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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Active contribution of Serbia to fight against terrorism

Washington/Belgrade, 7 February 2019

First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told yesterday at the Ministerial Conference of the Global Coalition Against DAESH that Serbia provides full support to the fight against terrorism, and that it is ready to It provides an active contribution to the suppression of this phenomenon.

At this meeting in Washington, US President Donald Tramp addressed the high-ranking officials, while Dacic spoke at the second session of the ministerial meeting on the theme "Coalition in 2019".

The official website of the government brings his entire speech.

“Secretary Pompeo,

Honorable Ministers,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honored to participate in our today’s meeting. Allow me at the outset to thank you all for contributing to our joint action against and military defeat of DAESH.

Over the past years and decades we have been witness to terrorism gradually becoming a global phenomenon. With the emergence of DAESH and its affiliated groups terrorism has taken on a new form of organization and brutality. Serbia has timely recognized this threat and was among the first to join the Global Coalition against DAESH.

As a member of the Coalition, Serbia assisted the Iraqi Government in many ways and stands ready, as much as it can, to continue to support the Coalition.

I think that those claiming that the 21st century began with the attack on the Twin Towers in New York are not wrong – ever since that event until today, terrorism has become a major preoccupation of the global public.

I come from a country that way back in the early 1990s faced the scourge of international terrorism when more than 7,000 foreign fighters coming from various parts of the world, mostly from Afghanistan, came to fight in the civil war waged in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. That evil was not properly recognized at the time by the international community. Many terrorists who took part in the war in the former Yugoslavia, later took part in the attacks in New York, Madrid and other places. Many terrorists that subsequently rained terror all over the world saw those terrorists as role models and teachers. The war in the territory of the former Yugoslavia was a training ground for terrorists and, what is more dangerous, a breeding ground for radicalism and extremism. The seeds of extremism and radicalism sown then and there bore bitter fruit in Iraq and Syria when several hundred terrorists left the former Yugoslavia to fight on the side of DAESH, even entire families. This is a horrible truth that we have to face. More than 20 000 foreign fighters, mostly from European countries went there. Most of those people returned home or will return battle-hardened and additionally radicalized. Very few of those who returned were disappointed.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are of the view that at this critical point we need to totally bring down extremist movements, primarily DAESH and that it is now of key importance to prevent its resurgence and recovery. Serbia can and wishes to help achieve that goal and to make its full contribution to this global effort. I would like to recall that five years ago the legislation of the Republic of Serbia criminalized the participation in foreign wars, recruitment, financing and training of extremists. The Serbian courts have already committed to 6-11 year jail sentences several extremists who fought in Syria on the side of DAESH or who raised funds for or recruited new fighters. We perceive Kosovo and Metohija as a particularly risky territory for recruitment of DAESH fighters since according to our estimates more than 300 extremists from that territory fought on the side of DAESH, which makes them in terms of percentages compared to the number of inhabitants the most numerous group among DAESH foreign fighters. The return of any of them to the region poses a security risk and a threat to our society, so we have to harsh in dealing with any intent on their part to spread the virus of terrorism to the Balkans.

In that respect, we are strongly advocating even more intensive cooperation among security forces, police and judicial authorities in the fight against terrorist organizations, particularly in the fight against terrorist financing and those recruiting and training terrorists. The security of our citizens and states depend on the success of this cooperation. The Republic of Serbia remains committed to this and other forms of partnership with you, the members of the Coalition, and will make its utmost contribution to our joint fight against our common enemy.

Thank you,” he said.