Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Maldives committed to improving bilateral relations

Belgrade, 6 November 2022

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid signed today the Plan of political consultations of the line ministries, which is a prelude to greater cooperation between the two countries.

At a joint press conference with Shahid, Dacic stated that the two countries had good relations at the time of the Non-Aligned Movement, but that they were a little neglected.

He stated that during today's meeting they discussed agreements on cooperation in the field of sports and education, as well as the visa regime.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives informed Dacic that 5,000 citizens of Serbia visit that country annually and that they receive visas at the airport.

However, when someone from the Maldives needs to come to Serbia, they have to go to our embassy in India, which is a four-hour flight. Our visa policy must be harmonised with the European Union, but I do not believe that the Maldives with 500,000 inhabitants is a problem for the EU, Dacic said.

The First Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that the Maldives respect the universal principle of territorial integrity, which is why our friendship is particularly important.

Answering the journalists' questions, Dacic pointed out that the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, by leaving the institutions of Pristina, are fighting for their interests and for the Brussels agreement, which Albin Kurti destroyed.

He pointed out that it is time for the European Union to declare whether there is a Brussels agreement or not, adding that this is not only about Kosovo and Metohija, but about the principle of respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, which supposedly everyone welcomes, but which does not apply to Serbia.

According to him, the Serbs with Kosovo and Metohija did not say that they will leave those institutions permanently, but that they will be outside them until the Community of Serb Municipalities is formed, and Europe, if it could wait nine and a half years, can wait for the formation as well.

As for Belgrade, Dacic emphasised, the basic message is not to take a single step that would prevent dialogue, but that Serbia must defend its people.

Shahid pointed out that today's meeting is a big step in the improvement of diplomatic relations between the two countries and that it will give a new impetus to mutual cooperation, while he expressed his satisfaction with the fact that Serbia is progressing in all areas of social and economic life.