National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details

28 October 2024 The members of the PFG with Germany Snezana Paunovic and Risto Kostov and the head of the AfD faction of the German Bundestag Tino Chrupalla
Monday, 28 October 2024
Members of PFG with Germany Talk with German Bundestag Member Chrupalla
The members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Germany Snezana Paunovic and Risto Kostov met today with MP and head of the AfD faction of the German Bundestag Tino Chrupalla.
Paunovic said that Serbia has defined its European path and stands firmly on it, however there are challenges on that path that burden the cooperation between the two countries. Despite the differences on numerous issues, we need to talk more intensively and improve mutual cooperation, said Paunovic. She added that the economic cooperation between the two countries is good, but there is room for their improvement, as well as for the improvement of cooperation in the field of culture, with the aim of overcoming both current and historical differences.
PFG member Risto Kostov said that bilateral parliamentary cooperation is very well developed and characterised by dialogue at the highest level. He added that Serbian parliamentarians appreciate Germany's support for Serbia's European path and have a desire to improve cooperation, especially if one takes into account the strong economic presence of German companies in Serbia, which employ over 40,000 of our citizens. He assessed that the economic cooperation between the two countries is constantly growing and that one quarter of Serbia’s total foreign trade with the EU countries is with Germany. He went on to draw attention to the difficult position of the Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija and asked for German support to tackle the problem of the flow of goods from Central Serbia to our southern province.
The head of the AfD faction of the German Bundestag Tino Chrupalla emphasised that constructive relations should be improved and that his faction continues to support Serbia on its European path. He expressed special interest in the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and especially in the position of Serbs and the state of Serbian churches and monasteries in Kosovo-Metohija, noting that the AfD faction is the only one in the Bundestag that continuously draws attention to the problems of the Serbian population in Kosovo-Metohija.
Snezana Paunovic said that no human rights are allowed for Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija or for Serbs displaced from Kosovo-Metohija. She informed Chrupalla in detail about the difficult position of the Serbs and the tragic state of our churches and monasteries in Kosovo-Metohija. She added that, sadly, the loudest support for Kurti's terror against Serbs is currently provided by official Berlin and called on her colleague to explain in the Bundestag, and especially in the European Parliament, why it is not good to support the creation of greater Albania in the Balkans. She added that she is aware that the AfD is an opposition party and that it has a difficult task to convince the German public that it should change its attitude towards Kosovo-Metohija and called for reflection on the secession carried out against international law.
"I hope that historical mistakes will not be repeated and I believe that official Berlin will stop all those who, hiding behind it, commit evil. Be it the ruling majority or the opposition, you are a representative of a European country with which we want to cooperate and we look forward to new partners in the fight for a better world than the one we have today," concluded Paunovic.