Đurić: Serbia committed to cooperation, reconciliation, and accelerating European integration

Minister Đurić underlined that Serbia has a clear and unambiguous European perspective, noting that the discussions addressed concrete ways to accelerate the integration process, particularly in the run-up to the forthcoming visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Belgrade.

Given that reconciliation in the region was a distinct item on the agenda, Đurić recalled that the wars of the past left deep scars, but stressed that the key is to look ahead and work toward a shared future.

“Many in our region still bear the pain of past conflicts; there is no family untouched by what occurred. Yet it is vital that we seek a path to cooperation. We made an effort at this gathering to proceed differently—not with an eye to quarrelling or pointing fingers, but with a responsible stance and a vision of a region that must safeguard its younger generation and harness its potential,” Đurić said.

He noted that the meeting also covered current regional issues, including the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and relations between Belgrade and Priština. The Minister emphasized that Serbia always uses every opportunity to present facts and to advocate its positions with reasoned arguments.

The Serbian Foreign Minister stressed that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, as well as the Government, defend Serbian national interests everywhere and at all times.

“In addition, we are mindful of our responsibility to contribute to preserving stability in the region as a key precondition for economic development and for safeguarding the younger generation,” Đurić stated.

In that context, Đurić expressed satisfaction that from Hillsborough Castle Serbia sent a strong message that it is ready for the EU—yet for an equal place at the table.

“We do not seek to ride in the last carriages; we deserve, and belong, as equals at the table where decisions are made on security, political, and other issues in Europe,” Đurić affirmed.

In his talks with the foreign ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, and a number of EU member states from the neighborhood, Đurić highlighted Serbia’s achievements both in the economy and in reforms.

“Serbia not only does not lag behind any country in the region; in terms of economic indicators, external debt, and increasingly even the standard of living, it is at the level of—or even ahead of—countries that joined the EU more than fifteen years ago,” the Minister explained.

He emphasized that Serbia today is a country that has more than doubled its economy in less than a decade, and that for further progress it is essential to keep channels of cooperation with neighbors open.

Minister Đurić also addressed the challenges that the future brings, particularly in the context of rapid technological development and the impact of artificial intelligence.

“I presented Serbia’s initiatives within our chairmanship of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence and pointed to the challenges this technology will pose not only to economies, but also to the information sphere and political processes in the region. These are matters we must consider in a timely manner and approach in an orderly way,” Đurić noted.

He assessed as positive the fact that from some of the highest officials of EU member states one could hear a renewed commitment to EU enlargement.

“This is because they recognize that global turbulence is such that, absent greater European unity, not only will the Balkans remain the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of our continent, but—should Europe fail to become more unified and more closely aligned—the continent risks becoming a chessboard for the geopolitical contest of great powers,” Đurić said.

According to him, Serbia lies at the central crossroads of Southeast Europe, and therefore, without Serbia as an equal at the table, there can be no completion of Europe’s unification process.

“We are an older, proud nation, and we accept only an equal place at the table—not the second row, not the third. We gave millions of lives for Europe’s freedom in the twentieth century and today we contribute economically, culturally, and in other ways. We are a dignified, responsible, and serious nation that contributes to the stability of the region, and we are always pleased when we are invited, as we were today here at Hillsborough Castle, to participate on an equal footing in discussions on European issues,” concluded Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia / Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the United Kingdom