At the beginning of the meeting, PFG Head Fehratovic pointed out that the interparliamentary cooperation is well-developed, dynamic and continuous and corresponds to the traditionally friendly relations between the countries, dating back to the period before Algeria's gaining independence.
He stressed that the exchange of visits by the president speakers and the Framework Protocol on cooperation between the National People's Assembly of the Republic of Algeria and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia signed in 2019, had greatly contributed to the development of interparliamentary cooperation.
He added that there is room to improve cooperation in the fields of economy, science, education and tourism, opining that an exchange of visits by the members of the parliamentary friendship groups could lend additional impulse to the relations between the two parliaments. Fehratovic emphasised the importance of marking the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade, held in 2021, for Serbian-Algerian relations.
Jahja Fehratovic especially thanked Algeria for its principled position in terms of observing international law and respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty as regards the non-recognition of the self-proclaimed independence of so-called Kosovo.
Algerian Ambassador Fatah Mahraz agreed with the MPs that there is potential for improving the cooperation between the two parliaments. He informed the PFG members that National Assembly Speaker Dr Vladimir Orlic had invited the Speaker of the Algerian National People's Assembly to visit the Serbian Parliament, adding that the Algerian Parliament is currently in the process of forming a friendship group with Serbia.
The Ambassador agreed with the hosts that there is room to improve cooperation in the fields of tourism, economy, agriculture, culture, education and economy. He expressed hope that a direct flight between would soon be established Serbia and Algeria, as it would contribute to the development of tourism and the economy. He stressed that he supported cooperation in the field of education, through student exchange and scholarships, adding that the Serbian faculties of medicine and agriculture have an exceptional reputation.
Ambassador Mahraz underlined that Algeria would continue to support Serbia in the fight for territorial integrity and sovereignty, because both the countries respect the principles of international law and share the same values and added that Algeria always stands for just causes, everywhere in the world.
The meeting was attended by PFG members MA Jadranka Jovanovic, Draginja Vlku, Usame Zukorlic, Nemanja Joksimovic, MSci.Med. Tatjana Jovanovic, Prof. Dr Mirka Lukic-Sarkanovic and Dragan Milinkovic.
They agreed that the relations between Serbia and Algeria are traditionally good and friendly and that there is potential for improving cooperation across the board, especially in the fields of culture, tourism, science and education. They expressed hope that the Algerian parliament would soon set up its own friendship group with Serbia after which the parliamentarians could exchange visits with the aim of exchanging experiences and establishing even better parliamentary cooperation. They thanked the leadership of Algeria for their principled stance on Serbia’s territorial integrity.
