31 January 2022

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke today with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics about bilateral relations, economic and trade cooperation and Serbia’s progress in the process of European integration.
The Prime Minister said that Serbia is committed to joining the EU and underlined that it appreciates very much the support which Latvia gives to our country on its European path, and especially to the opening of Cluster 4 in December last year.
She voiced hope that during the French presidency of the Council of the EU, Serbia will also open Cluster 3, which deals with competitiveness and inclusive growth.
According to her, Serbia advocates progress of the Western Balkans on the European path, which is of essential importance for the region’s stability.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Latvia for its contribution to security in Kosovo and Metohija through significant participation in the KFOR and EULEX missions, assessing that the presence of these missions is still necessary and that it greatly affects the security of citizens.
The Latvian Foreign Minister praised Serbia's progress in the field of European integration and underlined that the successfully conducted referendum on constitutional changes made it possible to make significant steps in the field of judicial reform, which is key to further progress in the field of the rule of law.
He assessed that there is significant space for improving economic cooperation and increasing the volume of foreign trade, adding that Latvia is open for direct contacts between businessmen of the two countries when epidemiological conditions allow it, which could contribute to stronger economic cooperation.
The two sides highlighted the possibilities of cooperation in the field of bioeconomy.
Rinkevics conveyed Latvia's support for the normalisation of relations and progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, with full implementation of everything agreed, emphasising that this country strongly supports respect for democratic processes and the position that it is necessary to allow Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija to vote in the upcoming elections.
The Prime Minister of Serbia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia expressed confidence that, after the end of the pandemic, political contacts at the highest level will be intensified in order to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.