MP and Head of the ALEKSANDAR VUCIC – Serbia Must Not Stop Parliamentary Group Milenko Jovanov met today with the Ambassador of Australia to the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Peter Truswell.
In an open and constructive conversation, the officials discussed possibilities for improving bilateral relations between Serbia and Australia, with particular emphasis on parliamentary cooperation, economic ties and the diaspora.
Jovanov stressed the importance of the increasingly intensive dialogue between the two countries and thanked the Ambassador for the support that Australia provides to the Serbian community living and working in that country. He emphasised that there is significant room to deepen the cooperation between the two countries in the areas of trade, agriculture and investment, despite the geographical distance.
Ambassador Truswell expressed satisfaction with the growing interest of Australian companies in the Serbian market, as well as the willingness to further improve existing relations through concrete projects and initiatives.
The officials also discussed the Rio Tinto project in Jadar, and Jovanov explained that the position of his parliamentary group is that the interests of citizens in terms of health and the environment must be protected, but also that potential investments that would contribute to the development of the country must not be blocked, and that this company must be more transparent in its positions and more present in the dialogue with citizens, and in particular that it must combat fake news and untruths. The topic of the meeting was also the issue of Kosovo-Metohija, as well as Serbia's entry into the EU, and Jovanov stated that he hopes that, despite the differences in the views on the issue of Kosovo-Metohija, Australia will find a way to view this issue from Serbia's perspective and change its position in international forums. Speaking about the EU, Jovanov expressed the view that Serbia, regardless of whether it becomes part of this community or not, should work to ensure that European standards are implemented, because this is good for the citizens of Serbia, as well as to raise the standard of living of its citizens, and that the Union must decide for itself whether it wants to expand and include the countries of the Western Balkans as full members.
Both sides agreed that parliamentary diplomacy plays an important role in strengthening mutual trust and understanding, and expressed their willingness to intensify contacts and exchanges of delegations in the coming period through visits by parliamentary friendship groups and potential visits by parliament speakers.
The meeting took place in a friendly atmosphere, with mutual commitment to further building meaningful and stable relations between Serbia and Australia.