During an online meeting of foreign ministers of Berlin process member states, Selakovic said that Serbia will always be an advocate of the policy of peace and connecting, because that is the only way to create stability, which is a precondition of economic growth and progress.
Unfortunately, there are some people who have still not grasped the real meaning and essence of the Berlin process and that they should first start to respect their internationally assumed obligations, such as the Agreement on Regional Representation of Kosovo, the Minister said, commenting on the fact that the Pristina representative put out a flag of self-proclaimed Kosovo.
The Berlin process gives support to the European integration of the Western Balkans through concrete projects and measures, he said and pointed out that the backbone of regional cooperation is focused on economic integration, as well as that it coincides with the foreign policy orientation of the Serbian government.
With a responsible and well-designed economic policy, Serbia has achieved the highest growth in the region, and according to the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2021 of +1.7 percent, our country is in the first place in Europe, Selakovic emphasised.
He mentioned the establishment of the Common Regional Market in the Western Balkans as the latest example of cooperation of this initiative, noting that our country welcomes the Action Plan for that market.
According to him, the application of this document will expand the possibilities for improving economic cooperation in the region.
The Minister also referred to the decision on the establishment of "Green Corridors", which enabled medical equipment and food to be transported unhindered through the region in the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, without delays at border and administrative crossings.
Serbia has demonstrated its commitment to improving regional cooperation by showing solidarity with its neighbours in the region, sending vaccine shipments and enabling vaccination in our country, including the secretariats of regional initiatives in which our country participates, Selakovic recalled.
He also pointed to other concrete results of regional cooperation within this initiative, such as the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, the Transport Community in Southeast Europe, based in Belgrade, the Western Balkans Chamber Investment Forum and the Agreement on Reducing Roaming Prices in the Western Balkans.
Selakovic reiterated that full membership in the EU is a key foreign policy and strategic goal of Serbia, and stated that the enlargement policy is one of the most successful EU policies and that it should stay on that course, noting that the rightful place of Serbia and the entire region is in the EU.
The meeting was held as part of the German presidency of this initiative in the form of a video conference.