Selakovic: Economic diplomacy sector at the MFA by the end of May

01. May 2021.
By the end of May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should establish an economic diplomacy sector for the first time, Head of diplomacy Nikola Selakovic announced stating that this step was very important for the further economic progress of Serbia.

"That is one of the strategic goals that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working on for the past four or five months. We will have a special organizational unit, a special assistant minister who will deal with those topics, and today, when Serbia is progressing, recovering economically and getting back on its feet, this is certainly of great importance for the activity of the Ministry", Selakovic told Tanjug.

As part of the modernization and digitalization of the services provided by diplomatic and consular missions, the Minister announced the establishment of a new portal - eConsulate.

This portal, for a start, will enable digital submission of applications for a certain type of visa to enter Serbia.

Selakovic pointed out that the priority in foreign policy activity was the fight to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, the fight to protect Serbian state and national interests in Kosovo and Metohija, to express good will and commitment to the dialogue and normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, but also to represent our interests in Kosovo and Metohija.

"This is a constant in the activity of the Ministry, and my personal activity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the period when we expect that Serbia will be exposed to serious pressures within the dialogue itself, that is an absolute priority," Selakovic said.

At the same time, he emphasized the process of European integration of Serbia which aspired to full membership of the EU while preserving, fostering and promoting the traditional, friendly and partner relations with friends outside the EU, such as Russia, China, countries of the Arab world, the African continent, Latin America, as well as enhancing Serbia's relations with the United States.

Selakovic stated that in the period ahead much more attention would be paid to compatriots living outside the borders of Serbia, in the region, in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and in neighbouring countries, Hungary, Romania, Albania, etc.

"This is a fairly broad agenda, there are many things for us to deal with, and one of the serious and important tasks of the Ministry is that after 30 years of disorientation, since the end of the SFRY, we will start seriously dealing with planning and rejuvenation of the Ministry's personnel, in the medium and long term", Selakovic said.

As he said, efforts will be made to give a chance to our best students from the Faculty of Political Sciences, Faculty of Philology, Faculty of Economics, but also to our students from abroad, who have the desire to return to their homeland, so that they could all together give "new strength and impetus to the activity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.

 

Source: Tanjug