National Assembly Deputy Speaker Djordje Milicevic met at the National Assembly House with a delegation of the Russian Autonomous Region Khanty-Mansi to discuss advancing business cooperation.
Deputy Speaker Milicevic greeted the Russian delegation on behalf of the National Assembly Speaker, members of the PFG with Russia and himself.
Milicevic went on to remind the guests that last year marked the 180th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.
This year’s two meetings of presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin gave a special impulse to the excellent relations between Serbia and Russia, he stressed.
The National Assembly Deputy Speaker highlighted the excellent bilateral relations, stressing the two nations’ close ties firmly grounded in traditional friendship and mutual respect.
Milicevic went on to emphasize the excellent cooperation between the two parliaments, evidenced among other things, in the work of the Russian State Duma - National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Cooperation Commission and the Russian and Serbian delegations’ mutual support in all the international organizations where they have national representatives.
“I must also say how very pleased I was to see the Russian delegation return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, a cause our delegation championed too”, said Deputy Speaker Milicevic. “The extent of the cooperation between the two parliaments is reflected in the fact that the 134-strong PFG with Russia is the biggest one in the National Assembly”, the Deputy Speaker added.
He thanked Russia for supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia and its principled stance that the self-declared state of Kosovo cannot join international organizations. “We value Russia’s supporting the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue as the way to come to a mutually acceptable and satisfactory solution”, Milicevic stressed.
The National Assembly Deputy Speaker said that Russia will always have a true friend in Serbia which will never impose sanctions against it or its people. Speaking of business cooperation, Milicevic said that the excellent political and friendly relations are a good basis to deepen it. Russia has a big economic influence in Serbia which is interested in seeing more Russian capital and investments on its market.
The Governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region and Head of the delegation Natalya Vladimirovna Komarova agreed with Milicevic that the relations between the two countries are at an admirable level, adding how pleased she was with the Serbian Parliament’s work. She briefed the Deputy Speaker on the projects and activities realized, stressing the importance of advancing cooperation, especially in the sphere of economy.
The officials opined that the two countries’ high dignitaries are the voice of the people and Serbia and Russia’s stance coincides to a high extent on most international issues. They also agreed that there is ample room to advance cooperation in terms of the military, police, security, science and education, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation.
