18 March 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met today in Sarajevo with the Members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It was noted at the meeting that the relations between the two countries improved over the past few years, and Members of the BiH Presidency expressed gratitude to Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic for their solidarity in the fight against the pandemic and for the Covid-19 vaccines donation.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of intensifying bilateral relations and resolving open issues through a sincere direct dialogue, without the participation of third parties. Minister Selakovic stated that Serbia was interested in preserving peace and stability in the region, and especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that it was committed to preserving the integrity of BiH as well as the Dayton Peace Accords, which envisaged the existence of two entities and three constituent peoples.

Selakovic added that Serbia was grateful to BiH for its principled and clear position concerning non-recognition of the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo and for its support to Serbia in international organizations regarding Pristina's requests for membership.

The importance of strengthening economic cooperation was emphasized at the meeting, which, as it was stated, can lead to a relaxation of the political atmosphere in the region and, in this context, the "mini-Schengen" initiative was assessed as a good idea and a path towards connecting countries and peoples in the Western Balkans, the free flow of people, goods, services and capital, and joint participation in third markets. The interlocutors expressed support to the initiative of President Vucic to hold a Serbia-BiH economic forum in Belgrade. The importance of the realization of infrastructure projects was also discussed at the meeting, underlining the Belgrade-Sarajevo motorway as a priority, and in the period ahead, considering the reconstruction of railway connections as well.