6 September 2019 The MPs in meeting with the US senators

6 September 2019 The MPs in meeting with the US senators

Friday, 6 September 2019

Serbia Has a Friend and Partner in US, Say Senators Johnson and Murphy

The PFG with the US headed by Dragan Sormaz met today with US senators Ron Johnson and Chris Murphy, visiting Serbia to support the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.


The senators spoke in favour of a strong partnership with Serbia, saying they wanted the Serbian people to see the US as their friend. After the visit they hope to bring their colleagues the good news of a stronger economic and security partnership with Serbia which will in turn boost US investment into the country.


The Head of the PFG with the US Dragan Sormaz said that though the relations between Serbia and the US are at a high level, the countries need to invest joint efforts into bringing them back to the levels they had in the 1990s. He said that Serbia expects US support in the course of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. He believes that including the US in the process in vital and could only improve the strong partnership between the countries. Speaking about strengthening economic cooperation, Sormaz said that the US as the leader in modern technologies could utilize the fact that Serbia is fourth in Europe and 10th in the world in the number of IT experts.


National Assembly Deputy Speaker Djordje Milicevic said he was pleased by the improvement of friendly relations with the US which is one of Serbia’s most important foreign partners.


Speaking of the talks between Belgrade and Pristina, Milicevic said that dialogue is the only way to come to a solution.


“We need a just and mutually acceptable solution. The Pristina authorities have crossed some red lines by, for example, the imposition of 100% customs tariffs on goods from Serbia and disregard of the Brussels Agreement. Dialogue is the only solution”, stressed Milicevic.


He also mentioned the possible boycott of the elections by the opposition. Milicevic said that boycott does not lead to compromise, stressing that it is very important for the ruling coalitions that the opposition take part in the elections and it will take special efforts to reach an agreement, though he personally believes that fear of political collapse lies behind the announced boycott.


PFG member Srbislav Filipovic said that young people in Serbia believe in the country’s economic future and stability and care about having a good and friendly relationship with the US. He agreed with his colleagues that there is no alternative to dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.


PFG member Prof. Dr Zoran Dragisic said he was very pleased by the appointment of a US Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, stressing that the US taking an active role in the current situation is more than welcome. He reminded the attending that the Dayton Accords were signed only after the US joined the talks.


Senators Johnson and Murphy said that finding a solution for the Kosovo issue requires determination and political bravery and that it needs to be viewed as a step toward remedying the relationship. That is why they believe the inclusion of young people in the process would play a significant role because they are not captives of the past.



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friday, 29 march
  • 9.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Speaker’s Cabinet)

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