At the sitting held on 20 March, the Foreign Affairs Committee conducted an interview with the newly appointed Ambassadors of the Republic of Serbia to the Republic of France, Dr Dusan Batakovic, and to the Swiss Confederation, Dr Milan St.Protic, before their departure for diplomatic duty.

The Committee sitting was chaired by Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic.

Ambassador Batakovic stressed that, as member state of the UNSC and Contact Group and one of the pillars of the European Union, France has a significant influence on the shaping of the policies towards the Western Balkans and Serbia. The recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija is the crucial problem in bilateral relations and Batakovic believes that the ruling of the International Court in the Hague will provide the basis to influence the French position regarding this illegal act.

Batakovic stressed that, on the other hand, France actively supports Serbia’s European politics and its accelerated inclusion into the Schengen visa system.

Pointing out that, nowadays, economic interests are increasingly influential in determining political relations between countries, Ambassador Batakovic noted that France is not sufficiently present on the Serbian market and that its direct investment into Serbian economy does not reach its potential. Agriculture, railway and road infrastructure among others, are sectors French businessmen find particularly interesting for investment. The upcoming visit of a large economic delegation from this country to Serbia will present the opportunity to expand economic cooperation.

Ambassador Protic said that the fact that Switzerland was among the first countries to recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija and insisted that as many other countries as possible do the same presents an aggravating circumstance for the development of relations with this country. Switzerland supports Serbia’s approach to the European Union, but conditional on full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

Protic believes that the activities of the Council of Europe Chief Rapporteur Dick Marty, Swiss deputy, should be utilised to shed light on the trade in human organs and involvement of prominent Kosovo Albanians in it.

He will also strive to forestall any potential attempt to initiate the procedure for the admission of Kosovo during the upcoming Swiss chairmanship of PACE.

The Committee members accepted the new ambassadors’ statements with certain suggestions, and wished them success.

The Committee went on to accept several invitations to send National Assembly delegations to meetings of international organisations and institutions at the beginning of April. In addition, they also accepted the reports on realised visits, meetings and talks between Serbian parliamentarians and parliamentarians from other countries.

At the request of SRP Committee members, the Committee Chairman, Dragoljub Micunovic, gave an oral report on his visit to Croatia.