French President Emmanuel Macron, after meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade, stated that Serbia has a place in the European Union (EU).
Macron arrived on a two-day visit to Serbia, where he was welcomed by his colleague Vučić in front of the “Serbia” Palace with the highest military honors. Then a meeting between Vučić and Macron was held, followed by a ceremony of exchanging signed bilateral documents.
After the meeting, the President of France expressed his gratitude to Vučić at the press conference for the warm welcome and said that he was glad to return to Serbia with the delegation.
“I would like to send a message of friendship from France to Serbia today with my presence and to say in the most decisive way that your country has a place in Europe, in the European Union,” Macron said.
He emphasized that in the last five years, relations between Serbia and France have experienced a new upswing.
“Our economic cooperation has strengthened. French companies have been engaged in long-term infrastructural projects such as the Belgrade metro, the modernization of the ‘Nikola Tesla’ Airport, where tomorrow we will mark the successfully completed works, the modernization of the electricity distribution network, waste management and cooperation in the field of healthcare,” , Macron said.
He emphasized that economic activities are increasing in both directions and that they are achieving increasing success.
“The French development agency, which has been present in Serbia since 2019, allocated an amount of almost 600 million euros and continues to develop its activities,” he said.
He pointed out that he visited Serbia again to make sure that Serbia and France can continue their journey in the international and European context.
“A lot has happened in the last five years, we have a lot of tensions. The war returned to the European continent with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. My message is simple, the European Union and its member countries, in this context, they need a strong and democratic Serbia, and Serbia needs a strong and sovereign European Union to defend its interests. Serbia has a place in the European Union and it can play a very important role there and serve as an example and a flywheel for the entire Western Balkans region, and we are ready to support all efforts which are necessary, both in the field of economy, and in improving the rule of law and everyday life,” Macron said.
He expressed the wish that the conditions for the opening of a new cluster of negotiation chapters between Serbia and the EU would soon be met.
“Like France, Serbia also strives for independence and sovereignty, which today only the EU can offer thanks to the means for strategic autonomy at its disposal. Strategic autonomy, we can consolidate it together and strengthen our security. This is not only at the EU level, it is already within the European political community and we are building it together with the countries that want to get closer to the European Union. Therefore, the choice of ‘Rafale’ fighter planes is a clear choice that represents the will for a long-term alliance between our two countries as part of a strong and sovereign EU,” Macron said.
He also commented on projects related to the mining of lithium and other ores in Serbia.
“I see how passions are boiling here. In France, we have projects in this area and it is important that the governments cooperate to make sure that the projects respect environmental protection. We can help you, but all decisions are up to Serbia. Serbia makes independent decisions,” he pointed out.
On the second day of the visit, Macron will go to Novi Sad, where he will visit the Matica Srpska Gallery and tour the new installations. Macron and Vučić are expected to address the Forum on Youth and Artificial Intelligence in Novi Sad.
On the second day of the visit, a plaque unveiling ceremony will be held on the occasion of the completion of works on the modernization of the “Nikola Tesla” Airport in Belgrade and an address by the two presidents, which will conclude the visit of the President of France.
The French president made an official visit to Belgrade for the first time in July 2019, when the two countries celebrated 180 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Vučić made an official visit to Paris in April this year, AA writes.
