Dačić: Serbia wants all-encompassing linking with region, entire Europe

MINSK – Serbian Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić stated Thursday that Serbia is working through various projects on a wide infrastructural networking of the Western Balkans so that it could become a well-connected, recognizable and competitive region, Serbian Government stated.

Speaking at the annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Central European Initiative (CEI) which is held in Minsk, Dačić underlined that the Connectivity Agenda, which was established in “WB6” format as part of the Berlin process, has special importance for Serbia.

Our priorities are the construction of the Nis–Merdare–Pristina–Tirana–Durres motorway, modernisation of the existing and construction of a fast-track railway Belgrade-Budapest, Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor whose value is €162 million and which should enable the completion of interconnector transmission lines between Serbia and Romania, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina and long-distance high-power lines within Serbia.

Dačić underlined that the migrant crisis is still a special security challenge and added that for Serbia it is of crucial importance that the agreement between the EU and Turkey on admission of migrants is not suspended.

Given that Serbia is in the most difficult situation and that it has a significantly larger number of migrants in its territory in comparison to other countries of the Western Balkans, we believe that the largest amount of funds from the new special measure should go to Serbia, Dačić said.

The Minister underlined that Serbia is firmly committed to responding to possible terrorist threats and all forms of extremism and to give contribution, in cooperation with its partners worldwide, to their suppression at the regional, European and global levels.