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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Essential, sustainable reforms on Serbia’s path to EU

Belgrade/Hong Kong, 30 November 2017

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic was the keynote speaker at a gala dinner organised by the reputable magazine The Economist, as part of the annual conference "World in 2018" in Hong Kong.

Prime Minister Brnabic spoke at one of the biggest and most famous annual events, organised by this British magazine, about the ongoing political and economic reforms in Serbia, the process of European integration, relations with the EU and Russia and cooperation with China, primarily within the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.

She said she is proud that Serbia has the largest number of projects under this initiative and a portfolio of approximately $6 billion, mainly for infrastructure projects, but also for energy and the environment.

Speaking about Serbia's foreign policy priorities, the Prime Minister pointed out that the EU is Serbia's priority, but that the accession process should not simply be linked to the number of open and closed chapters, but to essential and sustainable reforms that lead to a better quality of life for all citizens.

In that sense, the Prime Minister said that Serbia is implementing reforms primarily because of ourselves, and only after that because of the accession to the EU as a society that holds values that we share.

At the end of the panel, the speakers gave predictions for 2018, and the Serbian Prime Minister predicted that there is a historic opportunity to talk about the Balkans next year in a much more positive way, not common for the Balkans.

At the initiative of President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia has already launched a historic internal dialogue on Kosovo with the aim of involving the entire public in these talks and creating a future together as a society that will lead us forward, the Prime Minister said.

We now have a historic chance. With dedication, courageous political decisions, leadership, capability and willingness to accept compromises and with a bit of luck, the Balkans have a chance to change their own image. This would mean that in 2018 Europe itself will look different and that the Balkans are part of the solution, and not of the problems that the EU or other countries have to solve, Brnabic concluded.

Concluding the conversation with the Serbian Prime Minister, the moderator said that she managed to get everyone in the audience interested to pay more attention to the Western Balkans next year.