradition of Florence Altman for publishing documents and contempt of court, refused the request for extradition, with an explanation that it does not extradite its citizens. For far smaller offence you ask as to extradite our citizens Jojic and Radeta, showing both the distrust to Serbian justice and judiciary and Serbian State, as well as a fact that the rule from ancient Rome is still valid – quod licet lovi non licet bovi.

It does not harm to underline that high-level officers and politicians were not trialed for crimes against Serbs, and that crimes against Serbs remained unsanctioned before ICTY and Mechanism. Let me remind you, just as an example that Ademi and Norac case for ferocious crimes against Serb civilians in Medački Džep was left to Croatian justice institutions. Proven crimes against Serbs, like those of Ramuš Haradinaj, Naser Orić, then Ante Gotovina and other indicted for military operation “Storm” that led to a complete ethnic cleansing of Serb population in the big part of today’s Croatia, resulted before the ICTY in acquittals. Many horrible crimes against Serb civilians that were committed in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and that resulted in ethnic cleansing, simply were not the subject of interest of the ICTY.

What’s very important and not to leave anything unclear, Serbia is a country that condemns all crimes and all criminals who perpetrated them in the region of former Yugoslavia. However, it is interesting that despite often criticism Serbia is the only one that speaks openly and condemns crimes perpetrated by Serb nationals, while in other regional countries they do not speak at all about crimes that representatives of those nations committed against members of Serbian people.

And I want to emphasize once again here in front of you that Serbia condemns terrible crime in Srebrenica and extends its deepest condolences to the families of all killed in that massacre. And there are no “buts” about the respective.

Nevertheless, we are here to analyze results and penal policy of ICTY and the Mechanism and it was such that it has never gained trust among Serbian people, no matter where they live. And not because we Serbs do not acknowledge crime committed by some of our compatriots, but because The Hague Tribunal, with exceptions, was judging only to Serbs and in all three territories of former Yugoslavia- Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, which some of the SC Member States see and name of course, contrary to law and legal norms and UN Resolutions, as an independent state. I would try to plastically prove to you how The Hague justice was tailored even though I know that it will not come to understanding of many of you, but to me it is important because of the history, facts, and school books that will be made in accordance with the facts.

Namely, Serbs were sentenced to totally 1138 years of imprisonment, and to 8 life imprisonments. At the same time, The Hague Tribunal did not sentence a single Croat for crimes against Serbs, neither in actions Medački Džep, nor Flash and Storm. How politically cunning it was done in the Tribunal, and all wrapped in the form of law and justice. Prosecutors of The Hague Tribunal chose on purpose three military and political leaders of Croats, Bosniac Muslims and Albanians, on all three mentioned territories, committed against Serbs. – Ante Gotovina, Naser Orić and Ramuš Haradinaj. It is interesting that following the same pattern, the same pattern, this injustice was shared. Namely, all of them were sentenced in the first instance procedure, with the exception of Ramuš Haradinaj, because not a single witness survived. Gotovina was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in first-instance procedure, while by a mysterious decision of the second instance council and 3:2 judge ratio, the verdict was changed to acquittal. Naser Orić, for crimes against Serbs, was also sentenced in first instance verdict, but by a mysterious decision of the second instance court, and again 3:2 ratio decision was an acquittal and he was set free of any liability. Let me reiterate, all witnesses in process against Ramus Haradinaj, either committed suicide or were killed under very, very strange circumstances.

Let me conclude, I do not want to believe that someone wants to say that there had been no crimes against Serbs, but judging by the verdicts of The Hague Tribunal, no one- absolutely no one- is responsible for those crimes.

Nevertheless, we in Serbia will show responsibility and we will fight for peace, stability and reconciliation in the region.

We ask UN Security Council Member States to help us with rational and pragmatic approach and respect for international law and not by attempts of further humiliation of Serbia. Serbia is a small country, with proud and courageous people, the one that gave the biggest sacrifice during the WWI and WWII; people who wants to leave in peace with their neighbors. And when I am asking you for this, I do not think I am asking for too much.

At the very end, Serbia is the fastest growing country of the Western Balkans region and we cannot progress unless our relations with neighbors, friends and other countries are good, solid and better. That is why- despite the selective justice that was applied in The Hague Tribunal- we will be open for any dialogue, any kind of cooperation and we will look towards the future and not towards the past. And I have only one message for the citizens of Serbia and citizens of Serbian nationality in the entire region- keep your heads up, neither Serbia nor Serbian people are convicted of anything and it is up to us to work even more diligently, to open factories and to fight for our children and our future.

Long Live Serbia!

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke today with Special Representative for the Western Balkans and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of State Matthew Palmer about the state of bilateral relations, the continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, the relations in the Western Balkans region and the economic cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was also attended by US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey.

Brnabic pointed out that one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities is the improvement of all areas of cooperation and more intensive bilateral relations with the United States.

Our interest is to intensify the political dialogue and visits at the highest level, and I hope that this year we will have the opportunity to mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today via video call with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the US Department of Commerce David de Falco about the improvement of bilateral economic cooperation, as well as cooperation with American companies and institutes in the field of energy diversification and renewable energy sources, digital economy, development and research.

Explaining that the development of an integrated national plan for energy and climate is of strategic importance for Serbia, the Prime Minister stated that legal frameworks have been created for a favourable business environment and opening the market for new investments in this area.

A new service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "e-Consulate" was presented in Belgrade today, intended for foreign citizens who apply for a visa and aspire to come to Serbia to work.

On that occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said that this service was one of the indicators of good development of our country, which, as he pointed out, was becoming a magnet for serious foreign companies, which brought a large number of workers from other countries to work in Serbia.

"Not to be pretentious, but completely realistic, this service represents a turning point in the functioning of our system. E-Consulate and digitalization of the procedure for issuing work visas for foreign citizens who want to work in Serbia, is the first electronic service offered by the Foreign Ministry, and I can promise you that this is indeed our first, but by no means the last e-service", Selakovic emphasized.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today the signing of a cooperation agreement between the companies Millennium Resorts and Marriott International on the construction of a hotel complex in Vranjska Banja.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met today with Ambassador of the United States of America Anthony Godfrey.

The Serbian Foreign Minister underlined that the promotion of all areas of cooperation with the United States was one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities, as well as that our country was committed to having the most substantive and broadest possible cooperation.

Ambassador Godfrey emphasized the support of the United States of America to Serbia's European path as well as to the economic growth of Serbia and the region.

In the year when we mark the 140th anniversary of bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States, there is a desire to work on projects of mutual interest and proceed to a higher phase based on partner cooperation, Selakovic underlined and added that, to this end, Serbia was particularly interested in promoting economic relations with the United States.

Minister Selakovic and Ambassador Godfrey pointed out the numerous activities and commitment of Serbian Ambassador in Washington Marko Djuric to the development of Serbian-US relations and the celebration of 140 years of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy also emphasized that our country was grateful to Washington for its continuous support to the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina, as a process for a peaceful, compromise and sustainable resolution of the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.

The collocutors agreed that both countries were committed to the implementation of the Washington agreement on the normalization of economic relations, as a step towards the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Selakovic and Godfrey also discussed regional cooperation, and the Ambassador pointed out that Serbia and the entire Western Balkans were still in the focus of the United States.

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić met today the Ambassador of the United States of America, Anthony Godfrey, to discuss the continuation of the Washington Agreement implementation and European integration, as well as bilateral cooperation, especially in light of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

President Vučić said that the agreement on the normalisation of economic relations reached in Washington was complementary to the activities of the EU and a step towards the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Priština. "Serbia is always ready for an open dialogue with Priština", President Vučić pointed out.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the Atlantic Council about the situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as about regional issues and foreign policy priorities of the country.

President Vučić emphasized that in the procurement of vaccines, Serbia did not act geopolitically, but having in mind the saving of human lives only. He said he did not believe that what his team did was something hugely historical, even though Serbia with its efforts managed to obtain more vaccines than the others.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the delegation of the International Monetary Fund led by the Head of the Mission, Jan Kees Martijn. The interlocutors concluded that Serbia's main goal remains to preserve the hard-earned reputation of a fiscally secure country, as well as to continue with a responsible fiscal policy so that public debt does not exceed 60 per cent of GDP, whereby Serbia continues to work on further economic growth.

During the conversation, President Vučić and Jan Kees Martijn especially referred to the incentive measures and adopted three packages of measures to help the economy and citizens, which preserved macroeconomic stability and even achieved a higher employment rate. Martijn commended the responsible economic policy of Serbia and the successful crisis management during the pandemic.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the Regional Director of the World Health Organization for Europe Hans Kluge, to discuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cooperation in improving health care in our country and other joint activities.

President Vučić thanked Dr Kluge for his personal engagement and support during the current pandemic, especially for technical assistance and expertise. On this occasion, he informed the WHO official about the results of immunization in Serbia and plans on how to provide the vaccine to all citizens who want to get it.

Dr Kluge congratulated President Vučić on his leadership and personal commitment to provide vaccines. He emphasized that Serbia, with its good immunization strategy, ranked among the global leaders, thus becoming an example of humanity and solidarity by enabling vaccination of elderly people in rural areas, foreign citizens and donating vaccines to other countries.

"Serbia has accepted the vaccine as a life-saving product and has not looked at it geopolitically", said Dr Kluge.

The two interlocutors agreed that the world should increase production capacities for vaccines, as well as develop new adequate therapies for the fight against COVID-19, and, in this regard, work on increasing the level of citizens' trust in science.

President Vučić informed Dr Kluge about the plans for improving the work of the Institute for Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak". "We want to make 'Torlak' one of the best vaccine factories in Europe", said President Vučić.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge about the epidemiological situation and the course of immunization of citizens in Serbia.

Brnabic expressed gratitude for the cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, technical assistance and expertise, emphasizing that the support of this organization is very important for our country.

She informed the WHO Regional Director for Europe about the course of immunization of citizens in Serbia, expressing her belief that, thanks to the large number of vaccinated people, we will be able to create collective immunity and return to normal life.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Pristina further persisted in its campaign of hatred against the Serbian people, which was most drastically seen in the unfounded accusations of mass rapes and genocide.

At the UN Security Council meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Selakovic emphasized that the efforts of the provisional institutions in Kosovo and Metohija to create a narrative about mass rapes of Albanian women were obvious, and that propaganda methods and lies were used for that purpose.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic warned, at the United Nations Security Council meeting, that the political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija was not decreasing, but on the contrary, was becoming stronger.

At the meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Minister Selakovic recalled that the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities  remained unfulfilled for 2,917 days now and that, in fact, 19 April marked eight full years since the agreement was reached in Brussels, while Pristina still refused to follow up on its commitment and enable the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. 

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic made a statement on the occasion of marking the Day of Remembrance of the victims of the NATO aggression.

"Your Holiness, distinguished Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished Speakers of the National Assemblies of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Prime Ministers of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Ministers of both Governments, dear guests and friends, representatives of the Serbian People from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, thank you for the fact that we are all together tonight and that the Serbian spirit is unbreakable and invincible.

One child a day and a little more than that. That is the most difficult, sickening and painful number of the NATO aggression from 1999. Killed, stopped, guilty of nothing, having committed no sin, without the right to defence, without the right to justice and without the right to life.

No one has ever been held accountable for this crime, a crime greater than a crime. No one, for the 2,500 killed civilians, but also soldiers and policemen who were only guilty of guarding, protecting themselves and their homes. No one has ever been held accountable for more than 6,000 persons injured.

Even today, 22 years after the aggression, it is not possible to explain that, there is no universal justification, despite all the work done to that end, there is no reason, it makes no sense, and only names remain, as eternal as sin.

Miljana Milic, fifteen years old,

Vladimir Milic, twelve years old,

Miomir Mladenovic, fourteen years old,

Dragan Dimic, three years old,

Julijana Brudar, ten years,

Olivera Maksimovic, twelve years old,

Miroslav Knezevic, thirteen years old,

Dajana Pavlovic, five years old,

Stevan Pavlovic, eight years old,

Marko Simic, two years old,

Milica Rakic, three years old,

Ivan Ivancic, seven years old,

Marko Ivanovic, three years old...

And the list goes on, eighty nine names, not only Serbian ones...

The senselessness of sheer killing did not choose. Sixteen children, aged two to seventeen, from the Ahmetaj and Hasani families, were killed in a convoy returning home to Prizren.

In one headline in the West, this was simply explained as a "tragic mistake". The deaths of Marko Roglic, Milan Ignjatovic, Gordana Nikolic, Irena Mitic, Milica Stojanovic, Bojana Tosovic, Branimir Stanijanovic, our Sanja Milenkovic...could not expect or get even such an explanation.

Those deaths were not tragic, for those who caused them, much less a mistake. It was just an excuse, a miserable excuse.

They were a result of intent and a clear decision, as a severe judgment against one country, its people, its children.

And that is why today we will refrain from speculation in giving a name to everything that happened during the spring of 1999. Because a crime happened, a heinous and terrible one. And it was an aggression, not a bombing, not an intervention, not a campaign, not an operation. An aggression is what happened. An attack on a sovereign country, without a decision of the United Nations, without a sufficient reason that would justify attacking the then Yugoslavia or a neighbouring or NATO country.

No one was attacked by Serbia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at that time. They attacked us, with one goal. To defeat us, to keep killing us, and in the end to take away a part of our territory.

And no matter how much we analyze things today, no matter how harsh and critical we are towards ourselves, our policy and leadership at the time, it is clear that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia were left with almost no choice then. The choice was horrible, either the loss of territory and people on the one hand, or the complete disappearance of the Serbian state, morals, honour, Serbian spirit, names and surnames. And we could not help but lose. Nineteen big ones attacked one small country, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They attacked both Serbia and Montenegro. And even when they don't talk about it today, in one of the two independent countries, those are the facts. And that small country, and that small nation, to all nineteen of them so great and powerful, held a lesson in what matters most - honour, morals and love for freedom that a nation can have.

Yes, justice, lest we forget justice. All those nineteen great ones today still silently talk about their military success, avoid answering questions, while - can you imagine, one small, only numerically small Serbian people, that small but magnificent nation, with sadness, tears in their eyes, proudly remembers their resistance and struggle against the nineteen cruel and arrogant ones.

We lost a lot, we lost our fathers, brothers, spouses, children, but the honour and Serbian heart are still there, to protect Serbia, which is eternal and indestructible.

We lost children, we lost people, we lost control over a large part of the territory, we lost billions because of the destroyed infrastructure and economy.

And all that was left for us was the body of a tortured, destroyed country, a country in disintegration, mutilated, looted, wounded, deserted, and guilty, condemned for everything that happened not only in the 1990s, but throughout history.

A country that, even ten years after the aggression, did not have the strength to stand up, rise to its feet, and do anything but be silent, or bow its head and obediently apologize, for everything, even for its dead, even for its murdered children.

Today, it is no longer that failed, tortured, devastated, mutilated Serbia.

Today, it is Serbia, which has found its strength and its pride again.

Serbia, which calls things by their real names.

Serbia, which turned its back on war and defeats, and started working.

Serbia, which rose to stand on its own feet and has a voice of its own.

Serbia, which, even when they don't believe it, they listen to. Which is capable, which is growing, and is no longer part of the problem. Serbia, which is and will be, at least we will do our best to this end, the very solution that enables the entire region to live in peace and understanding.

And that Serbia, today, when there are still many more bombs in the world than vaccines, sends not bombs, but precisely those vaccines to the region. Today, it is ready to produce them as well, and in just a few months we will do just that, but not only for ourselves, but also for others, for the entire Balkans.

We are ready, and we are willing to help.

We are not ready to be and we will not be silent, nor be humiliated again.

We draw the right to that not only from the victims we had, but also from the fact that we stopped looking at others only a long time ago, and looking for fault and guilt only in them, and not sometimes in ourselves as well.

We looked at each other and admitted. Every loss, every defeat and every crime that someone committed in our name, every failure and every wrong policy.

And we are no longer doing anything that could endanger anyone.

We continue to work and work, and grow more and more, gaining strength with only one goal - to be the best in economy and education, health, in culture, science, sports...

And we want to be safe, on our own. We want our army to be much stronger than it was in 1999. So that we never again face a situation that someone is killing our children, destroying the country, or expelling our people.

We want to remain free, to decide our own destiny, and for no one to take everything away from us ever again, and give us nothing.

And that nothing today, and I will repeat it as much as necessary, is the idea of some great, powerful ones, but also those who serve them, the idea that "Kosovo" should recognize us, so that we could recognize "Kosovo".

We do not need that recognition. And Serbia will not allow you to walk over our victims, our history, our past, but also to walk over our future. You will get the answer of reasonable, kind and responsible people. We need a compromise. We need all the obligations that we and Pristina have assumed to be fulfilled, but only we have fulfilled them so far.

And this is not our whim. It is not a phantasmagoria about a Serbian world that we want to create.

Even today, when they threaten us with the formation of a Greater Albania, when they say that the Community of Serb Municipalities is not going to happen, it is ours to be calm, to take care of our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but to send a clear message to all those great, powerful ones that we are not as weak as we were, that we will be able to preserve what is our own, not touching anything that belongs to anyone else. After all, Serbia is not and will not be but a handful of oats that every crow from the whole wide world can eat. As for those who used the strength and power of the nineteen arrogant and cruel ones, I only ask them not to threaten us. Please, please, don't threaten us. They should not think that Serbia is broken and that it will not have the strength to respond. Please, please, our Albanian neighbours, do not threaten us. And we ask all others, who have demonstrated their cruelty towards Serbia, not to help you in that. That is all we are asking and nothing more.

And we will respond to calls for peace, calls for compromise, and always with good will, because we do not want to have children killed again. And we do not want the children of others to suffer again. But do not underestimate Serbia, and do not look at Serbia with the same eyes as you did in 1999.

Today, Serbia is much stronger, much more powerful. Today, Serbia is a united country of togetherness, not a divided one. Today, Serbia is incomparably stronger and better in every aspect than it was in 1999, from the economy to our army. And we will never threaten anyone, we just ask you and request from you to respect us and nothing more.

Today, we are building roads that will connect us, among ourselves, with the region and with the world. Until the end of the year, we will work on eight motorways, on eight routes in the entire Balkans, not only Serbia, eight roads of peace and cooperation.

Only a crazy person would trade this for war, for dead children, for demolition and new loss. And yes, we want to have the closest relations with everyone who took part in the aggression against our beautiful Serbia, we have forgiven a long time ago, but no, we will never forget. And don't ask us to. That one day, every year, we will remind both ourselves and you. The nineteen of you, the most powerful, strongest, greatest in terms of might and force, but not so much when it comes to honour and morality. We will keep remind you and ourselves, just so it would never happen again. Not to us only, but to none other freedom-loving people in the world.

And if we have an offer, today it reads as follows: we are ready to make the whole Balkans a winner, for everyone to win, as long as no one tries to make Serbs the only losers.

And the path to this goal is not difficult at all.

We just need to respect and understand each other and not try to humiliate each other.

And not to touch into what everyone paid the highest and bloodies price for. Freedom. And we, Serbs, know the price of freedom.

Into our right to have it, to keep it and to remember all the victims who are part of it.

And our defeats, our lives and our children are built into ours. And the lives of our heroic pilots, and our giants from Kosare and Pastrik, and our children, innocent, completely innocent, and only guilty of living in Serbia.

This is too high a price to be quiet about it.

Because that would mean that we are ready for another defeat, for another humiliation.

And we are not.

And when all go quiet, we will keep repeating.

A child a day, and a little more. This was how much you killed us. In an aggression that even you did not understand why you carried it out.

And we will keep repeating this, just so it does not happen to us again.

With special reverence, we are fulfilling our obligation to pay tribute to all innocent Serbian victims who laid their lives on the altar of the homeland, both civilians and our heroic soldiers and policemen, the heroes of Kosare, Prizren, Mitrovica.

Today, for us Serbs, life in Kosovo and Metohija is like Via Dolorosa, using their last strength on the road to Golgotha, but we would not be Serbs if we were not capable to "exist in a terrible place".

And today, tonight, I can conclude with one important sentence. On the soil of Europe, there was, and today is stronger than ever, an indomitable, unwavering, unconquerable and never conquered Serbia.

May eternal glory be to all the victims of the NATO aggression and let us all exclaim together - long live free and proud Serbia", President Vucic said.

Source:www.predsednik.rs

Photo:www.predsednik.rs

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic participated today in the commemoration of the Remembrance Day of 17 March 2004 - Pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija. He said that exactly 17 years ago, a pogrom took place in Kosovo and Metohija, and that pogrom surpassed all other crimes.

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest, these words of Elie Wiesel, a camp survivor and Nobel laureate, make it forever incumbent upon us not to remain silent against crime, regardless of who and for what reason committed it", President Vucic stated and added that we remembered and learned every lesson in which we were losers, each one in which we were silent to our own victims, and each one when we were ready to forget.

"Serbia is no longer weak today, nor is it a country of losers, it does not threaten, but it does not forget either, it is ready for talks, but not for humiliation. Serbia, just like everyone else, has the right to take care of its people, their safety and well-being. The right to life is a fundamental human right and we will always defend it", President Vucic said.

President Vucic said that pogrom surpasses all other crimes, because it is not only an act, but an intention, a policy, a premediated attempt to forcibly cleanse persons belonging to other peoples and faiths from a region or a country.

"We have no right to remain silent to that", said the President of Serbia, emphasizing that we have an obligation to be winners without blood spilled and war, to be the best in the economy, healthcare, sports, education and everything else that implies development and progress.

"We also wish others to work on themselves and be successful, because we are aware that crime is a tool for losers that winners do not need, as they remember, but forgive and move on, while the losers keep spinning in the same vicious circle. We Serbs do not want to be that anymore, we want a future in which we will remember, but from which we will not return. We know what happened and we call it by its real name", President Vucic concluded.

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić spoke today via video link with the US State Department's Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, with whom he discussed numerous regional issues, the general situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery measures and continuation of dialogue with Priština.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic held an online meeting today with Special Representative for the Western Balkans and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of State Matthew Palmer.

Palmer and Brnabic discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, the situation in the region and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as economic relations and American investments in Serbia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said today that the fight against all forms of crime was a top priority of the Serbian Government and an integral part of the EU accession process.

"It is also our moral duty, in order to leave a better world for the generations to come", Selakovic said participating via video-link at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Kyoto.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, PhD, as the new Serbian Patriarch, in its convocation in Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade on 18 February 2021.

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia made an unusual mistake today by placing a sign of equality between the congratulatory messages sent to Serbia by Presidents Donald Trump and Joseph Biden on the occasion of Statehood Day.

The normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština, as President Donald Trump saw it in his congratulatory message last year, and the issue of the so-called mutual recognition mentioned by President Biden neither formally and legally nor materially mean the same, or even approximately the same.

I will remind you that during the signing of the Washington Agreement, President Donald Trump was very ready to listen to and respect Serbia's views, and to, without going into the issue of the so-called mutual recognition, praise our country as a factor of stability and engine of democratic and economic development of the entire region.

Not only did President Trump not insist on the so-called mutual recognition between Belgrade and Pristina, but he was inclined to embark with us on the search for innovative solutions that would truly stabilize the region.

Such inclination is not recognized in the congratulatory message we received from President Biden, which does not mean that the new U.S. President, as a man who knows the situation in the Western Balkans extremely well, will not be in favor of a compromise between Belgrade and Priština and that he will pursue a policy of imposing solutions which quite obviously cannot stabilize the region in a lasting way.

Belgrade, 9 February 2021

President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army Aleksandar Vucic attended a demonstration of capabilities of one part of Serbian Army units in the "Rastko Nemanjić" barracks in Pancevo. On this occasion, President Vucic stated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

The President said that he would rather put his "head on the chopping block" than sign any document with a recognition and reminded that he had already once refused to do so in Washington, where there were two versions of the agreement.

He stated that he immediately had his delegation leave the meeting, that he told the U.S. delegation that Serbia would not sign such an agreement, while conveying that Serbia would always endeavour to hold peaceful talks in order to preserve peace, but that it would not take any humiliation.

The Serbian President thanked the U.S. President Joe Biden for the letter of congratulations on the occasion of the upcoming Statehood Day, in which, in addition to the usual emphasis on commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability and democratic values, he unequivocally called for mutual recognition of Serbia and "Kosovo" as a result.

Mutual recognition between Serbia and "Kosovo" is not part of any act of any world organization, the President pointed out and reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

According to the president, the situation is difficult and will only be increasingly difficult.

"As I told you three days ago, I can see it and I expect it, I can see the situation slowly tightening, because the conflicts between them at the global level have been increasing and intensifying, and then we have to pay the price", the President said.

President Vucic said that said that it was up to our state to continue strengthening the country in the economic sense.

The President added that the role of the army was very important in the highly complex security and political conditions of the modern world, and that was why Serbia needed to do everything it could to deter any potential aggressor and attacks on citizens and the country.

"The policy of strengthening the armed forces will continue at a faster pace", the President emphasized, adding that the goal was for the Serbian Army to play a stabilizing role with regard to the political developments in the region.

According to him, it should be clear to everyone that Serbia was not a punching bag and that not everyone could attack and threaten it like it was the case in the past.

Vucic said that he was pleased with what he saw and that a lot had been done in the previous period, pointing out that the salaries of military personnel would be significantly increased as of April.

President Vucic also stated that investments in the Serbian Army would continue, whom he told that he expected the Army to continue to be the guardian of our country, its integrity and freedom.

"We expect you to be the guardians of our country, its integrity and freedom, the defenders of our people, the guardians of the homeland, the protectors of the interests of the state of Serbia and to be a deterrent factor for every aggressor and anyone who might consider attacking Serbia", Vucic said.

The military exercise called "Spearhead" demostrated the capabilities of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, and the event, which the President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army assessed as very good, was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Stefanovic and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic.

Belgrade, 7 February 2021

President of the United States of America Josef Biden conveyed a letter of congratulation on the Statehood Day of Serbia to the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić. The congratulation reads as follows:

"On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your fellow citizens as you celebrate Serbia's national day on February 15.

As we commemorate 140 years of partnership between our two countries, the United States maintains its enduring commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability, and democratic values. We remain steadfast in our support for Serbia's goal of European integration and encourage you to continue taking the hard steps forward to reach that aim - including instituting necessary reforms and reaching a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition. The strength of our relationship is built on a deep history of people-to-people ties, fighting as allies in both World Wars, and we celebrate the great contributions Serbians have made to American society across many fields. We also value our close cooperation in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic as we jointly confront this unprecedented global challenge.

I look forward to working with you to deepen the bonds of friendship between our countries and to strengthen the relationship between Serbia and the United States. I wish you and the people of the Serbia a joyful celebration", reads the congratulation of the U.S. President Biden.

7th February 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković congratulated Anthony Blinken on his election as the new Secretary of State of the United States.

“Warm congratulations to Antony Blinken on his appointment - we look forward to celebrating 140th anniversary of Serbian-US relations this year by intensifying our cooperation," Selakovic said on the Ministry's Twitter account.

Belgrade,

January 26, 2021

Serbia's foreign policy positions are naturally being adjusted to the new developments at the international level, but our foreign policy priorities have not changed in a long time. Our top and most important interest is to preserve good-neighbourly relations and stability and peace in the region and, in the same context, to find a peaceful and just solution to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said in an interview with Politika daily.

Another lasting interest of ours is full membership of the European Union, because this is the type of society we strive for. At the bilateral level, our goal is to strengthen ties with traditional friends, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, but also to build new partner relations with the United States. One of the most important tasks of our foreign policy is to improve the position and protect the rights and identity of our people in the region, as well as to provide various types of support to Serbs in the diaspora. All these are very important and more often than not complementary goals, Nikola Selakovic pointed out.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić talked today with the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the Head of the European Union Delegation about the continuation of reforms on Serbia's path to membership in the European Union.

Brnabić confirmed that full membership in the EU remains a key foreign policy priority of Serbia, emphasizing that reforms in the area of the rule of law are in the focus of the government of Serbia.

She pointed out that Serbia is sincerely committed to the implementation of radical reforms in the field of justice, the fight against corruption, the strengthening of independent institutions and the freedom of the media, and added that much has already been done in practice.

The Prime Minister informed the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the Head of the EU Delegation about the concrete measures that the government of Serbia has taken so far in the area of the rule of law, and pointed to the further fulfilment of the GRECO recommendations.

According to her, the initiative to amend the Constitution was adopted and forwarded to the National Assembly, new members of the State Prosecutors' Council were elected, and work is underway to establish a unified and centralised case management system.

The state is working on further strengthening the cooperation with independent bodies and institutions, as well as on improving election conditions, among other things, by forming a working group for the improvement of election conditions.

She pointed out that, when it comes to media freedom, the government has adopted the Action Plan for the implementation of the Media Strategy and formed the Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.

The ambassadors of the Quint countries welcomed the measures implemented by the government of Serbia, assessing that these are encouraging steps in the right direction and represent the basis for accelerating the accession process.

Brnabić expressed the expectation that the reforms that are being implemented will be recognised and adequately evaluated, and that in 2021, accession negotiations with Serbia will be accelerated.

Belgrade, 21 January 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić conveyed congratulations to the newly elected President of the United States of America, Joseph Biden, which reads as follows:

"Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of taking the office of the President of the United States of America, as well as my best wishes for your good health and every success, to the benefit of your country and all its citizens.

I deeply believe that you will perform your duties with true devotion, endless energy and clear vision, typical for your long political career and rich experience of a statesman. There is nothing more honorable than serving your country, not slowing down in front of big challenges brought by uncertain times the world is unwillingly facing.

Dear President,

This year we celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the USA. In the previous period, we marked important jubilees from our common history, remembering the bright examples of our alliance on the side of truth and justice. Precisely those examples were a strong incentive for us in Serbia to strive to bring back relations with the USA to the level of true partnership, the way they used to and should be, despite scars left by times of lack of understanding and disagreements. I am convinced that, with mutual respect and common values, you will be our partner in strengthening political dialogue and economic cooperation.

Allow me, therefore, to extend to you the invitation to visit Serbia, now as the President of the USA, with a hope that you have fond memories of a visit in 2016 and that a wish for richer Serbian-American ties is mutual", reads the congratulation of President Vučić.

Belgrade,

20th January 2021

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pointed out that Serbia is the first in Europe in terms of economic growth, which will be officially confirmed at the end of March, and that this was possible owing to the reform measures taken since 2014 and the rapid opening of the country after the first wave of corona virus.

The President pointed out that Serbia had a growth of 5.2 percent in the first quarter, while the Eurozone was at minus 3.2 percent, in the second quarter Serbia was at minus 6.3 percent, while the Eurozone was at minus 14.7 percent, and in the third quarter, when the Eurozone was at minus 4.3 percent, Serbia's figure was only minus 1.4 percent.

Vucic stated that Montenegro, for example, recorded as much as 26 percent minus in the third quarter.

Furthermore, the President emphasized that hospitals were built and renovated in our country, and that two hospitals were built from the ground up in just four months.

He said that the state made significant efforts to procure respirators, masks, gloves, protective suits, medicines, everything that was needed, and pointed out that work was being done on 10 general hospitals throughout Serbia, adding that all these were major achievements that were only possible owing to the success of the 2014 reforms, the enactment of the Labor Law, which yielded excellent results, and also through fiscal consolidation measures.

"These are unprecedented results for Serbia. Was Serbia ever before the first in Europe in terms of growth rate? We will get the results on 31 March that will confirm that Serbia is number one in Europe. All that was possible thanks to people who believed in difficult changes", Vucic said.

According to the President, this year, as many as six highways will be built in Serbia at the same time, and in this regard, he noted that Bulgaria has announced that the highway from our border to Sofia will be completed by the end of the year, after which it will be possible to use motorway to travel to Istanbul, which is very important to ensure that our country is on a transport route.

President Vucic emphasized that in 2020, the so-called year of corona, our country had a net inflow of foreign direct investment amounting to EUR 2.9 billion net, and three billion gross, which means that many foreign companies such as Toyota Tires, Boysen, ZTF and Brose have invested in Serbia even in this year of crisis.

The President said that Serbia has the highest average wages in the region, amounting to 511 or 512 euros, and that in February, due to the January increase, the average wage will be 535 or 536 euros, and that only in Belgrade in the last seven years the average wage increased by 180 euros or 40 percent.

That President said that Serbia was fourth in the region in terms of salaries before, and that today we are officially the first, and that the difference in relation to other countries will only increase faster. He also pointed out that the employment rate is growing in Serbia as well as that our public debt increased less than in most European countries. This is illustrated by the data that in Italy the public debt surged to 156 percent, in Germany to 87 percent, in France to 114 percent, in Croatia to 88 percent, while in Serbia it is at 57 percent.

The Serbian President announced that by Sretenje, 15 February, an additional package of assistance to the economy will be earmarked, and as he explained, it will be a new capital injection for companies, the trade, entrepreneurs, small, medium and large enterprises which, as he said, concerns 1,052,000 people within that system.

Vucic specified that it will most likely be help in the form of two or three payments amounting to half a minimum wage each, and that there will also be sectoral aid for tourism, hotel owners, travel agencies, guides, for bus carriers, through another half minimum wage payment.

The President added that efforts will be made to extend the guarantee schemes as well, which proved to be excellent, amounting to 1.5 billion, and this time, through the same system, two more portions amounting to 500 million each could be provided.

Vucic said that the first agreements with DFC worth 300 to 400 million dollars are expected in seven days.

He also stated that the state will endeavor to help pensioners further, in addition to increasing pensions by 5.9 percent in January, which will be reflected in their first checks in February, and added that pensioners should by March receive symbolic aid in the form of packages with vitamin C, D and zinc, which, as the President said, are small things, but they reflect the state's care and efforts made to protect health.

The President announced that negotiations on the procurement of the Chinese vaccine would be completed in the next seven to eight days, after the first quantities of the Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines have arrived in Serbia, and pointed out that the Chinese vaccine was of exceptional quality, but probably the most expensive, which is why he wrote to the Chinese President and asked for a discount for our country.

Vucic thanked the Americans for deciding to sell the vaccine to our country and noted that no one in the region other than Serbia has received it, except for the small quantity that Albania got.

He pointed out that our state relied on itself and its own capacities, and that our state leadership anticipated that vaccines within the European COVAX plan would arrive late.

The President rejected the claims about bad results of Serbia in the fight against the corona virus and stated that our country has recorded the lowest corona virus mortality rate in the region.

He presented statistical information indicating that Slovenia had 144 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, North Macedonia 126, Bosnia and Herzegovina 123, Bulgaria 115, Montenegro 115, Hungary 110, Croatia 107, Romania 85, and Serbia 51.

"The mortality rate in the region is as follows: Bulgaria 3.9, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.7, Hungary 3.11, North Macedonia 3.03, Romania 2.48. Slovenia 2.15, Croatia 1.99, Montenegro 1.4, and Serbia 1.0. This can be seen in the graphs and is no fabrication", the President stressed.

He said that the state will fight for vaccines, and that only Serbia, in the Western Balkans, received significant quantities of vaccines, other than a smaller quantity that Albania received, and added that in one day since the registration for vaccination opened, as many as 63,000 persons have registered.

President Vucic expressed his belief that the year ahead will be better than the previous one as well as that the corona virus will be defeated through vaccination of citizens.

Belgrade,

12 January 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that Serbia's desire is to build better relations with the United States and that she will try to do so.

Answering the question of the journalists, during the visit to the University Children's Clinic "Tirsova", Brnabic reminded that the arrival of Joseph Biden to the position of the President of the USA will affect relations with Serbia, reminded that America is one of the most important partners of our country.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that Serbia managed to do a lot to improve relations during the mandate of Donald Trump.

I would also like to thank US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey. We want to continue to build even better relations between the United States and Serbia, the Prime Minister emphasised.

Belgrade, 10 January 2021

Our compatriots living abroad are one of the great potentials that the state has not recognized in the right way so far, which is why a different approach is needed to the issue of how to strengthen our diaspora and use the good will of people who are potential lobbyists for the interests of Serbia and the Serbian people, Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said.

This year, Serbia could finally have Ambassadors and Consuls General appointed to about a third of the currently vacant positions in the country's diplomatic and consular missions in the world, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic is convinced that most of these positions will be filled, as he points out, by the best possible people.

Preservation of peace, taking care of the health and better living standard are key for Serbia in 2021, underlined President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic, convinced that even though the completion of this ambitious and by no means easy task will be anything but straightforward, best results can be achieved by working in concert with the Government, while ensuring security and a future of certainty for the citizens.

The President said that Serbia has set for itself great and ambitious goals for the next year, notwithstanding the complex international and regional circumstances, and that it will endeavour to fully preserve peace and stability in the region and the country, while safeguarding the vital national and state interests.

"Serbia will remain on the course of a winning policy - the policy of stability", President Vucic said and stressed that our country remains on the European integration path and that it will carefully foster its friendship with Russia and China, while building a friendship with the United States as well.

Belgrade, 24 December 2020 - Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic received today the first vaccine against the coronavirus made by Pfizer company, at the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera.

Brnabic, who is the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine, pointed out that this day may be the first since 6 March that we have a reason for a smile on our faces as it marks the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic in Serbia, but also in Europe and the world.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia hereby denies the allegations of some domestic media that Serbian citizens temporarily working abroad will be obliged to pay income taxes both to the country of temporary residence and to the Republic of Serbia. 

We believe that these catastrophically intoned texts that are discussing the topic directly concerning a large number of citizens of the Republic of Serbia living and working abroad are actually based on insufficiently researched facts. These texts are unreasonably creating concern among our citizens which can be concluded from the increased number of  inquiries to diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Serbia.

We appeal to the residents of Serbia who are temporarily abroad not to pay attention to incorrect and sensationally intoned texts on this topic because when it comes to taxation procedures for concerning that category of our citizens fundamentally nothing will change in relation to the previous practice. 

We strongly believe that behind the irresponsible and inaccurate media articles on this topic there is actually no bed intention but simple misunderstanding and we emphasize that Serbia is doing and will continue to do everything to help the members of its diaspora in every possible way.

Belgrade, December 23, 2020

On the occasion of 10 December, the international Human Rights Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia reaffirms its commitment to the principles and values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on this day in 1948.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been the foundation for the development of international law in this field, and of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, as a unique achievement of modern civilization. It is incumbent upon us today to safeguard and strengthen the international system ensuring respect for human rights, to develop human rights standards, control the implementation of commitments, and also to continue cooperating with international and regional institutions on the protection of human rights.

Serbia is fully committed to the universal values of human rights and implementing in practice the international legal instruments relating to human rights. Our continued cooperation with the Human Rights Council mechanisms in the framework of the United Nations, with the Council of Europe and the mechanisms of the OSCE human dimension, represents an important segment of activities carried out by all state authorities, thus demonstrating our consistent commitment to the implementation of international human rights standards.

The international Human Rights Day is an opportunity to point out once again that Serb and other non-Albanian population is being deprived of its rights in Kosovo and Metohija and to call again on the international community to ensure the respect for the guaranteed international human rights norms and contribute to creating conditions for the return of internally displaced persons and giving them back their usurped property.

NEW REGIME OF OPERATION OF THE CONSULATE GENERAL IN CONNECTION WITH THE CORONA VIRUS OUTBREAK  IN THE UNITED STATES   

In the wake of the current situation regarding the outbreak of corona flu epidemics in the United States and a need to undertake additional measures to prevent further spread of the disease, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York has adopted the following measures which will take effect on Monday, 16 March 2020, and remain in force until further notice:

The Consulate will be able to extend services only in very urgent and pressing cases;

You are kindly requested to call the Consulate in advance, at least two days ahead of the planned visit, by calling (917) 519-7416 or by sending a message to consulate.newyork@mfa.rs.

Unannounced visitors whose appointments have not been confirmed will not be admitted;

Your requests for consular services not requiring personal presence in the Consulate should be exclusively sent by post (e.g. registration of birth, marriage and death, admission to citizenship, customs certificates, police clearance and other vital statistics, certificate for transfer of mortal remains, regulation of military service, etc.);

The Consulate shall continue to admit applications for voting abroad in Parliamentary elections in the Republic of Serbia by email, fax or post.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York appreciates your understanding and cooperation at this time. The Consulate shall continue to closely monitor the situation regarding the corona virus outbreak in the United States and shall resume its regular regime and hours of operation as soon as the situation improves.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in New York and Tesla Science Foundation have the honor to invite you to

NIKOLA TESLA CONFERENCE 2020

Saturday, January 11, 2020

10 am to 10 pm

The Wyndam New Yorker Hotel, 481 8th Ave , New York NY 10001

For more information and to register, please visit  http://teslasciencefoundation.org/teslas-people-award-conference-2020-new-york-preliminary-program/

The National Bank of Serbia has published Financial Guide for Returnees – our citizens returning to the Republic of Serbia – from the aspect of Foreign exchange regulations.

https://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/en/financial-guide-for-returnees/

The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passaports, signed in Nay Pyi Taw, on 29. January 2019, will take effect on 16 October 2019.

Based on this Agreement, nationals of the Republic of Serbia and Republic of of the Union of Myanmar who are holders of diplomatic and official passaports, will have the right to enter into, transit through and stay on the territory of the other Party without visa for a period not exceeding 90 (ninety) days from the date of their entry.

The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the Republic of Suriname on exemption from visa requirement for holders of national, diplomatic, service and official passaports, signed in Paramaribu, on 10 February 2018, taked effect on 16 September 2019.
Based on this Agreement, nationals of the Republic of Serbia and Republic of Suriname who are holders of ordinary, diplomatic, service and official passaports, will have the right to enter into, transit through and stay on the territory of the other Party without visa not exceeding 30 days.

The decision on partially-financing projects for the diaspora by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, can be found on the following link

http://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ODLUKA-DIJASPORA-2019.pdf

MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND MEDIA

Department of Contemporary Artistic Production and Creative Industries

announces this
OPEN CALL
for the Co-Financing of Projects for the Translation of Representative Works of Serbian Literature into Foreign Languages in 2019

The scope of this Open Call is co-financing of projects for the translation of representative works of Serbian literature into foreign languages.

The overarching goal of this Open Call is the translation of representative works of Serbian literature into foreign languages.

Submissions in the following literary fields are eligible under this Open Call for the translation of representative works of Serbian literature into foreign languages: poetry, prose, drama, children’s literature (other than picture books and textbooks), anthologies and thematic selections and theoretical works in the fields of culture and arts intended for the wider readership.

Translations of classic works of Serbian literature and works acclaimed by the expert community will be given priority for support.

The minimum amount to be financed and co-financed per project is RSD 120.000,00.

Applicants submitting to the Open Call for the translation of representative works of Serbian literature into foreign languages must provide the following documents:

1. An extract from a relevant register or a company registration certificate which shows that the applicant is registered exclusively or predominantly for publishing.

2. An extract from a court or other register showing that the foreign publisher has not been barred from publishing by a valid and enforceable order in the two years preceding the date of announcement of this Open Call.

3. A signed or initialled copyright contract with the Serbian author (or the author’s heir) or a licensed publisher whose work the applicant wishes to translate.

4. A signed or initialled contract with the translator of the work concerned.

5. An up-to-date portfolio including minimum four literary works (a portfolio for 2017/18 or 2018/2019 is considered up-to-date).

6.  The translator’s CV or a reference list of translated works.

7. The book that would be translated (a physical copy of the book with indicated title, author’s name, publisher etc.). A Serbian publisher or the book’s author can provide a copy of the book to meet this requirement.

8. The applicant’s statement of reasons why the specific title was chosen and a description of its plan to promote the translated title in territories outside of the Republic of Serbia.

9. Applicant’s Information Form (ENCLOSURE O2), duly filled out.

10. Submission Form (ENCLOSURE O1), duly filled out.

11. If the applicant is established outside of the Republic of Serbia, it must provide payment instructions for a foreign exchange account held with a commercial bank, with clearly stated SWIFT and IBAN codes.

The Submission Form and other documents relating to it must be provided in Serbian and in English.

Out of the funds allocated for this purpose in the budget of the Ministry of Culture and Information, 70% is tentatively earmarked for support to foreign publishers, while 30% is earmarked for Serbian publishers. The financial support will be provided only for the translation of the works and will not cover the costs of printing, distribution or print preparation.

Financial support for the translation into a foreign language will not be provided for the works of authors whose two earlier works have been translated into that language with financial support from the Ministry of Culture and Information.

The works of Serbian literature classics are exempted from this provision.

To receive financial support, a foreign publisher must first provide the Ministry of Culture with six (6) copies of the translated book.

Applicants must submit completed and signed O1 and O2 forms, together with the required documents for this Open Call, as specified in the Formal Requirements section.The relevant forms are available on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information (www.kultura.gov.rs).

Each copy of the book translated with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia must contain a clear acknowledgement of that support. The Ministry’s logo and the text of such acknowledgement will be sent by e-mail to the publisher’s address.

Selection of projects pursuant to this Open Call will be made by an expert committee formed by the Ministry of Culture and Information. The expert committee will base its decisions on the frequency and literary justifiability of support awarded to the works of contemporary authors in previous open calls.

The criteria for the selection of projects financed and co-financed from the budget of the Republic of Serbia are set out in Article 5 of the Regulations on the Manner, Criteria and Standards for the Selection of Cultural Projects Financed and Co-Financed from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia (available at: www.kultura.gov.rs/propisi/propisiukulturi ). Projects financed or co-financed from the budget of the Republic of Serbia must meet at least three of the criteria listed therein.

Technical criteria for the selection of cultural projects that would be financed or co-financed from the budget of the Republic of Serbia are as follows:

1) Compliance with the formal requirements of the Open Call: complete documentation with a description of the project and detailed information and with a clear specification of the time and venue of the project;

2) Provision of a detailed specification of project costs, with a breakdown of all sources of funding that would be used;

3) The contractor must have fulfilled its obligations to the Ministry under earlier supported projects (Narrative and Financial Implementation Report submitted).

The following will not be taken into consideration:

1) One-off projects that have already received support under earlier open calls by the Ministry;

2) Projects of a clearly commercial nature.

The following are eligible to submit to this Open Call: institutions, arts and other associations and organisations/legal entities established in or outside of the Republic of Serbia and professional foreign publishers registered exclusively or predominantly for publishing and established outside of the Republic of Serbia.

Cultural institutions founded by the Republic of Serbia which are financed under Article 74 of the Law on Culture are not eligible to submitto this Open Call.

To be taken into consideration, submissions must meet the following requirements:

1. They must be sent exclusively by mail (mailing address: Ministry of Culture and Information, Vlajkovićeva 3, Belgrade; the envelope must bear the wording “Open Call for the Co-Financing of Projects for the Translation of Representative Works of Serbian Literature into Foreign Languages in 2019”);
2. They must be made in 4 counterparts using the Submission Form for the Open Call for the Co-Financing of Projects of Translation of Representative Works of Serbian Literature into Foreign Languages in 2019 (hereinafter referred to as the “Submission Form”);
3. If one applicant wishes to submit multiple projects, a separate submission must be made for each project.

The Submission Form for projects for the translation of representative works of Serbian literature into foreign languages is available on the official website of the Ministry, at www.kultura.gov.rs.

This Open Call is valid from 10^th of January to 1^st of March 2019.

The submission materials will not be returned.

The results of this Open Call will be posted on the official website of the Ministry of Culture and Information, not later than 60 days of the closing date of the Open Call. The Ministry of Culture and Information will inform all applicants and the wider public about the outcome of this Open Call in this way.

Publishers must publish the works for which they received financial support by 1^st of  December 2019.

Any additional information is available from the Ministry of Culture and Information every business day from 1 PM to 3:30 PM: - By phone, at +381 11 3398-026, or by e-mail, at mladen.veskovic@kultura.gov.rs – Project of Translation of Representative Works of Serbian Literature into Foreign Languages;

The committee will not take into consideration any incomplete submissions (the documentation must be complete and the Submission Form must be filled out in its entirety).         

Any submissions received after the specified date will be rejected.