All citizens of the Republic of Serbia – who reside abroad and who are registered on the Serbian Electoral Roll, can submit a request to the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney or the Serbian Embassy in Canberra, to vote abroad, that is, in Australia.

Application forms for Electoral Roll registration and voting abroad, as well as detailed instructions, are in the News section of this website, in the Serbian language.

03 November 2023.

We would like to inform you that Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić made decision No. 361/30-2022/01, dated 16th November 2022 which announces a public call for submitting proposals for awarding national awards for exceptional contribution, results and merits in the field of achieving cooperation and strengthening the ties between the home country and the diaspora, as well as the home country and Serbs in the region.
You can view the published public invitation at the following links:

https://www.mfa.gov.rs/
https://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/lat/uprava-za-dijasporu-konkursi/

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today in Geneva the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, the first of its kind in the Western Balkans.

The agreement was signed at the headquarters of that forum by Director of the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment Mihailo Jovanovic and Managing Director and Head of the Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Jeremy Jurgens.

The centre in Serbia will be the 16th in the network of centres of the World Economic Forum in the world and the first in the region of the Western Balkans.

The new centre will start operating on 1 March and will function as a non-profit organisation and a platform for public-private partnership and cooperation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while the focus of work will be on artificial intelligence and bioengineering.

This centre will work within the Serbian government’s Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment and will cooperate with scientific institutes, state institutions and the private sector.

The signing of this document was also attended by founder and Executive Director of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and President of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende, with whom Brnabic had previously met.

Addressing the press, Brnabic pointed out that this agreement is the result of many years of joint work between Serbia and the World Economic Forum.

We started talking in 2018, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, then 2020 hampered us a bit, but we continued to plan in 2021 and here we are today, she said.

According to her, the centre will be focused on the development of artificial intelligence, biomedicine and biotechnology, and on the ways in which digitalisation can raise the productivity of companies and the entire economy.

This is what further leads to higher salaries, a better standard of living, as well as to an economy that is mainly based on knowledge, creativity and innovation, Brnabic emphasised.

Today, we have received great recognition for everything that Serbia has done in the field of digitalisation, development of high technologies and paradigm shift – from an economy that was based on labour-intensive investments to digital development.
That is why this agreement shows that Serbia has been recognised as one of the leaders in the economy and IT industry in the last six years, the Prime Minister pointed out and assessed that this is the announcement of the beginning of an even closer cooperation between Serbia and WEF.

She added that they will have a joint meeting with the 16 WEF centres for the fourth industrial revolution in the world every month, at which they will talk about what each of them is doing, since each has a different focus.

That is how we will hear what everyone is doing every month, learn from each other and I am sure that the centre in Belgrade will be one of the best, the Prime Minister said.

According to her, this gives us visibility, the opportunity to further establish Serbia as an investment destination, a country good for living and investing in new technologies and knowledge.

Jovanovic said that the ecosystem formed around the centre will use the infrastructure of the National Platform for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Genome Sequencing and the future bioeconomic centre – BIO4 Campus.

Izvor/Foto: Tanjug

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked last night with Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.

In a telephone conversation, Brnabic and Morrison exchanged all information about the current situation regarding the best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, who was approved to enter the country by an Australian court yesterday.

Brnabic asked that Novak Djokovic be treated fairly by the Australian authorities, and that all his rights be respected.

The Prime Minister especially emphasised the importance of the conditions for training and physical preparation for the upcoming competition, considering that Novak Djokovic was not allowed to train in the previous days, and the tournament in Melbourne starts this weekend.

Prime Minister Brnabic also asked Morrison to be in direct contact in the coming days and for the government of Serbia and the government of Australia to exchange all information directly.

Prime Minister Morrison accepted this proposal, and an agreement was reached for the two prime ministers to talk again in the coming days.

Brnabic asked her Australian colleague to do everything in his power, so that Novak Djokovic would have human and dignified treatment in Australia, for the entire duration of his stay.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the Republic of Serbia is fully ready to provide all guarantees to Australia, if they are needed.

The Ambassador of Australia to Serbia, Daniel Emery, received a verbal protest at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia on January 06th, due to the inappropriate treatment to which the best tennis player in the world and a citizen of Serbia, Novak Djokovic, was exposed in Melbourne.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nemanja Starovic expressed the expectation that Ambassador Emery will make personal efforts to enable Djokovic to wait for a court decision on whether he can stay in Australia in accommodation that is adequate for an athlete of his rank.

According to him, Serbia does not want to influence the upcoming decision of the Australian judiciary in any way, but expects that the executive authorities of that country, in the spirit of good bilateral relations between Australia and Serbia, and in accordance with their competencies, will allow Djokovic to spend Christmas in better accommodation.

He emphasized that the Serbian public has a strong impression that Djokovic is a victim of the political game, against his will, and that he was lured to travel to Australia in order to be humiliated.

State Secretary Starović pointed out that Novak Đoković is not a criminal, terrorist or illegal migrant, but that he was treated that way by the Australian authorities, which causes understandable indignation of his fans and citizens of Serbia.

The day before, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia sent a protest note to the Embassy of Australia in Belgrade, and our Embassy in Canberra sent a protest note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, met today with the Australian Ambassador, Daniel Joseph Emery.

Selaković stated that there is a positive trend in the political dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, pointing out that visits at the high and the highest level would provide an additional impetus to our relations.

He pointed out that a special bond to our relations is given by the numerous Serbian diaspora in Australia, noting that it is a significant potential for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

When it comes to economic cooperation, the minister pointed out that there is a large, unused space for intensification, especially in the volume of trade exchange, further growth of our exports and encouraging the inflow of new investments on our market. As a good example, Selaković singled out the cooperation of about twenty Serbian companies with Australia in the IT sector.

Also, the minister conveyed the readiness of Serbia to improve cooperation in the economic, scientific-technological, cultural, educational and sports spheres.

12.11.2021.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that severe examples of endangering the Serbian cultural, historical and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija are proof of the important role of UNESCO in protecting and preserving heritage.

At the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, Brnabic emphasized that four jewels of the Serbian medieval cultural heritage in Kosovo – Visoki Decani, Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica and Bogorodica Ljeviska, have been preserved thanks to the fact that they are inscribed on the endangered world heritage list. Hundreds of other sites and monuments are endangered.

The Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is of immeasurable importance, not only for the national identity of Serbia, but also as a part of the esteemed European and world heritage, she underlined.

Source/Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs

2nd November 2021

"Your Excellences,
distinguished delegates,
dear Sarah,

At the very beginning, I feel obliged to thank Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Her Majesty’s Government for exceptional hospitality.

I feel privileged to represent the Republic of Serbia at this important place and at the highest-level world forum, in working on the most important topic of today – promoting climate awareness.

15.10.2021.

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,
I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate. I would also like to thank the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible, pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve lasting peace, stability and security in the Province.

4 October 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, received the credentials from the new Ambassador of Australia, Daniel Emery today, whom he welcomed, expressing hope that the cooperation between the two countries would be even better in the future.

26 September 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has discussed today by phone with the General Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg about, as the General Secretary said, worrisome situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija.

25 September 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, has stated that in New York he introduced foreign ministers of 28 countries to economic success of Serbia but also to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which he also discussed with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, who told him that we could count on the support of the Russian Federation, with regards to Serbian interests in K&M.

25 September 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic warned today that Pristina has seriously jeopardised local and regional stability after sending heavily armed special units to the north of Kosovo who are exerting ` against the peaceful Serbian population.

Brnabic spoke at the general debate of world leaders, as part of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic participated today at the Global COVID-19 summit, organised by the White House, which was opened by US President Joseph Biden.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with Ambassador of Australia to Serbia Ruth Stewart, who is ending her term, about current bilateral relations between the two countries, economic cooperation and opportunities for joint project engagement. 

5 August 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the marking of the Remembrance Day of all the victims and expelled Serbs in the armed operation "Storm" and said that Serbia remembers!

22 July 2021

We have decided – our goal was and remains the EU, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said in an interview with the German daily "Handelsblatt", adding that there is no alternative for Serbia, but also stressing that China is an important partner for Serbia, and that the task of the state is to take care about the interests of its citizens.

20 July 2021

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, stated at a gathering dedicated to digitalization and the IT sector, which was held in New York, that since she became Prime Minister, she is most proud of Serbia's success in the field of digitalization.

Dear Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, members of the delegations

I would point to a few ongoing issues in my speech that refer to the competences of the Mechanism, namely, the possibility of serving the sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia, with the current practice of disabling early release of the sentenced persons as well as obligation of the Mechanism regarding protection of sentenced persons.

The second part of the speech will be dedicated to issues that are opened by the six –month Report on the work of the Mechanism by Mechanism President Mr. Agius and Report by the Chief Prosecutor Mr. Serge Brammertz, especially regarding current cooperation of the Republic of Serbia and the Mechanism.

The third part of my speech, and I noticed that in many of your statements even today, is going to be the view of Serbia on everything that took place in The Hague Tribunal and what the Tribunal verdicts brought to people in the region of former Yugoslavia.

The Republic of Serbia has initiated before the Security Council, on several occasions, the issue of possibility of serving sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia. Beside the efforts to move this issue from “square one”, not a single response was obtained from the Security Council. The majority of persons that are serving their prison sentences are citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and it comes naturally that the Republic of Serbia is interested in enabling them to serve their prison sentences in the Republic of Serbia.

ICTY and the Mechanism are making references to the Security Council as an institution in charge of dealing with this issue.

I am ready to reiterate here the readiness of the Republic of Serbia to take over obligations and liability for executing prison sentences that the Tribunal or Mechanism passed on the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, under the monitoring of the Mechanism and full respect for the authority of the Mechanism regarding early release.

Mr. President

A particular problem that we are facing with is disturbance by the judicial institutions established in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which is within Serbia and which is under Interim Administration of the UN. We are witnesses of attempts of retrial for two citizens that are serving their prison sentences for which they had already been trialed before the ICTY. More concretely, in previous period there was an attempt for hearing of Nebojša Pavković and for obtaining extradition of Vlastimir Đorđević.

I urge on the Mechanism and Security Council to prevent attempts of violation of the principle ne bis in idem, a civilization principle that was confirmed in Article 7 (1) of the Statute of the Mechanism and to disable retrials for persons already convicted by the ICTY, particularly to make sure that it is not done in the territory which is under interim UN administration.

Mr. President,

President of the Mechanism (Mr. Carmel Agius), apart from the regular Report, delivered also on 11 May 2021 a letter to the President of the Security Council, whose subject is the alleged omission of the Republic of Serbia to apprehend and turn over to the Mechanism Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta, indicted of contempt of court, claiming that in this way the Republic of Serbia was acting contrary to its obligations towards the UNSC Resolution 1966 (2010) and asking the Security Council to take measures in order to ensure that Serbia meets the alleged obligations in accordance with the Mechanism Statue and Resolution 1966.

The point of the argumentation of the President of the Mechanism comes to that that the Republic of Serbia has the obligation to deprive of liberty and extradite to the Mechanism its citizens accused of contempt of court, regardless of the nature of accusation, circumstances under which such an order was made and consequences that might result from its implementation.

It is about accusations that do not refer to sever violations of international humanitarian law and that are related to a case before the ICTY, which ended in 2018 (Vojislav Šešelj case), by acquitting the defendant in the first instance, and upon the Prosecutor’s complaint the defendant was declared guilty and sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment, which was covered by the time he spent at the UN Detention Unit.

Judge Agius states that Serbia ignores its obligations in accordance with the Resolution 1966 (2010). Quite the opposite- the Republic of Serbia takes seriously its obligations regarding cooperation with the Mechanism. After the warrant for apprehension and extradition of the two persons accused of contempt of court to the Mechanism had been introduced, the Higher Court in Belgrade established that assumptions for their apprehension and extradition to the Mechanism had not been met. The decision is founded on the rules of international law and domestic law of the Republic of Serbia and it is mandatory for holders of the executive power in the Republic of Serbia.

I would remind here that the first decision of a sole judge (Aydin Sefa Akay, 12 June 2018), that was acting in this case was that the criminal prosecution of V. Radeta and P. Jojić for alleged contempt of court was to be forwarded to the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia. In procedures that followed, the argument of the alleged unwillingness of the witnesses to cooperate with the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was stated for the first time, and the decision on deprivation of transferring the case to the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was based on the respective argument.

The Republic of Serbia expressed its readiness to take over the court procedure against Petar Jojić and Vjerica Radeta on several occasions and it provided appropriate guarantees. Additionally, the Republic of Serbia fully recognizes and accepts the obligation of the Mechanism to monitor trials that were transferred to national courts with the help of international and regional organizations, as well as to take measures envisaged by Article 6 of the Statute of the Mechanism.

I would remind here that the Republic of Serbia extradited to the tribunal all the persons indicted by the Prosecutor’s Office, and among the respective mostly highest political, military and police officials; it enabled presence of vast number of witnesses, delivered extensive documentation. Obligation of the Mechanism, in accordance with the Resolution of this Security Council, is to take measures that enable transfer of cases to national justice system. In previous practice, 13 cases were transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 to Croatia and only one to Serbia.

The last but not the least, I want to remind all of you here of the fact that France- of course as a sovereign and independent country- upon request for apprehension and extradition of Florence Altman for publishing documents and contempt of court, refused the request for extradition, with an explanation that it does not extradite its citizens. For far smaller offence you ask as to extradite our citizens Jojic and Radeta, showing both the distrust to Serbian justice and judiciary and Serbian State, as well as a fact that the rule from ancient Rome is still valid – quod licet lovi non licet bovi.

It does not harm to underline that high-level officers and politicians were not trialed for crimes against Serbs, and that crimes against Serbs remained unsanctioned before ICTY and Mechanism. Let me remind you, just as an example that Ademi and Norac case for ferocious crimes against Serb civilians in Medački Džep was left to Croatian justice institutions. Proven crimes against Serbs, like those of Ramuš Haradinaj, Naser Orić, then Ante Gotovina and other indicted for military operation “Storm” that led to a complete ethnic cleansing of Serb population in the big part of today’s Croatia, resulted before the ICTY in acquittals. Many horrible crimes against Serb civilians that were committed in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and that resulted in ethnic cleansing, simply were not the subject of interest of the ICTY.

What’s very important and not to leave anything unclear, Serbia is a country that condemns all crimes and all criminals who perpetrated them in the region of former Yugoslavia. However, it is interesting that despite often criticism Serbia is the only one that speaks openly and condemns crimes perpetrated by Serb nationals, while in other regional countries they do not speak at all about crimes that representatives of those nations committed against members of Serbian people.

And I want to emphasize once again here in front of you that Serbia condemns terrible crime in Srebrenica and extends its deepest condolences to the families of all killed in that massacre. And there are no “buts” about the respective.

Nevertheless, we are here to analyze results and penal policy of ICTY and the Mechanism and it was such that it has never gained trust among Serbian people, no matter where they live. And not because we Serbs do not acknowledge crime committed by some of our compatriots, but because The Hague Tribunal, with exceptions, was judging only to Serbs and in all three territories of former Yugoslavia- Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, which some of the SC Member States see and name of course, contrary to law and legal norms and UN Resolutions, as an independent state. I would try to plastically prove to you how The Hague justice was tailored even though I know that it will not come to understanding of many of you, but to me it is important because of the history, facts, and school books that will be made in accordance with the facts.

Namely, Serbs were sentenced to totally 1138 years of imprisonment, and to 8 life imprisonments. At the same time, The Hague Tribunal did not sentence a single Croat for crimes against Serbs, neither in actions Medački Džep, nor Flash and Storm. How politically cunning it was done in the Tribunal, and all wrapped in the form of law and justice. Prosecutors of The Hague Tribunal chose on purpose three military and political leaders of Croats, Bosniac Muslims and Albanians, on all three mentioned territories, committed against Serbs. – Ante Gotovina, Naser Orić and Ramuš Haradinaj. It is interesting that following the same pattern, the same pattern, this injustice was shared. Namely, all of them were sentenced in the first instance procedure, with the exception of Ramuš Haradinaj, because not a single witness survived. Gotovina was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in first-instance procedure, while by a mysterious decision of the second instance council and 3:2 judge ratio, the verdict was changed to acquittal. Naser Orić, for crimes against Serbs, was also sentenced in first instance verdict, but by a mysterious decision of the second instance court, and again 3:2 ratio decision was an acquittal and he was set free of any liability. Let me reiterate, all witnesses in process against Ramus Haradinaj, either committed suicide or were killed under very, very strange circumstances.

Let me conclude, I do not want to believe that someone wants to say that there had been no crimes against Serbs, but judging by the verdicts of The Hague Tribunal, no one- absolutely no one- is responsible for those crimes.

Nevertheless, we in Serbia will show responsibility and we will fight for peace, stability and reconciliation in the region.

We ask UN Security Council Member States to help us with rational and pragmatic approach and respect for international law and not by attempts of further humiliation of Serbia. Serbia is a small country, with proud and courageous people, the one that gave the biggest sacrifice during the WWI and WWII; people who wants to leave in peace with their neighbors. And when I am asking you for this, I do not think I am asking for too much.

At the very end, Serbia is the fastest growing country of the Western Balkans region and we cannot progress unless our relations with neighbors, friends and other countries are good, solid and better. That is why- despite the selective justice that was applied in The Hague Tribunal- we will be open for any dialogue, any kind of cooperation and we will look towards the future and not towards the past. And I have only one message for the citizens of Serbia and citizens of Serbian nationality in the entire region- keep your heads up, neither Serbia nor Serbian people are convicted of anything and it is up to us to work even more diligently, to open factories and to fight for our children and our future.

Long Live Serbia!

A new service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "e-Consulate" was presented in Belgrade today, intended for foreign citizens who apply for a visa and aspire to come to Serbia to work.

On that occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said that this service was one of the indicators of good development of our country, which, as he pointed out, was becoming a magnet for serious foreign companies, which brought a large number of workers from other countries to work in Serbia.

"Not to be pretentious, but completely realistic, this service represents a turning point in the functioning of our system. E-Consulate and digitalization of the procedure for issuing work visas for foreign citizens who want to work in Serbia, is the first electronic service offered by the Foreign Ministry, and I can promise you that this is indeed our first, but by no means the last e-service", Selakovic emphasized.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out that "e-Consulate" reflected the modernization of an extremely important segment of the activities of diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, and that we were actually talking about something that was essential for the further development processes of our country.

The Minister recalled that, when the President of the Republic visited the construction site of the Moravian Corridor, he was told that some construction works were delayed because Bechtel company was not issued work visas on time.

“The moment we saw that and heard the President, I alerted the services in the Ministry. We were surprised, as we knew that the issuance of visas in Turkey had a good dynamic, and then we determined that it was actually workers from Bangladesh who applied for a visa through our Embassy in India, where we have a problem with staff shortage”, the Minister explained.

As he added, this is a demanding and laborious task, each of our employees had to receive the documentation on paper, check it, then request additional information, and only then forward it.

"Today, this has been fantastically perfected for our consular officers, all that documentation is submitted in electronic form. We used to have two filters to check the documentation, now we actually have three. And the work is significantly more efficient", Selakovic pointed out.

As he emphasized, this is a service which was promised less than four months ago and it becomes available on Monday, in 95 diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, i.e. in all our embassies and consulates general.

The biggest result of that endeavor, the Minister pointed out, apart from the advantage it would bring in the future work, was the fact that it was not a project of one state body, but a joint endeavor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IT and eGovernment Office, General Secretariat of the Government, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, National Employment Service.

“We did an extremely good job in record time. This is to the pride of our Ministry, to the pride of the entire state. I am convinced that in the period ahead, we will further modernize our affairs and make Serbia one of the few countries that has such mechanisms and such state-of-the-art provision of consular services", Selakovic said.

Speaking about the "e-Consulate" portal itself, the Minister explained that there is a cartoon of Nikola Tesla and the building of the old railway station with one crane, which actually symbolizes a historical fact - that Tesla was in Belgrade in the year when it was built.

"Today it is the place behind which the Belgrade of the future is rising, and what we managed to do together is an indicator of something that is the future of Serbia, the development of artificial intelligence, IT and creating conditions for more people to live and arrive here in Serbia in the future seeking good life and employment", concluded the Minister.

The Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment, Mihailo Jovanovic, said that this was the first time that e-services were focused on foreign citizens, which was the case with our citizens so far.

In the period from 1 January 2019 to 17 May this year, the most applications for Serbian visas were submitted at the Embassy in Beijing, 6,766 applications, then in New Delhi - 2,973, Shanghai 2,115, Tokyo 1,798, and Cairo 1,756.

In that period, 1,270 requests were submitted in Algiers, 1,095 in Jakarta, and 1,077 in Beirut.

In terms of their nationality, Serbian D visa for employment is most requested by citizens of China - 9,516 applications, followed by India 1,955, and Ukraine - 673.

Consular staff will be in Auckland, New Zealand, on 22nd and 23rd May 2021 between 9.00 am and 3.00 pm

Address: Blackstone Group NZ Office, 6th floor, Durham House, 22 Durham Street, Auckland CBD.

Priority of service on these two days will be passport applications and acquisition of biometrics data.

Within the project “Learning Serbian as a heritage language through an online group course”, the Academic Serbian Association invites all the people from the Serbian diaspora, age 14 to 20, to apply for a free group course of the Serbian language via Skype.

Under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, we continue to promote and realize online classes. The goal of the project is to promote the Serbian language in the diaspora through peer education intended for the youth in the diaspora.

Serbian-speaking people from the diaspora, ages 14 to 20, can apply for a free group course of the Serbian language via Skype until the 13th of June 2021. During this course, their mentors will be teachers from the Academic Serbian Association, accredited by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. Application requirements are that the students haven’t attended any Serbian as a heritage language course via Skype in Academic Serbian Association and that they have to share the post about the course from the Facebook ASA profile on their Facebook profiles.

The main goal of the project is learning/ preserving the Serbian language and Cyrillic alphabet, as well as connecting Serbian young people from all over the world. Accredited teachers of the Academic Serbian Association will hold the group classes via Skype to the youth in the diaspora.

The course will start on the 20th of June 2021 and will end on the 31st of July 2021. By the end of the course, the students will receive a certificate for a completed course, issued by the Academic Serbian Association.

The classes will be carried out twice a week (the duration of a class will be 90 minutes), on dates which the students and the teacher agree on. The Academic Serbian Association will make sure the classes will be carried out properly.
Anyone interested in the course can fill out the application directly on the website http://skr.rs/zabf  or download it on the end of the text, fill out and send to an e-mail at asasocijacija@gmail.com, titled “Skype group course”.

According to the applications, the Academic Serbian Association will determine the student-teacher pairings.

It is necessary that the potential student has a computer with speakers and a camera, and that the student has a good internet connection, solid English language skills and a good motivation to learn. For more information, you can contact the Academic Serbian Association at asasocijacija@gmail.com

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the delegation of the International Monetary Fund led by the Head of the Mission, Jan Kees Martijn. The interlocutors concluded that Serbia's main goal remains to preserve the hard-earned reputation of a fiscally secure country, as well as to continue with a responsible fiscal policy so that public debt does not exceed 60 per cent of GDP, whereby Serbia continues to work on further economic growth.

During the conversation, President Vučić and Jan Kees Martijn especially referred to the incentive measures and adopted three packages of measures to help the economy and citizens, which preserved macroeconomic stability and even achieved a higher employment rate. Martijn commended the responsible economic policy of Serbia and the successful crisis management during the pandemic.

"Serbia achieved one of the best results last year despite the challenges of the pandemic", Martijn said, noting that Serbia was one of the few countries to which the IMF did not adjust the initial projection of the 5% growth rate it gave last year.

President Vučić added that following the first quarter of 2021, Serbia is well on its way to achieving the planned growth of 6% as planned, since one of the main focuses of the Government is investing in large infrastructure projects and intensifying work on attracting foreign direct investments.

"In 2020, Serbia was at the very top in terms of economic growth in Europe, and I am convinced that this year we can enter the first three or four countries in terms of growth", said President Vučić, adding that he was satisfied that Serbia still, despite the pandemic situation, has an extremely strong inflow of investment.

President Vučić and Jan Kees Martijn also discussed a new advisory arrangement, which is of special importance in light of the improvement of the general investment climate in Serbia, as well as in the context of even greater investor assurance.

"Given Serbia's tremendous progress over the past eight years, the priority goal of this arrangement will be to preserve the results achieved, but also to provide support for further implementation of structural reforms aimed at even faster, stronger and more sustainable growth", said President Vučić and thanked the IMF and the personal engagement of Jan Kees Martijn in the professional and expert support that Serbia is counting on.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia will pay special attention to reforms in public companies, and that priorities will continue to be investments in infrastructure, creating an even better climate for investments, greater investments in the environment, science and capital projects, which will further contribute to the long term stable financial growth in the coming years.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
Photo: www.predsednik.rs

20th April 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić met today with the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation for Europe Hans Kluge, to discuss cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cooperation in improving health care in our country and other joint activities.

President Vučić thanked Dr Kluge for his personal engagement and support during the current pandemic, especially for technical assistance and expertise. On this occasion, he informed the WHO official about the results of immunisation in Serbia and plans on how to provide the vaccine to all citizens who want to get it.

Dr Kluge congratulated President Vučić on his leadership and personal commitment to provide vaccines. He emphasised that Serbia, with its good immunisation strategy, ranked among the global leaders, thus becoming an example of humanity and solidarity by enabling vaccination of elderly people in rural areas, foreign citizens and donating vaccines to other countries.

"Serbia has accepted the vaccine as a life-saving product and has not looked at it geopolitically", said Dr Kluge.
 
The two interlocutors agreed that the world should increase production capacities for vaccines, as well as develop new adequate therapies for the fight against COVID-19, and, in this regard, work on increasing the level of citizens' trust in science.

President Vučić informed Dr Kluge about the plans for improving the work of the Institute for Virology, Vaccines and Sera "Torlak".

"We want to make 'Torlak' one of the best vaccine factories in Europe", said President Vučić.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
Photo: www.predsednik.rs

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today with World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge about the epidemiological situation and the course of immunisation of citizens in Serbia.

Brnabic expressed gratitude for the cooperation in the fight against the pandemic, technical assistance and expertise, emphasising that the support of this organisation is very important for our country.

She informed the WHO Regional Director for Europe about the course of immunisation of citizens in Serbia, expressing her belief that, thanks to the large number of vaccinated people, we will be able to create collective immunity and return to normal life.

Kluge assessed the immunisation process in Serbia as impressive, and added that Serbia has made a good decision to offer citizens all available vaccines used in the fight against coronavirus.

Expressing concern over the emergence of new strains of the virus, he stressed the need to speed up the immunisation process and show mutual solidarity.

The WHO Regional Director for Europe praised Serbia for the humanity it has shown by donating vaccines to the countries of the region and enabling vaccination for those who do not have a sufficient number of vaccines for their citizens.

The Prime Minister said that Serbia will continue to cooperate with the countries of the region and help in accordance with its capabilities.

When it comes to the project "Roadmap for Health in the Western Balkans 2021-2025", it was stated that, if epidemiological conditions allow, a regional meeting will be held in Belgrade at the end of the year, important for future improvement of cooperation between countries in the field of health challenges.

Source: www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs

13 April 2021

Selakovic: Pristina persists in its campaign of hatred against the Serbian people

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Pristina further persisted in its campaign of hatred against the Serbian people, which was most drastically seen in the unfounded accusations of mass rapes and genocide.

At the UN Security Council meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Selakovic emphasized that the efforts of the provisional institutions in Kosovo and Metohija to create a narrative about mass rapes of Albanian women were obvious, and that propaganda methods and lies were used for that purpose.

"It is clear that there were victims on all sides in the conflict, as well as that our side has evidence of numerous Serb victims. But the precondition for ensuring the protection of rights that belong to each individual victim is a rational and well-argued approach", Selakovic said responding to the slander of the Pristina representative.

Selakovic underlined that, contrary to the claims of politicians from Pristina about 20,000 raped Albanian women, the information provided by the Commission for the Verification and Recognition of Sexual Violence Victim Status indicates 912 raped persons, however, failing to include in this number the Serb women who were victims of violence.

"Let me emphasize that Serbia condemns every act of sexual violence in conflicts and is committed to achieving justice for all victims. The number of victims certainly does not diminish the horrific effect of this type of violence on each victim individually, but also, speculating on numbers does not contribute to justice being served and leads to politicization and slowing down the reconciliation process", Selakovic said.

Regarding the genocide accusations, Minister Selakovic stated that they only went to prove that Pristina further persisted in its campaign of hatred, propaganda and open hostility towards the Serbian people.

"Through statements given on a daily basis, they attempt to paint a picture that Serbia is to blame for everything and that genocide was committed against Albanians, all in order to hide their own responsibility for the committed crimes", the Serbian Foreign Minister said. 

He underlined that anyone who knew what the definition of genocide implied would understand that it was not Serbia that committed something, but that the Serbian people was instead a victim of the "state-building" project of the Kosovo Albanians, based on the dangerous idea of ethnically clean territories, as evidenced by more than 200,000 expelled Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija.

"We are convinced that the civilized world will not agree to be their accomplice in concealing and covering up their crimes, and that a clear message will be sent to them that they must take responsibility for their actions", Selakovic said.
He reminded that until 1999, around 40,000 Serbs lived in Pristina, and that today there were only about twenty of them, that around 17,000 Serbs lived in Pec, and that today there were only the Serbian nuns in the Patriarchate of Pec, that around 12,000 Serbs lived in Prizren before the war, and that today only 17 families remained there, and that in Urosevac, out of 10,000 Serbs who lived there before the war, only the family of a Serbian priest remained.

24 March 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic made a statement on the occasion of marking the Day of Remembrance of the victims of the NATO aggression.

"Your Holiness, distinguished Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished Speakers of the National Assemblies of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Prime Ministers of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Ministers of both Governments, dear guests and friends, representatives of the Serbian People from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, thank you for the fact that we are all together tonight and that the Serbian spirit is unbreakable and invincible.

One child a day and a little more than that. That is the most difficult, sickening and painful number of the NATO aggression from 1999. Killed, stopped, guilty of nothing, having committed no sin, without the right to defence, without the right to justice and without the right to life.

No one has ever been held accountable for this crime, a crime greater than a crime. No one, for the 2,500 killed civilians, but also soldiers and policemen who were only guilty of guarding, protecting themselves and their homes. No one has ever been held accountable for more than 6,000 persons injured.

Even today, 22 years after the aggression, it is not possible to explain that, there is no universal justification, despite all the work done to that end, there is no reason, it makes no sense, and only names remain, as eternal as sin.

Miljana Milic, fifteen years old,
Vladimir Milic, twelve years old,
Miomir Mladenovic, fourteen years old,
Dragan Dimic, three years old,
Julijana Brudar, ten years,
Olivera Maksimovic, twelve years old,
Miroslav Knezevic, thirteen years old,
Dajana Pavlovic, five years old,
Stevan Pavlovic, eight years old,
Marko Simic, two years old,
Milica Rakic, three years old,
Ivan Ivancic, seven years old,
Marko Ivanovic, three years old...

And the list goes on, eighty nine names, not only Serbian ones...

The senselessness of sheer killing did not choose. Sixteen children, aged two to seventeen, from the Ahmetaj and Hasani families, were killed in a convoy returning home to Prizren.

In one headline in the West, this was simply explained as a "tragic mistake". The deaths of Marko Roglic, Milan Ignjatovic, Gordana Nikolic, Irena Mitic, Milica Stojanovic, Bojana Tosovic, Branimir Stanijanovic, our Sanja Milenkovic...could not expect or get even such an explanation.

Those deaths were not tragic, for those who caused them, much less a mistake. It was just an excuse, a miserable excuse.

They were a result of intent and a clear decision, as a severe judgment against one country, its people, its children.

And that is why today we will refrain from speculation in giving a name to everything that happened during the spring of 1999. Because a crime happened, a heinous and terrible one. And it was an aggression, not a bombing, not an intervention, not a campaign, not an operation. An aggression is what happened. An attack on a sovereign country, without a decision of the United Nations, without a sufficient reason that would justify attacking the then Yugoslavia or a neighbouring or NATO country.

No one was attacked by Serbia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at that time. They attacked us, with one goal. To defeat us, to keep killing us, and in the end to take away a part of our territory.

And no matter how much we analyze things today, no matter how harsh and critical we are towards ourselves, our policy and leadership at the time, it is clear that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia were left with almost no choice then. The choice was horrible, either the loss of territory and people on the one hand, or the complete disappearance of the Serbian state, morals, honour, Serbian spirit, names and surnames. And we could not help but lose. Nineteen big ones attacked one small country, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They attacked both Serbia and Montenegro. And even when they don't talk about it today, in one of the two independent countries, those are the facts. And that small country, and that small nation, to all nineteen of them so great and powerful, held a lesson in what matters most - honour, morals and love for freedom that a nation can have.

Yes, justice, lest we forget justice. All those nineteen great ones today still silently talk about their military success, avoid answering questions, while - can you imagine, one small, only numerically small Serbian people, that small but magnificent nation, with sadness, tears in their eyes, proudly remembers their resistance and struggle against the nineteen cruel and arrogant ones.

We lost a lot, we lost our fathers, brothers, spouses, children, but the honour and Serbian heart are still there, to protect Serbia, which is eternal and indestructible.

We lost children, we lost people, we lost control over a large part of the territory, we lost billions because of the destroyed infrastructure and economy.

And all that was left for us was the body of a tortured, destroyed country, a country in disintegration, mutilated, looted, wounded, deserted, and guilty, condemned for everything that happened not only in the 1990s, but throughout history.

A country that, even ten years after the aggression, did not have the strength to stand up, rise to its feet, and do anything but be silent, or bow its head and obediently apologize, for everything, even for its dead, even for its murdered children.

Today, it is no longer that failed, tortured, devastated, mutilated Serbia.

Today, it is Serbia, which has found its strength and its pride again.

Serbia, which calls things by their real names.

Serbia, which turned its back on war and defeats, and started working.

Serbia, which rose to stand on its own feet and has a voice of its own.

Serbia, which, even when they don't believe it, they listen to. Which is capable, which is growing, and is no longer part of the problem. Serbia, which is and will be, at least we will do our best to this end, the very solution that enables the entire region to live in peace and understanding.

And that Serbia, today, when there are still many more bombs in the world than vaccines, sends not bombs, but precisely those vaccines to the region. Today, it is ready to produce them as well, and in just a few months we will do just that, but not only for ourselves, but also for others, for the entire Balkans.

We are ready, and we are willing to help.

We are not ready to be and we will not be silent, nor be humiliated again.

We draw the right to that not only from the victims we had, but also from the fact that we stopped looking at others only a long time ago, and looking for fault and guilt only in them, and not sometimes in ourselves as well.

We looked at each other and admitted. Every loss, every defeat and every crime that someone committed in our name, every failure and every wrong policy.

And we are no longer doing anything that could endanger anyone.

We continue to work and work, and grow more and more, gaining strength with only one goal - to be the best in economy and education, health, in culture, science, sports...

And we want to be safe, on our own. We want our army to be much stronger than it was in 1999. So that we never again face a situation that someone is killing our children, destroying the country, or expelling our people.

We want to remain free, to decide our own destiny, and for no one to take everything away from us ever again, and give us nothing.

And that nothing today, and I will repeat it as much as necessary, is the idea of some great, powerful ones, but also those who serve them, the idea that "Kosovo" should recognize us, so that we could recognize "Kosovo".

We do not need that recognition. And Serbia will not allow you to walk over our victims, our history, our past, but also to walk over our future. You will get the answer of reasonable, kind and responsible people. We need a compromise. We need all the obligations that we and Pristina have assumed to be fulfilled, but only we have fulfilled them so far.

And this is not our whim. It is not a phantasmagoria about a Serbian world that we want to create.

Even today, when they threaten us with the formation of a Greater Albania, when they say that the Community of Serb Municipalities is not going to happen, it is ours to be calm, to take care of our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but to send a clear message to all those great, powerful ones that we are not as weak as we were, that we will be able to preserve what is our own, not touching anything that belongs to anyone else. After all, Serbia is not and will not be but a handful of oats that every crow from the whole wide world can eat. As for those who used the strength and power of the nineteen arrogant and cruel ones, I only ask them not to threaten us. Please, please, don't threaten us. They should not think that Serbia is broken and that it will not have the strength to respond. Please, please, our Albanian neighbours, do not threaten us. And we ask all others, who have demonstrated their cruelty towards Serbia, not to help you in that. That is all we are asking and nothing more.

And we will respond to calls for peace, calls for compromise, and always with good will, because we do not want to have children killed again. And we do not want the children of others to suffer again. But do not underestimate Serbia, and do not look at Serbia with the same eyes as you did in 1999.

Today, Serbia is much stronger, much more powerful. Today, Serbia is a united country of togetherness, not a divided one. Today, Serbia is incomparably stronger and better in every aspect than it was in 1999, from the economy to our army. And we will never threaten anyone, we just ask you and request from you to respect us and nothing more.

Today, we are building roads that will connect us, among ourselves, with the region and with the world. Until the end of the year, we will work on eight motorways, on eight routes in the entire Balkans, not only Serbia, eight roads of peace and cooperation.

Only a crazy person would trade this for war, for dead children, for demolition and new loss. And yes, we want to have the closest relations with everyone who took part in the aggression against our beautiful Serbia, we have forgiven a long time ago, but no, we will never forget. And don't ask us to. That one day, every year, we will remind both ourselves and you. The nineteen of you, the most powerful, strongest, greatest in terms of might and force, but not so much when it comes to honour and morality. We will keep remind you and ourselves, just so it would never happen again. Not to us only, but to none other freedom-loving people in the world.

And if we have an offer, today it reads as follows: we are ready to make the whole Balkans a winner, for everyone to win, as long as no one tries to make Serbs the only losers.

And the path to this goal is not difficult at all.

We just need to respect and understand each other and not try to humiliate each other.

And not to touch into what everyone paid the highest and bloodies price for. Freedom. And we, Serbs, know the price of freedom.

Into our right to have it, to keep it and to remember all the victims who are part of it.

And our defeats, our lives and our children are built into ours. And the lives of our heroic pilots, and our giants from Kosare and Pastrik, and our children, innocent, completely innocent, and only guilty of living in Serbia.

This is too high a price to be quiet about it.

Because that would mean that we are ready for another defeat, for another humiliation.

And we are not.

And when all go quiet, we will keep repeating.

A child a day, and a little more. This was how much you killed us. In an aggression that even you did not understand why you carried it out.

And we will keep repeating this, just so it does not happen to us again.

With special reverence, we are fulfilling our obligation to pay tribute to all innocent Serbian victims who laid their lives on the altar of the homeland, both civilians and our heroic soldiers and policemen, the heroes of Kosare, Prizren, Mitrovica.

Today, for us Serbs, life in Kosovo and Metohija is like Via Dolorosa, using their last strength on the road to Golgotha, but we would not be Serbs if we were not capable to "exist in a terrible place".

And today, tonight, I can conclude with one important sentence. On the soil of Europe, there was, and today is stronger than ever, an indomitable, unwavering, unconquerable and never conquered Serbia.

May eternal glory be to all the victims of the NATO aggression and let us all exclaim together - long live free and proud Serbia", President Vucic said.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo:www.predsednik.rs

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic participated today in the commemoration of the Remembrance Day of 17 March 2004 - Pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija. He said that exactly 17 years ago, a pogrom took place in Kosovo and Metohija, and that pogrom surpassed all other crimes.

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest, these words of Elie Wiesel, a camp survivor and Nobel laureate, make it forever incumbent upon us not to remain silent against crime, regardless of who and for what reason committed it", President Vucic stated and added that we remembered and learned every lesson in which we were losers, each one in which we were silent to our own victims, and each one when we were ready to forget.   

"Serbia is no longer weak today, nor is it a country of losers, it does not threaten, but it does not forget either, it is ready for talks, but not for humiliation. Serbia, just like everyone else, has the right to take care of its people, their safety and well-being. The right to life is a fundamental human right and we will always defend it", President Vucic said.

President Vucic said that pogrom surpasses all other crimes, because it is not only an act, but an intention, a policy, a premediated attempt to forcibly cleanse persons belonging to other peoples and faiths from a region or a country.

"We have no right to remain silent to that", said the President of Serbia, emphasizing that we have an obligation to be winners without blood spilled and war, to be the best in the economy, healthcare, sports, education and everything else that implies development and progress.

"We also wish others to work on themselves and be successful, because we are aware that crime is a tool for losers that winners do not need, as they remember, but forgive and move on, while the losers keep spinning in the same vicious circle. We Serbs do not want to be that anymore, we want a future in which we will remember, but from which we will not return. We know what happened and we call it by its real name", President Vucic concluded.

Photo: Dimitrije Goll

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said today that the fight against all forms of crime was a top priority of the Serbian Government and an integral part of the EU accession process.

"It is also our moral duty, in order to leave a better world for the generations to come", Selakovic said participating via video-link at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Kyoto.    

Minister Selakovic emphasized that Serbia, in its Second Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment from 2019, identified as its goal to eliminate cybercrime, human trafficking, terrorism and irregular migration.

The Serbian Foreign Minister pointed out that our country had established in a timely manner a normative and institutional framework that regulates prevention of abuse in this area, as well as that the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Cybercrime, a special court department and a special police unit were established. 

The Minister underlined that, in the field of the fight against corruption, Serbia was guided by the postulates set out in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption.

Selakovic pointed out the efforts made by the Anti-Corruption Agency, as an independent state body, to protect the public interest, build individual and institutional integrity, strengthen transparency and accountability of the public administration.

"We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism, including extremism and radicalism, and call for them to be fully eradicated, while implementing the relevant UN resolutions and conventions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy", the Head of Serbian diplomacy underscored. 

In order to combat these complex phenomena efficiently and successfully, Selakovic said, it was of vital importance to build capacities of our societies and states, while exchanging experiences at the regional and global levels.

Minister Selakovic thanked Japanese Ambassador Hikihara for the skill he showed in conducting the talks on harmonizing and adopting the Kyoto Declaration, which, as he stressed, was an important indicator of the commitment to creating and maintaining the institutional framework for crime prevention as one of the main preconditions for promoting sustainable development goals.

"Back in 1970 when Japan hosted this event for the first time, we demonstrated strong political will to draw attention to the problem. Today, it is incumbent upon us to reaffirm this willingness and resolve and translate it into concrete steps", the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

 

The Republic of Serbia celebrates the Statehood Day today.

Video message prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on this occasion, can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh6idN_HKsQ&ab_channel=MFAoftheRepublicofSerbia

President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army Aleksandar Vucic attended a demonstration of capabilities of one part of Serbian Army units in the "Rastko Nemanjić" barracks in Pancevo. On this occasion, President Vucic stated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.   

The President said that he would rather put his "head on the chopping block" than sign any document with a recognition and reminded that he had already once refused to do so in Washington, where there were two versions of the agreement.

He stated that he immediately had his delegation leave the meeting, that he told the U.S. delegation that Serbia would not sign such an agreement, while conveying that Serbia would always endeavour to hold peaceful talks in order to preserve peace, but that it would not take any humiliation.

The Serbian President thanked the U.S. President Joe Biden for the letter of congratulations on the occasion of the upcoming Statehood Day, in which, in addition to the usual emphasis on commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability and democratic values, he unequivocally called for mutual recognition of Serbia and "Kosovo" as a result.

Mutual recognition between Serbia and "Kosovo" is not part of any act of any world organization, the President pointed out and reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina at any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

According to the president, the situation is difficult and will only be increasingly difficult.

"As I told you three days ago, I can see it and I expect it, I can see the situation slowly tightening, because the conflicts between them at the global level have been increasing and intensifying, and then we have to pay the price", the President said.

President Vucic said that said that it was up to our state to continue strengthening the country in the economic sense.

The President added that the role of the army was very important in the highly complex security and political conditions of the modern world, and that was why Serbia needed to do everything it could to deter any potential aggressor and attacks on citizens and the country.

"The policy of strengthening the armed forces will continue at a faster pace", the President emphasized, adding that the goal was for the Serbian Army to play a stabilizing role with regard to the political developments in the region.

According to him, it should be clear to everyone that Serbia was not a punching bag and that not everyone could attack and threaten it like it was the case in the past.

Vucic said that he was pleased with what he saw and that a lot had been done in the previous period, pointing out that the salaries of military personnel would be significantly increased as of April.

President Vucic also stated that investments in the Serbian Army would continue, whom he told that he expected the Army to continue to be the guardian of our country, its integrity and freedom.

"We expect you to be the guardians of our country, its integrity and freedom, the defenders of our people, the guardians of the homeland, the protectors of the interests of the state of Serbia and to be a deterrent factor for every aggressor and anyone who might consider attacking Serbia", Vucic said.

The military exercise called "Spearhead" demostrated the capabilities of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, and the event, which the President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army assessed as very good, was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Stefanovic and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic.

Photo: Presidency of Serbia / Dimitrije Goll

Belgrade,
7 February 2021

Serbia's foreign policy positions are naturally being adjusted to the new developments at the international level, but our foreign policy priorities have not changed in a long time. Our top and most important interest is to preserve good-neighbourly relations and stability and peace in the region and, in the same context, to find a peaceful and just solution to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said in an interview with Politika daily.

Another lasting interest of ours is full membership of the European Union, because this is the type of society we strive for. At the bilateral level, our goal is to strengthen ties with traditional friends, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, but also to build new partner relations with the United States. One of the most important tasks of our foreign policy is to improve the position and protect the rights and identity of our people in the region, as well as to provide various types of support to Serbs in the diaspora. All these are very important and more often than not complementary goals, Nikola Selakovic pointed out.

What kind of relations do you expect Serbia to have with the new U.S. administration?

It is too early to speculate about this in public. The new presidential administration in Washington is currently preoccupied with internal issues and this will be the case for some time. There are people in the team of President Joseph Biden who have dealt with our region, and it is likely that the Balkans and Serbia will be the focus of the U.S. foreign policy at some point. I will remind you that President Vucic and President Biden not so long ago had very substantive talks in Belgrade, after which our President stated that he had the opportunity to talk to someone extremely well acquainted with the situation in this part of the world and an extraordinarily prepared interlocutor. Taking their personal relationship into account, but also the importance of enhancing the ties between Serbia and the United States, we have reason to expect that a meeting between the two presidents will be organized in the foreseeable future. I am sure that the nature and dynamics of the relations between Serbia and the United States will be influenced by the fact that Ambassador Marko Djuric now represents us in Washington, whose presence at President Biden's inauguration ceremony is an important signal and, I believe, a harbinger of positive developments in bilateral relations between our two countries.

How would you describe our country's relations with Moscow, Brussels and Beijing?

Russia is our traditional friend and that friendship goes beyond merely political ties. These are deep spiritual, cultural and civilizational bonds, and it is only natural that we have a mutual interest in improving those ties, even though they are at a very high level. We have a relationship with the People's Republic of China which is, in addition to the sincere iron-clad friendship between our peoples and high political representatives, based on deep trust and mutual support. Full membership of the European Union is Serbia's strategic orientation that all our friends are aware of, but our country does not forget its friendships, but strengthens and promotes them instead, and approaches all with honesty and no ulterior motives. In this context, we do not seek any preferential treatment, but only the right to freely and independently make decisions about our future and relations with all who respect us.

Could Serbia pursue a different foreign policy than the one it is pursuing at the moment?

It is always possible to have a different policy, just look at the foreign policy of Serbia ten, twenty or thirty years ago, examine the results at that time and you will realize how irretrievably expensive that policy turned out to be. Whether a policy is right, at either foreign or domestic level, is measured through its results and effect on the lives of citizens and the fate of the entire state.

Our foreign policy priorities are not being defined on a whim, but are instead the result of a serious and deep examination of our complex position and strategic thinking about ways to improve it. Today, Serbia has a better international reputation and credibility than two decades ago, and the main reason for that is that our results have shown how serious and responsible we are as a country. That kind of credibility is not achieved by trickery, but only by hard and well-thought-out work on oneself. And I need to emphasize on this occasion as well that the main inspiration for such an attitude towards politics, the state and its future comes from none other than President Aleksandar Vucic. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I have the opportunity on a daily basis to see the level of appreciation and respect President Vucic enjoys beyond the borders of our country.

When can we expect the vacant posts of Serbian ambassadors and consuls across the globe to be filled?

That is one of the main tasks for 2021. This will be a year of reinvigoration and I believe also rejuvenation of Serbian diplomacy. Our country, given its size, has a fairly extensive diplomatic network, which provides it with great opportunities for deepening political and economic relations with countries in all parts of the world. But we need more fresh and energetic staff, people who will be the most honourable representatives of a modern and dynamic Serbia. There are such people in Serbia, and we do need a serious rejuvenation, in order to avoid wide generation gaps in our personnel, and to lay the foundations of a modern career diplomacy.

How would you describe your relationship with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic?

President Vucic and I are, in addition to having close and friendly relations, by virtue of the work we do and our constitutional competencies, the closest collaborators in the realization of Serbia's foreign policy goals. This allows me to talk to him often, and on many occasions learn a lot of new and important things. President Vucic is a man who inspires people around him with his strategic and visionary approach to politics, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to be part of his closest team of associates over the years, and to have had him as a kind of political mentor. In any case, his vision of Serbia as a modern, progressive and prosperous state, which independently and on its own will decides on its destiny, is my wish as well and key motivation for political engagement. For only such Serbia is a country that its own citizens, as well as Serbs beyond our borders, can confidently rely on, while also being an inspiration to the entire region.

Source: Politika

The Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia announces the open call for the Co-Financing of projects for the Translation of Representative Works of Serbian Literature into Foreign Languages in 2021, which will be open until March 09, 2021.

Competition texts and accompanying application forms can be found on the Ministry of Culture and Information website: www.kultura.gov.rs

For additional information about the competition, interested parties can contact Mladen Veskovic by email: mladen.veskovic@kultura.gov.rs  or by phone: +381 11 3398026.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pointed out that Serbia is the first in Europe in terms of economic growth, which will be officially confirmed at the end of March, and that this was possible owing to the reform measures taken since 2014 and the rapid opening of the country after the first wave of corona virus.

The President pointed out that Serbia had a growth of 5.2 percent in the first quarter, while the Eurozone was at minus 3.2 percent, in the second quarter Serbia had minus of 6.3 percent, while the Eurozone was at minus 14.7 percent, and in the third quarter, when the Eurozone was at minus 4.3 percent, Serbia's figure was only minus 1.4 percent.

Vucic stated that Montenegro, for example, recorded as much as 26 percent minus in the third quarter.

Furthermore, the President emphasized that hospitals were built and renovated in our country, and that two hospitals were built from the ground up in just four months.

He said that the state made significant efforts to procure respirators, masks, gloves, protective suits, medicines, everything that was needed, and pointed out that work was being done on 10 general hospitals throughout Serbia, adding that all these were major achievements that were only possible owing to the success of the 2014 reforms, the enactment of the Labor Law, which yielded excellent results, and also through fiscal consolidation measures.

"These are unprecedented results for Serbia. Was Serbia ever before the first in Europe in terms of growth rate? We will get the results on 31 March that will confirm that Serbia is number one in Europe. All that was possible thanks to people who believed in difficult changes", Vucic said.

According to the President, this year, as many as six highways will be built in Serbia at the same time, and in this regard, he noted that Bulgaria has announced that the highway from our border to Sofia will be completed by the end of the year, after which it will be possible to use motorway to travel to Istanbul, which is very important to ensure that our country is on a transport route.

President Vucic emphasized that in 2020, the so-called year of corona, our country had a net inflow of foreign direct investment amounting to EUR 2.9 billion net, and three billion gross, which means that many foreign companies such as Toyota Tires, Boysen, ZTF and Brose have invested in Serbia even in this year of crisis.

The President said that Serbia has the highest average wages in the region, amounting to 511 or 512 euros, and that in February, due to the January increase, the average wage will be 535 or 536 euros, and that only in Belgrade in the last seven years the average wage increased by 180 euros or 40 percent.

That President said that Serbia was fourth in the region in terms of salaries before, and that today we are officially the first, and that the difference in relation to other countries will only increase faster. He also pointed out that the employment rate is growing in Serbia as well as that our public debt increased less than in most European countries. This is illustrated by the data that in Italy the public debt surged to 156 percent, in Germany to 87 percent, in France to 114 percent, in Croatia to 88 percent, while in Serbia it is at 57 percent.

The Serbian President announced that by Sretenje, 15 February, an additional package of assistance to the economy will be earmarked, and as he explained, it will be a new capital injection for companies, the trade, entrepreneurs, small, medium and large enterprises which, as he said, concerns 1,052,000 people within that system.

Vucic specified that it will most likely be help in the form of two or three payments amounting to half a minimum wage each, and that there will also be sectoral aid for tourism, hotel owners, travel agencies, guides, for bus carriers, through another half minimum wage payment.

The President added that efforts will be made to extend the guarantee schemes as well, which proved to be excellent, amounting to 1.5 billion, and this time, through the same system, two more portions amounting to 500 million each could be provided.

Vucic said that the first agreements with DFC worth 300 to 400 million dollars are expected in seven days.

He also stated that the state will endeavour to help pensioners further, in addition to increasing pensions by 5.9 percent in January, which will be reflected in their first checks in February, and added that pensioners should by March receive symbolic aid in the form of packages with vitamin C, D and zinc, which, as the President said, are small things, but they reflect the state's care and efforts made to protect health.

The President announced that negotiations on the procurement of the Chinese vaccine would be completed in the next seven to eight days, after the first quantities of the Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines have arrived in Serbia, and pointed out that the Chinese vaccine was of exceptional quality, but probably the most expensive, which is why he wrote to the Chinese President and asked for a discount for our country.

Vucic thanked the Americans for deciding to sell the vaccine to our country and noted that no one in the region other than Serbia has received it, except for the small quantity that Albania got.

He pointed out that our state relied on itself and its own capacities, and that our state leadership anticipated that vaccines within the European COVAX plan would arrive late.

The President rejected the claims about bad results of Serbia in the fight against the corona virus and stated that our country has recorded the lowest corona virus mortality rate in the region.

He presented statistical information indicating that Slovenia had 144 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, North Macedonia 126, Bosnia and Herzegovina 123, Bulgaria 115, Montenegro 115, Hungary 110, Croatia 107, Romania 85, and Serbia 51.

"The mortality rate in the region is as follows: Bulgaria 3.9, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.7, Hungary 3.11, North Macedonia 3.03, Romania 2.48. Slovenia 2.15, Croatia 1.99, Montenegro 1.4, and Serbia 1.0. This can be seen in the graphs and is no fabrication", the President stressed.

He said that the state will fight for vaccines, and that only Serbia, in the Western Balkans, received significant quantities of vaccines, other than a smaller quantity that Albania received, and added that in one day since the registration for vaccination opened, as many as 63,000 persons have registered.

President Vucic expressed his belief that the year ahead will be better than the previous one as well as that the corona virus will be defeated through vaccination of citizens.

Belgrade,

12 January 2021

Our compatriots living abroad are one of the great potentials that the state has not recognized in the right way so far, which is why a different approach is needed to the issue of how to strengthen our diaspora and use the good will of people who are potential lobbyists for the interests of Serbia and the Serbian people, Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said.

"When it comes to Serbs in the diaspora, and especially in the region, this issue has been a kind of an unattended crop which requires a lot of work, and even when a lot is done at once this is not apparent immediately ", Minister Selakovic stated in an interview with Tanjug.

He emphasized that the appointment of the Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region for the first time after almost seven years since this body was formed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shows that it is one of the priorities of the Ministry he is at the helm of.

Selaković notes that intensive efforts have been long underway on forming a plan to make the diaspora more visible both outside the borders of Serbia and in the mother country itself.

"Every person in the diaspora is a potential lobbyist for the interests of our country and people, and we need to find the right way to use that", he said.

That much can be done in that regar Selakovic illustrates with the fact that only in Switzerland, in 24 cities, there are Serbian cultural and artistic associations which amounts to more than 3,000 young people who get together in order to preserve our tradition, culture, the Serbian language and history.

"If they were able to set up such associations in 24 cities, it speaks volumes about the enthusiasm of these people. There is so much enthusiasm, energy and love in these people. We need to explore ways to help them and use their good will and potential", the Minister points out.

He also cites the example of an emigrant family in Canada, the Varaklic family from southwestern Serbia, who sends Christmas packages for children in the Raska region every year. He adds that they have so far donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-governmental organizations for those needs alone, but he says that we do not see that here.

"The state does not recognize this, and these are people who gained success as entrepreneurs working in a distant country, who can be serious lobbyists for Serbia, for Serbian interests, someone who represents us in the best possible way", Minister Selakovic said.

Minister Selakovic also pointed out that Arnaud Gouillon has been appointed as head of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region and described him as a man of extraordinary energy, great love for the Serbian people, which he showed in his engagement towards Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, where they were seriously endangered.

"By doing so, he showed and set an example to many of our compatriots of what an individual can do. And when one such individual focuses energy, enthusiasm and love for people, on work done within the state administration system, I think that the preconditions have been created for such activities to yield good results", Minister Selakovic said.

Source: Tanjug

This year, Serbia could finally have Ambassadors and Consuls General appointed to about a third of the currently vacant positions in the country's diplomatic and consular missions in the world, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic is convinced that most of these positions will be filled, as he points out, by the best possible people.

"In the next year, I am convinced that the majority of these vacancies will be filled", Selakovic told Tanjug, emphasizing that the work is being done gradually, because the state wants to show that is has a quality staff who will represent Serbia's interests in the best possible way.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy reminded that in a number of diplomatic missions, the four-year mandate of Ambassadors and Consuls General has already expired, so that the procedure for appointing new ones will follow, after their recall.

One of the "vacant" spots is the post of the Serbian Ambassador to China.

"We are working hard to find the best possible solution for our new Ambassador to China and as we appointed one of the best people in the state system as Ambassador to the United States, who, I am sure, will perform his duties in the best possible way, I am convinced that it will be the same for the Ambassador in Beijing", Selakovic said.

The Minister, who took over the foreign policy sector in the Government a little over two months ago, points out that circumstances in the world, as well as Serbia's position in it, have changed, but that Serbia's foreign policy goals do not change: the country remains strategically committed to European integration and, while pursuing the EU path, it will also strengthen traditional friendships with Russia and China, as well as promote and strengthen new partner relations with the United States.

"Relations in the region, good-neighborly relations, regional cooperation are also important for Serbia, because this fits into the set of requirements on the European path. But, even regardless of the European path, it is always important who you live next to, who you live with, what your neighbors are like and what the relations are like in the neighborhood", Minister Selakovic said.

He also points out that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is of inestimable importance, it being the main national and state issue for Serbia and the Serbian people.

"When I say that circumstances are changing, but not the goals - the EU and European integration was our goal seven years ago as well, but look at what our room for maneuver was then, in terms of economic aspects, and look at it today. Circumstances changed, and then you adjust your actions to these changed circumstances, to the best extent possible", Minister Selakovic said.

He reminds that foreign policy priorities for 2021 were also outlined by the President of the Republic, and that maintaining peace and stability in the region is the absolute priority.

"Only in a peaceful and stable region of the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe can Serbia thrive economically, culturally and scientifically - in every respect. Peace and stability in the region  are “sine qua non” without which there is no development and progress. Serbia has acted, is acting and will act as a factor that stabilizes the entire region and maintains peace in the region, showing that it is the region that benefits everyone the most", Minister Selakovic said.

Relations in the region have always been complex, and the region, Minister Selakovic noted, is to our great regret, burdened with issues that we cannot have a bearing on, and which concern
the past.

Serbia's approach is to seek room to influence what is happening today and what will happen
happen in the future.

In this context, he states that the so-called "mini-Schengen" initiative for market unification of the region, which originated from Aleksandar Vucic and was met with a positive response from the Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, is one of the opportunities to do much more for the region.

"To show how much more we can do if we act together and if we seek our common denominators, and not what separates and divides us ", Selakovic points out.

When it comes to relations with the United States, Selakovic said that one should not expect the great powers to change their positions the way we would like, want or imagine, but that it is important that the Ambassador in Washington, Marko Djuric, also emphasized that his task, among other things, will be to make efforts to change the climate in bilateral relations with the United States - the most important country in the world, as our lacking communication with them in the past seriously affected the position of the Serbian people and Serbia.

"I am convinced that Djuric will work seriously on that, together with President Vucic, Prime Minister Brnabic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and contribute to a large extent to changing that climate", Minister Selakovic said.

He points out that it is extremely important for Serbia to promote its partner relations with the United States to a higher level.

"This is a country with which we cooperate closely in many areas and a country with which we must strive, and not give up in doing so, to find what we have in common, our common ground and good examples of our cooperation in the past, and to create space for such cooperation in the future as well", Minister Selakovic concluded.

Source: Tanjug

29 December 2020

Preservation of peace, taking care of the health and better living standard are key for Serbia in 2021, underlined President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic, convinced that even though the completion of this ambitious and by no means easy task will be anything but straightforward, best results can be achieved by working in concert with the Government, while ensuring security and a future of certainty for the citizens.

The President said that Serbia has set for itself great and ambitious goals for the next year, notwithstanding the complex international and regional circumstances, and that it will endeavour to fully preserve peace and stability in the region and the country, while safeguarding the vital national and state interests.

"Serbia will remain on the course of a winning policy - the policy of stability", President Vucic said and stressed that our country remains on the European integration path and that it will carefully foster its friendship with Russia and China, while building a friendship with the United States as well.

According to the President, Serbia will continue to pursue a winning policy, with the country itself as a top priority, i.e., a policy that will enable Serbia to continue being one of the top three countries in Europe in terms of growth rate in the next two years.

A precondition for that, the President noted, is to crack down on criminal groups, but also to ensure even bigger investments in the police and army forces.

"Serbia is the country that recorded the highest growth in Europe in 2020", the President pointed out at the annual press conference and added that he expects to conclude a new arrangement with the IMF, as well as that Serbia, by the end of next year or early 2022, will raise its credit rating to an "investment" one, which will put our country's rating on par with the most developed EU countries.

As the greatest success in 2020, Vucic noted that Serbia will end the year with the highest growth rate in Europe, which, as he said, is expected to be from minus 0.75 percent to minus one.

"I am proud to be the President of a country that is the European champion in terms of GDP",  Vucic pointed out and added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also pleased with Serbia's success.

According to President Vucic, this result will encourage Serbia to accelerate its European path, while continuing friendships with those who did not turn their backs on Serbia when it was at its darkest hour, namely Russia and China.

The President pointed out that the activities to attract foreign investors will continue, then that work will be done on investments in agriculture, primarily the food industry, new machinery, and digitalization of agriculture.

President Vucic also emphasized that the goal is for salaries in the public sector to average between 560 and 570 euros by the end of the year. Only in Belgrade, the average salary would be around 700 euros. 

President Vucic reminded that the salaries of health care workers will increase by five percent from January 1, while the salaries of others in the public sector will increase by 3.5 percent and an additional 1.5 percent as of April 1, while corporal, private first class and non-commissioned officer army ranks will get an increase of an additional 10 percent. He noted that the minimum wage will be increased by 6.6 percent and so will pensions from January 1, by 5.9 percent, with the plan that the average pension amounts to 270 euros by the end of 2021. The President especially pointed out investments in health care, reminding that two new covid hospitals have been opened and that the renovation and construction of health facilities continues throughout Serbia, while stressing that Serbia is by far the first in the region in terms of hospitalized persons per 100,000 citizens, which is why it has recorded a low mortality rate , and also that Serbia this year has been among the top three countries in the region according to the number of PCR tests performed.

Speaking about tourism, the President said that, next year, efforts will be made on the development of the Danube basin region, from Apatin to Kladovo, that the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge will be developed, as well as our mountain centers.

Discussing the field of culture and information, President Vucic said that the implementation of the media strategy and the completion of the reconstruction of the National Theater in Subotica are important for next year, and he announced investments in museums, especially emphasizing the relocation of the History Museum to the train station building. He also stated that the floor heating in the Church of Saint Sava will be completed next year.

He pointed out that the state will continue to take care of our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, that no one can forbid Serbia to help its people, and that Serbia will not give up on helping our people.

As he emphasized, Serbia is ready to send medicines and vaccines to the Albanian population as well, and pointed out that in the upcoming period our country will pursue a policy of peace in the region and will endeavour to cooperate with Zagreb, Sarajevo, Podgorica and others.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic received today the first vaccine against the coronavirus made by Pfizer company, at the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera.

Brnabic, who is the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine, pointed out that this day may be the first since 6 March that we have a reason for a smile on our faces as it marks the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic in Serbia, but also in Europe and the world.

As Prime Minister and as someone who leads the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team, I felt obliged to be the first to receive the vaccine, to show that we believe in it, as well as in our institutions - the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia and experts who worked round the clock to test the vaccine, she said.

Underlining that it was an honour to do this for her country and be the first to pave the way for all citizens, the Prime Minister said that she agreed with President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic that the two of them receive different vaccines, so he will most likely receive the next one that arrives, most probably the one produced by China.

At the moment we have the Pfizer-BioNTech consortium vaccine, and the vaccines from the Chinese Sinopharm are expected in the near future, as well as certain quantities of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.

She expressed her belief that at the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter of next year we will have the vaccine of the company AstraZeneca, and after that the vaccine manufactured by Moderna.

As we promised, all vaccines licensed in their countries and approved by relevant international agencies will be available to our citizens, and of course they will be tested by all of our agencies and institutes as well, the Prime Minister pointed out.

She said that prior to the vaccination of health care workers, Minister of Health Zlatibor Loncar will also receive a vaccine shot as we endeavour to serve as an example and show how confident we are in the vaccines and institutions.

Brnabic pointed out that Serbia, not counting Great Britain, is the first country in Europe to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the third to start a mass immunization and campaign for giving the vaccine - after Great Britain and Switzerland.

We achieved something very important and we will not stop even for a moment until the immunization of the population is completed, the Prime Minister said.

She specified that our country will receive another 16,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in January, as well as that together with other vaccines we will have a total of one million doses in January, and a total of approximately two million doses during the first quarter of next year.

There is a dynamic on which Pfizer delivers vaccines and it varies depending on the production, and this is the case with deliveries to both Serbia and all other countries worldwide. We expected to receive 10,000 doses from Pfizer-BioNTech in December, however 4,807 doses arrived, the Prime Minister explained.

Serbia demonstrated that it is able to fight and succeed if we all work as a team, Brnabic said and called on all not to see the beginning of vaccination as the end of the fight already, but to continue to apply all measures instead.

This is to be certain and to be able to help our health care workers, and once the immunity is acquired we will be able to slowly start taking off the masks in 2021, but until then we should not see this as a victory but as the beginning of the end, the Prime Minister concluded.

After the Prime Minister, vaccine shots were also administered to the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and a member of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team Darija Kisic Tepavcevic and to Predrag Kon who is also on the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team.

Furthermore, vaccine shots were also given to Head of the MMA Department for the Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections prof. Dr. Vesna Suljagic and academician Predrag Pesko, professor of Belgrade and Heidelberg universities and full member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The first quantities of the vaccine arrived in Serbia on 22 December, and today they will be administered to patrons of nursing homes in Belgrade and Novi Sad.

Serbia is the first country in the region to receive a shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

In addition to procuring the vaccine among the first countries in the world, even before EU countries, Serbia is one of the rare countries that managed to build and open two covid hospitals in record time. The hospitals with 930 beds in Batajnica and 500 beds in Krusevac are a major contribution to the expansion of capacities and strengthening the health care system in the fight against coronavirus and, as President Vucic said, represent a monument of the future, that will talk about the accomplishments the state made in a short time.

Also, we recall that investments in health infrastructure have been large in Serbia, and since 2016, 80 health centers and clinics have been renovated, and works are underway on six large health centers. This way more than EUR 200 million was invested in the reconstruction, construction and equipping of hospitals and more than 300 million in the renovation of clinics and specialized hospitals, and many have already been completed, such as the University Children's Hospital Tiršova, and KBC Zemun nad KBC "Dragiša Mišović" hospitals.

The absolute priority of the Serbian Government is the successful completion of health infrastructure projects that are underway, but great attention is also paid to health workers,
whose salaries have, by 2020, been increased by 56.8% for specialist doctors, and 66.9% for
nurses, while significant funding is invested in the education of health professionals, as well as in equipment and working conditions.

Like other countries, Serbia has faced great challenges this year, most notably health challenges, and all factors in the state were focused on preventing the spread of the virus and safeguarding the lives and health of citizens. Serbia has faced these challenges better than many wealthier and more developed countries in Europe and the world.

Belgrade,
24 December 2020

On the occasion of 10 December, the international Human Rights Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia reaffirms its commitment to the principles and values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on this day in 1948.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been the foundation for the development of international law in this field, and of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, as a unique achievement of modern civilization. It is incumbent upon us today to safeguard and strengthen the international system ensuring respect for human rights, to develop human rights standards, control the implementation of commitments, and also to continue cooperating with international and regional institutions on the protection of human rights.

Serbia is fully committed to the universal values of human rights and implementing in practice the international legal instruments relating to human rights. Our continued cooperation with the Human Rights Council mechanisms in the framework of the United Nations, with the Council of Europe and the mechanisms of the OSCE human dimension, represents an important segment of activities carried out by all state authorities, thus demonstrating our consistent commitment to the implementation of international human rights standards.

The international Human Rights Day is an opportunity to point out once again that Serb and other non-Albanian population is being deprived of its rights in Kosovo and Metohija and to call again on the international community to ensure the respect for the guaranteed international human rights norms and contribute to creating conditions for the return of internally displaced persons and giving them back their usurped property. 

At the following links you can find useful information on the Republic of Serbia as a favourable destination for business, as well as investing in research and development of new technologies: Brochures: "SERBIA - Emerging tech developing hub" and "Guide to measures to support the development of innovative economy"

Following the decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, regarding possible entry of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia, without a permit, visa applications for entry of foreigners into Serbia may now be submitted, with preventative measures against the spread of Covid-19 disease (wearing of masks and gloves, social distancing, scheduling appointments, etc.)

Decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia:

- From 22.05.2020, all border crossings of the Republic of Serbia are open, and function in the usual manner;

- The ban on entry into the Republic of Serbia and epidemiological measures for all categories of domestic and foreign citizens, have been lifted (special consent/entry permits are no longer required for domestic or foreign citizens, therefore border crossing procedures are returned to normal);

-  All persons entering Serbia, instead of isolation measures and the requirement to have a negative Covid-19 test, will be given at passport control a bilingual (in Serbian and English) warning about the measures to follow, in order to prevent the spread and to control the infectious disease Covid-19;

- All persons who were subject to a 14 day self-isolation period on entry into Serbia, which is still in force as at 22.05.2020, are no longer required to self-isolate, until further notice. 

Please note, travel arrangements from Australia/New Zealand to Serbia are the sole responsibility of the passenger. The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney is not and cannot be held responsible for the decisions and actions of foreign airline companies (or countries of transit), with whom a passenger has booked, bought or exchanged an airline ticket, for return to Serbia, or for a connecting flight that will enable him/her to arrive in Serbia.

We announce that the calls for co-financing of projects that, through their quality, contribute to the preservation and strengthening of ties between the home country and Serbs in the region and the home country and the Diaspora are canceled, as well as that new ones will be announced after the end of the state of emergency in the Republic of Serbia.

In order to facilitate access to cultural contents to the citizens of Serbia as well as to users from other countries during COVID-19 epidemic, the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Serbia made available a large scale of programs of National Cultural Institutions in digital format in different languages (virtual tours, digital audio and video materials, photos, texts, 3D scanned objects, etc). А list of digital cultural content offered by cultural institutions of the Republic of Serbia is on the web site of the Ministry of Culture and Information, as follows: (http://www.kultura.gov.rs/cyr/aktuelnosti/digital-contents----serbian-cultural-institutions-2020 )

Serbian films

1. Next to me (Pored mene, 2015, Сtevan Filipovic, drama, 110 minutes) http://www.fcs.rs/en/films/film-database/?page=film&id=1314 Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKAFB9QUZc

2. Skinning (Šišanje, 2010, Stevan Filipovic, drama, 98 minutes) http://fcs.rs/en/films/film-database?page=film&id=169 Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsH6IRftCEI

3. Sheitans Warrior (Šejtanov ratnik, 2006, Stevan Filipovic, SF comedy, 94 minutes) http://www.fcs.rs/en/films/film-database/?page=film&id=152 Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgxT0TmisxE

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic and the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovic adopted a Decision on the introduction of a state of emergency in accordance with the Constitution on 15 March. The decision came into force the same day.

The borders of the Republic of Serbia are closed to all foreign nationals, with the exception of diplomats accredited in Serbia and their family members as well as foreigners with a residence permit in the Republic of Serbia.

Citizens of the Republic of Serbia, as well as accredited diplomats and foreign nationals residing in the Republic of Serbia, who enter the Republic of Serbia, are obliged to be in self-isolation for at least 14 days. This measure will be strictly controlled and its violation will be most severely sanctioned.

Citizens will be provided with a legally binding solution upon entering the country. Imprisonment for violating this provision is up to three years in prison. This is very important to reduce the movement of citizens, which is one of the main reasons for introducing a state of emergency in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In the case of citizens of the Republic of Serbia and foreign nationals residing in the Republic of Serbia, arriving from the Swiss Confederation, Republic of Italy, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Romania, the Kingdom of Spain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the French Republic, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Slovenia and the Hellenic Republic isolation period will be 28 days.

These measures shall not apply to:

• crews of freight motor vehicles when carrying out international road transport.
• Crews of cargo ships transporting goods to one of the domestic ports.
• the crews of railway vehicles entering the border station zone established by interstate agreements;
• crews and cabin crew of aircraft whose final destination is the Republic of Serbia or are in transit through the international airports of the Republic of Serbia;
• Persons who have obtained consent to enter the Republic of Serbia from a Government working body composed of representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure.
• humanitarian convoys under mandatory diplomatic escort.

Having in mind the above mentioned, all diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Serbia abroad will suspend their activities regarding the visa applications for foreigners, beside the above mentioned categories, who intend to enter the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Please follow the latest news on the portal of the Government of the Republic of Serbia

The special portal of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia explains in detail the procedure at border crossings when passengers entering the Republic of Serbia.

announces

AN AWARD COMPETITION ON THE TOPIC: “SAINT TRIFUN AND SAINT VALENTINE THEN AND NOW”

Competition conditions:

The competition is open to children from the diaspora aged 15 to 20 years old. The story can be written in Serbian or English language, up to two typed pages.

Awards for the first three places:

- First place gets 5 (five) free Serbian language promo classes;

- Second place gets 30% discount of the full amount of the online Serbian language course;

- Third place gets 15% discount of the full amount of the online Serbian language course.

*Full course have 24 lessons. Grammar and spelling mistakes will not be taken into consideration, only creativity.

We will publish all the winner stories and all stories which jury minds are good on the website of the Academic Serbian Association. Send your stories in PDF version (font Times New Roman, font size 12 pt, spacing 1.5) to the email address: info@asasocijacija.com

The competition is open until February 14th, and the results of the competition will be announced on February 20, 2020, on the website and on the Facebook page of the Academic Serbian Association.

www.asasocijacija.com asasocijacija@gmail.com

Having in mind that fires have been going on in Australia for several months now, and that since December 2019 the situation in some of the devastated areas has gone out of control, as well as occasional traffic interruptions, interruptions in the delivery of electricity and even emergency evacuations, all citizens of the Republic of Serbia who are permanently or temporarily residing in Australia or are planning to come to Australia soon, are advised to be informed in advance of the situation in the area in which they reside or intend to reside, and to strictly follow the instructions of the competent Australian authorities and services. It is not recommended to travel individually and away from the main communication routes. In case of urgent need to go to areas that are especially exposed to fire, it is necessary to follow the information published by radio (ABC local radio 666), television (ABC) and specialized internet -fires near me app, (https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me) and follow the instructions of authorized persons in the field. It is recommended that you keep your relatives and friends informed of your movements. In case of an emergency, you may contact the competent Australian authorities or the nearest diplomatic and consular post of the Republic of Serbia in Australia. If necessary, the telephone number of the Australian Emergency Services - 000 (three zeros) can be used, and in case of need for consular assistance, citizens of the Republic of Serbia can contact one of the two diplomatic and consular posts of the Republic of Serbia in Australia:

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Canberra

4 Bulwarra Close O`Malley ACT 2606 Canberra

Phone: + 612 / 6290-2630; + 612 / 6290-2948

Fax: + 612 / 6290-2631

E-mail: embassy.canberra@serbia.org.au; office.embassy@serbia.org.au

Website: www.canberra.mfa.gov.rs

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney

12, Trelawney Street, Woollahra, N.S.W.2025 P.O.Box 190 Edgecliff, N.S.W.2027 Sydney

Phone: + 612 / 9362-46-37, 9362-30-03, + 612 / 9362-46-38

Fax: + 612 / 9362-45-55 Е-mail: gkrssid@optusnet.com.au

Website: www.sydney.mfa.gov.rs

The National Bank of Serbia has published on its website information for returnees to the Republic of Serbia regarding the integration and disposal of money. This information is provided in the Finance Guide, which is listed on the Website as follows:

https://www.nbs.rs/internet/latinica/20/plp/finansijski_vodic_za_povratnike.pdf

The aim is to provide information regarding foreign exchange issues of importance for the return of our citizens from abroad.

THE WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS COMPETING IN THE FIRST ATP CUP.

24 countries competing across Brisbane, Perth and Sydney over 10 intense days, from 3-12 January, culminating in the winner-takes-all Final Eight in Sydney. Playing for the love of country.

LATEST NEWS: Serbia has made it in the final 8 and qualified for the ATP Cup finals in Sydney, commencing Friday 10th January 2020.

SUPPORT TEAM SERBIA:

NOVAK DJOKOVIC, DUSAN LAJOVIC, NIKOLA MILOJEVIC, VIKTOR TROICKI, NIKOLA CACIC

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

https://www.atpcup.com

The Government of the Republic of Serbia, at its session of October 24, 2019 issued a Decision on the abolition of visas for citizens of the Republic of Armenia, holders of ordinary passports, under which they may enter, transit and reside in the territory of the Republic of Serbia for a maximum of ninety (90) days from the date of entry into the Republic of R. Serbia, within a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days, unless there is a disturbance under Article 15 of the Law of the foreigners. The Decision shall enter into force on 2 November 2019.

We inform that on 19th June this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region, have made decisions on co-financing of projects which by their quality contribute to the preservation and strengthening of relations between the home state and the Diaspora and the home state and Serbs in the region. Decisions can be found and downloaded from the following links:

http://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ODLUKA-DIJASPORA-2019.pdf

http://www.dijaspora.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ODLUKA-REGION-2019-1.pdf

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Serbia, Department for Collaboration with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the Region, has announced an open tender for co-financing of quality projects which will strengthen relations of the home state and Serbs in the region and Diaspora. Applications for tender will open from 1st April 2019. Information about the open tender and application process, can be found from the following link: http:/www.dijaspora.gov.rs/uprava-za-dijasporu-konkursi/

We are pleased to announce that the 18^th Annual Serbian Film Festival will be held in several locations across Australia, commencing in Sydney on the 26 November to 9 December 2018. As in previous years, this year we will have a chance to see the best annual achievements of Serbian cinematography. The films that will be shown this year across Australia are:

1. A STOWAWAY ON THE SHIP OF LUNATICS (СЛЕПИ ПУТНИК НА БРОДУ ЛУДАКА), directed by Goran Markovic – МА15+

2. NOWHERE (НИГДЕ), directed by Predrag Velinovic – МА15+

3. FRONT PAGE MIDGETS (ПАТУЉЦИ СА НАСЛОВНИХ СТРАНА), directed by Milorad Milinkovic – R18+

4. WONGAR (ВОНГАР), directed by Andrijana Stojkovic – MA15+

5. OFFENDERS (ИЗГРЕДНИЦИ), directed by Dejan Zecevic – R18+  - this movie is nominated for Oscar 2019

All information about the stated movies, including screening times, purchasing and reservation of tickets, can be located on the Serbian Film Festival official website and Facebook link

The formal opening and promotion of the “Ultra Football Academy”, for children of Serbian origin in Sydney, was held at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, on Sunday 28/10/2018. 

At the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney, a Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Mr. Miljan Mirić, the CEO of „Infinity HVAC Services”Pty Ltd, distinguished member of the Serbian Diaspora in Australia, for his ongoing assistance, support and donations to this Consulate General.

On Friday 20/04/2018, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with Jelena Kis, editor of the internet magazine “Australiana Serba”, hosted a literary evening featuring literary works of the great Serbian author Vladimir Pistalo, who is visiting Australia over a two week period, under the sponsorship of the Cultural club “Njegos” from Melbourne. 

During the literary evening, which was opened by the host CG B. Radosevic, literary works: “The sun of this day – letter to Andric” which is the latest novel by the stated writer, and “Tesla, portrait among the masks” a novel which received the “NIN” in 2008, were presented. A panel discussion before an audience of 50 literary fans followed, opened by writer and doctor, Dr. Petar Pjesivac and artists/poet Nebojsa Simic, respected members of the Serbian and Montenegro community in Melbourne, who introduced the prominent author and his works.

In the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney, a Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Mr. Milovan Karajcic, distinguished member of the Serbian Diaspora in Australia, for his ongoing assistance and support to this Consulate General.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the region, announces the Competition for Partially Financing projects that contribute with its merits to preserving and strengthening of connections between the homeland and the diaspora and the homeland and Serbs in the region which will opend from 12th to 30th March 2018.

Flag raising ceremony marking the Serbian National Day, which has now become a tradition, took place for the tenth year in a row at the Bay Side (Rockdale) Council, on 13/02/2018.

The sixth annual Serbian Festival, which was once again attended by thousands of Serbs, guests and visitors, was held on the 10^th and 11^th February 2018, at the heart of Australia’s largest city. This is the largest public display of Serbian tradition and culture in the southern hemisphere.

The 17th Serbian Film Festival in Australia was officially opened on 27 November 2017, in the "Hoyts Entertainment Moore Park" in Sydney with the presentation of the movie "Out of the Woods“ by director Marko Kostic. At the Festival, which will be held this year from 24 November until 10 December, across Australia (Sydney, Canbera, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Frimantle-Perth), five of the latest film achievements of the Serbian cinematography will be screened:

1. OUT OF THE WOODS (КОЗЈЕ УШИ) – director Marko Kostić;

2. REQUIEM FOR MRS J. (РЕКВИЈЕМ ЗА ГОСПОЂУ Ј.) – director Bojan Vuletić;

3. SANTA MARIA DELLA SALUTE (САНТА МАРИА ДЕЛА САЛУТЕ) – director Zdravko Šotra;

4. TRAIN DRIVERS DIARY (ДНЕВНИК МАШИНОВОЂЕ) – director Miloš Radović;

5. HERD (СТАДО) – director Nikola Kojo;

The 170th anniversary of the publication of the "Mountain Wreath", written by Petar II Petrović Njegoš, was marked with a Solemn Academy at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney on Thursday, 12 October, 2017, in cooperation with the Montenegrin Cultural & Arts Society ”Nyegosh” Sydney.

Members of CAS "Nyegosh", in front of 70 guests, presented the work and life of this poet and philosopher and his importance for the Serbian and Montenegrin people. Verses from his epic poem "Mountain Wreath" were recited. They reminded on the reign of this spiritual leader of Montenegro in the 19th century, who promoted the liberation and unification of all Serbs.

On Tuesday, 25 July 2017, the Gala Opening Reception of the Exhibition of the Nikola Tesla Museum from Belgrade “Unlimited Mind’ was held at the Michael Crouch Innovation Centre, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. The Exhibition was previously held in Perth “Tesla EXPO 2017” from 1^st – 16^th July and attended by HE Mr Miroljub Petrovic, Serbian Ambassador to Australia. 

The Exhibition, held for the first time in Sydney, was organized in collaboration with the Nikola Tesla Museum from Belgrade, members of the Nikola Tesla Srpski Society, the UNSW hosts, sponsored, especially by “Air Serbia” and “Etihad”, with assistance of the representatives of the Serbian Missions in Canberra and Sydney.

Upper row: Dragana Milanovic, Vesna Knezevic, prof. Slobodan Zivkovic, Father Sasa Colic, Milica Kozlina and Vladeta Teofilovic. Bottom row: Manuela and Dragan Mitrovic, Consul Branislav Grbic, Prime Minister of NSW The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, Andrijana Drpa and Petar Kozlina.

On Saturday, 20 May, 2017, an Annual Dinner ceremony was held in Sydney, organized by the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools.

This event is held annually as a tradition to support the Australian policy of nurturing multiculturalism and to encourage the representatives of all ethnic communities in NSW to contribute, support and attract as many students as possible to attend evening classes in their native languages, as well as to nurture and preserve their Cultural heritage and identity.

The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of NSW, the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian, as well as the Hon. Raymond Williams, Minister for Multiculturalism, and the Hon. Victor Dominello, Minister for Finance. In addition to the aforementioned members of the NSW Government, MPs of the NSW Parliament, members of the Sydney Consular Corps, representatives of the Federation and members of ethnic and religious communities attended the event.

Registering youngsters who will turn 18 this year in the military records has begun during January this year. A general request for registration in the military records has been made to youngsters born in 1999 and older, who have not been registered in the military records yet for some reason, to come to the centres of the Ministry of Defence in their towns and fulfil that legal obligation. One should bring ID card or in case they do not have it, some other public document which can serve as proof of identity. The general request for registration in the military records will last until the end of February. After that, individual requests will be delivered to the ones who have not responded to the general request.
Recruits who reside in Australia and New Zealand should exercise their right and fulfil the legal obligation in the Embassy in Canberra or Consulate General in Sydney.

LINK ON THE INVITATION

The Australian licensing authorities - Austroads - officially have agreed to grant Serbia "Experienced Driver Recognition" status from the First February 2017. "Experienced Driver Recognition" status provides that an applicant from the Republic of Serbia who is applying for an Australian drivers licence is exempt from undertaking the practical driving test and theory tests for the authorisation to drive C (car) or R (motorcycle) class vehicles only.

Furthermore the applicant:

·        must be 25 year or older,
·        meets class eligibility requirements (age and tenure) for relevant vehicle classes,
·        provides adequate proof of identity, and
·        meets residency requirements.

If the driver is under 25 years of age and comes from an Experienced Driver recognised county they are required to undertake all the necessary testing requirements.

On Wednesday, 15 February, 2017, a reception was held at the Consulate General the Republic of Serbia in Sydney marking the National Day of the Republic of Serbia.

In honor of the National Day eminent guests were invited from public and political life of New South Wales (NSW) and Australia, representatives of foreign diplomatic and consular missions, as well as prominent members of the Serbian community.

Highlights of the reception was the presence of The Hon. David Clarke, member of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of NSW representing the Premier of NSW  Gladys Berejiklian, as well as Very Rev. Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Miodrag Peric, representing His Grace The Right Reverend Bishop Siluan, Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The invitations were accepted by numerous heads of foreign missions, representatives of friendly communities, local authorities and the Police of NSW. Serbian community was represented by prominent businessmen, presidents of clubs and the media, doctors, professors, athletes and musicians with whom the Consulate General has a long-standing relationship and acquaintance.

In honor of the celebration of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia in the Sydney’s Suburb Bay Side (former Rockdale), on 13 February, 2017, at a ceremony, traditionally for the ninth time, the flag of the Republic of Serbia was raised.

On behalf of the mayor of Bay Side, Mr Miodrag Pesic, President of the Association of the Serbian-Australian Association "Sretenje", addressed the gathered members of the Serbian and Greek Community and welcomed the distinguished guests. He pointed out that "Rockdale is the only place in the world where, accept the Serbian Missions, as well as in Serbia, the flag of the Republic of Serbia is being raised for its Statehood Day".

The assembled citizens were addressed by H.E. Consul General of the Republic Serbia in Sydney Mr. Branko Radosevic, thanking the host, also mentioning, among other things, that "he is proud to be here present in the honor of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia raising flag ceremony."

The ceremonial meeting was attended by the following distinguished guests: Branislav Grbic, Consul; Stavros Kirimis, Consul General of Greece; Stephen Kamper, member of the Legislative Assembly of NSW for Rockdale; Nemanja Mrdjenovic, Serbian priest representing Bishop Siluan of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church; Dragan Milovanovic, Serbian Diaspora delegate and president of the Serbian Cultural Club "St Sava", as well as other officials of the Bay Side Council and citizens of Rockdale with members of the Serbian and other ethnic communities.

Popularly known as "the largest Serbian festival in the southern hemisphere," for the fifth time the Serbian Festival was held, on 4 and 5 February, 2017, at one of the busiest tourist sites of Sydney, Darling Harbour and Tumbalong Park, organized by the Serbian Orthodox Youth Association, under the auspices of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand Serbian Orthodox Church and numerous sponsors. Every year the Serbian festival brings together many distinguished guests and Serbian diaspora. This event, which is a blend of culture, tradition and identity of the Serbian people in this region, has enormous potential for the presentation of Serbia to the widest audience in Sydney, as well as many foreign tourists who visit this site. The two-day festival attracted a large number of visitors (estimation of 50 thousand) who enjoyed the songs, dance and culinary specialties.

Please see information details on the forthcoming Presidential elections, on 2 April 2017, in Serbian language, Latin and Cyrillic versions. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Slovenia, and the Republic of Serbia – as the sole Successor States to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (hereinafter “the SFRY”) – and the co-owners of diplomatic and consular property of the SFRY, as the previous title owner, hereby issue an invitation to tender for the provision of the service of brokering the sale of the following immovable property:

a) Permanent Mission of the SFRY to the UN, New York, USA (854 Fifth Avenue, N.Y. 10065); 

b) Residence of the Permanent Representative of the SFRY to the UN, New York,USA (730 Park Avenue, N.Y. 10021); 

c) Embassy and residence of the SFRY in Tokyo, Japan (7-24, 4-chome, Kitashinagawa Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo); 

d) Embassy of the SFRY in Bonn, Germany (Schlossallee 5, 5300 Bonn 2); 

e) Embassy and residence of the SFRY in Berne, Switzerland (Seminarstrasse 5, 3006 Bern). 

FULL TEXT PDF - INVITATION TO TENDER HERE

FULL TEXT PDF - FORM - TENDER BOND (GUARANTEE) HERE 

FULL TEXT PDF - FORM - PERFORMANCE BOND (GUARANTEE) HERE

FULL TEXT PDF - FORM - TENDERER INFORMATION SHEET HERE

The enthronement of the new Bishop of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand Serbian Orthodox Church, took place at the St George Cathedral in Cabramatta, Sydney, on Saturday, 22 October 2016. His Grace Bishop Siluan Mrakic was enthroned as the new Bishop of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.

The Divine Liturgy was led by the new Bishop Siluan, who was assisted in service by His Grace Bishop Longin of the New Gracanica and Midwestern American Diocese, His Grace Apollonian Bishop Serafim (local Archdiocese Vicar of the Constantinople Patriarchate), His Grace Bishop George of Canberra (vicar of the local eparchy of the Russian church abroad), numerous priests from Serbian and Russian churches, including the Moscow Patriarchate jurisdiction in Australia, as well as guests from Serbia and the Republic of Serpska.

The 16th Serbian Film Festival in Australia was officially opened with the screening of the film "A Stinking Fairytale", by director Miroslav Momcilovic, on Friday 21/10/2016 at the "Cinema Paris FOX Studio" in Sydney. The Festival will be held across Australia (Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth) from 21/10/2016 to 8/11/2016, showcasing four of the most recent films of Serbian cinema, including: A Stinking Fairytale - Miroslav Momcilovic; Humidity – Nikola Ljuca; Double Trouble - Rados Bajic and The Black Pin - Ivan Marinovic. After the opening speech by the host Director Milica Kozlina, and introduction of this year’s special guest, the lead actor in the film "Humidity" Milos Timotijević, the Consul General Mr. Branko Radosevic who is one of the founding members of the Festival, addressed the attendees with his speech.

This year, the Festival opening night guests enjoyed the performance of the mixed choir "Jedinstvo" from Banja Luka. Over the past 16 years, the festival has provided the Australian audiences, as well as the Serbian Diaspora on the "fifth continent", with an insight into the creative side of a rich Serbian culture.

Photos and media reports from this year's Festival are available through the following link https://www.facebook.com/serbfilmfest/.

On 29/09/2016, the Consul Branislav Grbic attended the promotion of the book "Historiography of the Holocaust in Yugoslavia", published in English language, at the Jewish Museum in Sydney. The book’s author is Bishop Jovan Culibrk of Slavonia. 

Bishop of Slavonia arrived in Australia on 25/09/2016, where he will be staying for two and a half weeks and visiting Sydney, Wollongong, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. His arrival was preceded by the sacred liturgy in Jasenovac and preparation of the relics of martyrs of Jasenovac, which were handed over to the temples of St. John the Baptist in Wollongong and St. George in Cabramatta, Sydney, this month. It is expected that Bishop Jovan visits the monastery of the Russian Church in Bombali, where he will hold a seminar with the Serbian youth, and in Sydney in the church of St. Knez Lazar, where he will talk about the relationship between the two martyr nations - the Jews and the Serbs. After Sydney, he will continue his visit to Melbourne and other cities.

On Thursday, 10 March 2016, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Canberra, hosted a reception in honour of the official visit of the highest officials of the Serbian Orthodox Church, headed by His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, who was accompanied by His Eminence Amphilochius, Archbishop of Cetinje and Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Irinej, Bishop of Australia and New Zealand.

Please see information details on the forthcoming elections in Serbian language, Latin and Cyrillic versions.

Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia has announced an open competition for financing or co-financing of projects in the field of cultural activities of Serbs abroad in 2016. 

Open competition and the details regarding participation can be found through the following link www.kultura.gov.rs. Deadline for the competition applications is March 28, 2016. 

On 16/02/2016, the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney celebrated the Serbian Statehood Day, 15th February and the 50 year anniversary of diplomatic relations with Australia. To mark the occasion, in attendance were many eminent personalities from both the public and political arena of NSW and Australia, representatives of other consular posts and missions, as well as members of the Serbian community.

Particular acknowledgment goes to Mr. Miroljub Petrovic, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Australia, His Grace the Right Reverend Irinej, Bishop of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, Shayne Mallard MP representing The Premier of NSW the Hon Mike Baird and the Minister for Multiculturism the Hon John Ajaka MLC. 

On 12/02/2016, the flag of the Republic of Serbia was raised for the eighth year in a row at the Rockdale Council, in celebration of the Statehood Day, which has now become a tradition.

The Australian multicultural policy and organizations established for that purpose, allow ethnic communities a possibility to engage and affirm themselves within a society. An example of this is Sydney’s big municipality of Rockdale. Initiated by the National Association “Sretenje” led by Miodrag Pesic, an eminent member of the Serbian community, the Serbian flag has been raised in front of the Rockdale City Council every year since 2009, in celebration of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia, which is an ongoing incentive for harmonious relations, closeness and tolerance among people from many nations who live in Sydney.

The fourth annual Serbian Festival was held on the 6^th and 7^th February 2016, at one of Sydney’s main tourist destinations Darling Harbor, Tumbalong Park, organized by the Serbian Orthodox Youth Association (SOYA) from Sydney, sponsored by the Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitante of Australia and New Zealand and many other sponsors.

Commonly referred to as “the Biggest Serbian Festival in the southern hemisphere” this year’s festival again brought together many distinguished guests and the Serbian Diaspora. This event, which combines culture, tradition and identity of Serbian people in this region, has enormous potential to showcase Serbia to the largest audience in Sydney. According to the Darling Harbor statistical information, there were more than 50,000 visitors at this year’s two day festival. The Festival’s cultural and entertainment program included performances by many folkloric groups, singers and musicians, all with a common goal to promote Serbia in Australia. At the display and food stands, visitors could purchase arts and crafts, books, souvenirs, national costumes or simply observe displays and read about the Serbian faith and national traditions. Like last year, visitors this year were able to enjoy burek and barbecue culinary specialties with Serbian wine, beer and rakija.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia held a reception on 02/02/2016, in honor of the Serbian Rugby League Team, sponsorеd by Air Serbia.

The second gathering at the Consulate General, under the familiar slogan „Serbs in Australia – let’s stand together for the Rugby League World Cup in 2017!“, as well as the anticipated two week visit of the Serbian Rugby players in Australia, caused great interest among the diaspora and media. Rugby players were greated with the presence of His Grace The Right Reverend Irinej, Bishop of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, as well as Dane Kondic, General Manager of Air Serbia who has travelled from Serbia especially for this occasion. Many distinguished members of the Serbian community, clubs and associations, media representatives, members of the Australian Rugby Union, representatives of “Etihad” and other businesses, accepted the invitation of Air Serbia and the Consulate General. Our players were joined by Australian-based Serbian Rugby players, as well some “legends’ of this sport of Serbia origin, such as Lou Zivanovic and Dragan Djurdjevic.

We are pleased to announce that the 15th Annual Serbian Film Festival has been held in several locations across Australia, commencing in Sydney on the 29^th October till 22^nd November 2015. As in previous years, this year we had the chance to see the best annual achievements of Serbian cinematography. The films that have been shown this year across Australia are:

1) Enclave (Енклава) – Goran Radovanović;
2) The man who defended Gavrilo Princip (Бранио сам Младу Босну) – Srdjan Koljević;
3) Next to me (Поред мене) – Stevan Filipović;
4) For King and Homeland (За краља и отаџбину) – Radoš Bajić;
5) Stairless (Без степеника) – Petar Šumonja;
6) The sky above us (Небо изнад нас) – Marinus Groothof;
7) We will be world champions (Бићемо прваци света) – Darko Bajić;
8) Destination Serbistan (Дестинација Сербистан) – Želimir Žilnik.

This year's special guest is Goran Radovanović, director of the film Enclave.
All information about the stated movies, including screening times, purchasing and reservation of tickets, can be located on the Serbian Film Festival official website:
http://www.serbianfilmfestival.org.au  https://www.facebook.com/serbfilmfest

During the negotiations between Serbian and Australian Authorities, held in Canberra from 22 to 25 September 2015, the content of the draft social security agreement was considered in detail and final draft agreed to and initialled by the delegation leaders.
The Social Security Agreement between Serbia and Australia includes provisions concerning pension and disability insurance.
For the purpose of establishing eligibility, clauses within the agreement allow beneficiaries from both countries to combine qualifying periods (i.e. periods of insurance and residency) completed on the territories of both contracting parties, if needed. There are also clauses that allow for payment of benefits in the territory of the other Contracting Party in a convertible currency, then determination of application of legislation, as well as temporary secondment of workers in the second contracting state. Clauses relating to secondment of workers to the second contracting state, allow exemption from being subject to the legislation of the country in which the person is sent, thus avoiding payment of contributions in both countries at the same time.
As per procedure, there are a number of administrative arrangements pending, including preparation of supporting documents, signing of the agreement, followed by ratification and implementation of the agreement, on which the Embassy will inform the public in a timely manner.
The Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Australia takes this opportunity to express their sincere gratitude to members of the Serbian community in Australia who have supported as well as assisted with travel and accommodation arrangements for the Serbian delegation, in order to progress the negotiations on the Social Security Agreement.

On 16 March, 2015, a reception was held at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Sydney, with a presentation from the Rugby 13 Federation of Serbia (R13FS), organised by Mr. Blagoje Stoiljkovic, representative of R13FS, who arrived in Australia to establish contact with the Serbian diaspora, as well as players of Serbian origin, and to promote the Serbian Rugby team participation in the upcoming qualification for Rugby World Cup which will be held in Australia in 2017.
Presentation titled „Serbs in Australia – let's stand together for the Rugby League World Cup 2017!“ raised a lot of interest among the Serbian diaspora.
Among the guests who responded to the invitation were representatives from the Australian Rugby League, SPC, Air Serbia, presidents of Serbian clubs and associations, prominent representatives of the Serbian diaspora, Serbian media, SOYA, many players of Serbian heritage, current and former, as well as their parents who have previously played for the Serbian representation, and potential future players who submitted their expressions of interest, so that they could „fulfill their dreams and play wearing the Serbian jersey“.
The quality of players of Serbian heritage, huge support from their family and friends and all those with Serbia in their hearts, represent a positive energy and a huge motivation for the Serbian team in qualifying for the upcoming Rugy League world cup 2017 in Australia.
For further information, all interested rugby players can contact the Serbian Consulate or Mr. Blagoje Stoiljkovic, representative of Rugby 13 Federation of Serbia, directly on blagoje.stoiljkovic@ragbiliga.rs.
Column of the weekly newspaper "Serbian voice" on the above mentioned event can be seen HERE.

Serbia’s national soccer team in the age group up to 20 years old have succeeded to qualify for the first time amongst 24 best world selections and will compete at the World Championship in New Zealand from 30th May till 20th June 2015. The group stage of the competition will be held from 31st May till 6th June in Dunedin, the student centre of New Zealand and it’s most southern city.
In the organization of FIFA, the final draw was held on 10th February in Auckland and Serbia has been assigned in Group D, together with the teams of Uruguay, Mexico and one African team, which will soon be known after the end of the African Cup.
From year 1977 since this competition is first being held, Argentine has won six titles, Brazil five, Portugal two, and the Serbian soccer spectators of course wish for the replay of the World Championship in Chile in 1987 when the then team of Yugoslavia’s young players has won the title by winning in the finals against Western Germany’s team.
Our team’s preparations will be conducted in Auckland, in the period from 21st till 27th May, after what the team will travel to Dunedin, and Serbia will play the first match of the group stage of the competition against Uruguay on 31st May, beginning at 4.00 pm. The next match Serbia will play against the African representative on 3rd June at 7.00 pm, and the last game will be against the Mexican team on 6th June at 4.00 pm.
The eighth-finals are scheduled for 10th and 11th June, quarter-finals for 14th June, and semi-finals match will be held in Auckland on 17th June, as well as the final match on 20th June.
Diplomatic missions of the Republic of Serbia in Australia calls upon all the interested organizations and individuals in the Serbian community in New Zealand and Australia to support the best young Serbian football players and through attendance at the matches give them the additional strength to fight for the best possible placement.

     Rockdale City Council, 12/02/2015, the flag of the Republic of Serbia was raised for the seventh time in celebration of the Serbian National Day. The Serbian flag raising ceremony in front of the Council Chambers has become part of this council's tradition. It represents the acknowledgement and appreciation of the local authoroties, of the contribution made by the Serbian people who live and work in this area, in supporting Australian multiculturalism as well as their continuous efforts toward harmonious relations and tolerance between all the nations that live in Sydney.

Video recording of this event can be seen on: RTS http://vimeo.com/119432871 and the local MIS TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-NEOJ48uAY.

(More photos)

Photo: Radivoj Mackovic

  On 7th and 8th of February this year, the third Serbian festival was held in central Sydney's main tourist location, Darling Harbour. The festival was organised by the Serbian Orthodox Youth Association (SOYA) in Sydney, with support of the Australia and New Zealand Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church and many sponsors.This year, the festival best known as "the biggest Serbian festival in the southern hemisphere", brought together many distinguished guests and members of the Serbian Diaspora.

(More photos)

Photo: Radivoj Mackovic

  Serbian national airline carrier "Air Serbia" delegation consisting of: Dane Kondic CEO, Maja Gedosev PR, Biljana Savic pilot, and Arsen Rudan, media relations officer - visited Australia during the period 04-09/2/2015. The delegation was accompanied by Stevan Sipka, VP Asia Pacific based in Sydney. The main aim of the visit was to promote "Air Serbia" in Australia, which included numerous completed promotional activities.

(More photos)

Photo: Radivoj Mackovic

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia announces open calls for financing or co-financing projects in the field of cultural activities of the Serbs abroad in 2015. The deadline for submitting applications along with the competition documentation is 31 March 2015. More details on the terms and conditions may be down-loaded from:
http://www.kultura.gov.rs/cyr/konkursi/k-o-n-k-u-r-s-za-finansiranje-ili-sufinansiranje-projekata-u-oblasti-kulturnih-delatnosti-srba-u-inostranstvu-u-2015--godini

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia announces a public invitation for participation in The Competition for the Project of Translation of Representative Serbian Literary Works Abroad in the Year 2015. The purpose of this Competition is to provide financial support for the translation of Serbian literary works and literary works by national minorities from the Republic of Serbia, published by domestic professional publishing houses, into foreign languages abroad. The deadline for submitting applications along with the competition documentation is 31 March 2015. More details on the terms and conditions may be down-loaded from:
http://www.kultura.gov.rs/lat/konkursi/k-o-n-k-u-r-s-za-sufinansiranje-projekata-u-oblasti-prevodjenja-reprezentativnih-dela-srpske-knjizevnosti-u-inostranstvu-u-2015--godini

FLOOD VICTIM ACCOUNT OF THE EMBASSY at the Commonwealth Bank:

Account type: Society Cheque Account
BSB: 062-902
Account number: 1031 3302
Account title:  EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IN AUSTRALIA – FLOOD VICTIM ACCOUNT
Open date: 19/05/2014     

BALANCE OF THE ACCOUNT:
Wednesday, 18 February 2015, at 11:00 - 52.83 AUD.
Having in mind transfer of 160,000.00 AUD from 5 June, transfer of 120.000,00 AUD from 4 July and transfer of 99,100.00 AUD from 17 October to the account of the Government of Serbia, the total sum of funds collected thus far, is 379,152.83 AUD as a result of 607 transactions.

ALL LISTS OF TRANSFERS CAN BE VIEWED HERE.
ALL LISTS OF TRANSACTIONS CAN BE VIEWED HERE.

The event has being held at the State of the Art Concourse Theater in Chatswood and the program was one to savor with Arias, Duets and Trios and quartettes from Tosca, Turandot, Carmen, The Magic Flute, Adrianna Le Couvrere, Rigoletto as well as Italian, Greek and Serbian songs by these truly world class artists. At the piano was Opera Australia's amazing Frances Greep. (Photo Gallery)

THE MARCH POGROM, 17-18 March 2004 - Film "CRIME WITHOUT PUNISHMENT" (Link)

With the arrival of international forces and the establishment of institutions of international administration in the southern Serbian province on June 10, 1999, the problem of Kosovo-Metohija has not been solved. In the past ten years, the remaining Kosovo Serbs and other non-Albanian ethnic communities have been forced from their homes while at the same time suffering the destruction of the property, graves and cultural heritage (churches and monasteries) that are symbols of the centuries-old presence of the Serbian people in this territory.

The violence spurred by ethnic Albanian extremists and ethnic cleansing of the Serb population on March 17 and 18, 2004, have shown once again that the existing provincial institutions, as well as the institutions of the international administration in Kosovo-Metohija, have failed to complete their mission and have not secured a real functioning and existence of a multi-cultural society in the province.

Serbian Diaspora Beauty Contest was held in Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, 22 February 2014.
Members of the jury led by the Serbian Consul have selected Miss Suzana Milutinovic to carry the crown of the Serbian Miss Diaspora. The co-presenter of the spectacle was Milica Vuklis, official contestant for Serbia at the Miss World 2014 to be held in October in London.   

(More photos in Photo Gallery)

The Serbian Statehood Celebration was continued at the Serbian Festival in Darling Harbour 15-16th of February 2014.

(More photos in Photo Gallery)

Reception on the occasion of the Serbian Statehood Day held at the Consulate-General of the Republic of Serbia-Sydney on Thrusday, 14th of February 2014.

(More photos in Photo Gallery)

This year’s Serbian Statehood Celebration has started on 13th of February by Flag Rising Ceremony in the City of Rockdale, traditionally organized by the Serbian-Australian Association “Sretenje”, Mayor of the City of Rockdale and Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia-Sydney.    

The happening included playing the Australian and Serbian hymns and raising of the Serbian Flag followed by the speeches of the Mayor of the City of Rockdale, Mr Shane O’Brian, Hon. Shaquet Muselmane MLC and Deputy Consul General, Mrs Jasmina Pekmezovic. After the exchanging of gifts between the representatives of the Local Council and the Consulate and the performance of the  “St Lazarus” Folkloric dance group a cocktail reception at the Local Council was organized. 

(More photos in Photo Gallery)

Please see information details on the forthcoming elections in Serbian language, Latin and Cyrillic versions.

The Office of Diaspora and Serbs in the region have established service for assistance in the process of obtaining quick answers to questions of Diaspora Serbs in the region, regarding state authorities (identity documents, citizenship status issues, property issues, supplementary schools and other educational issues).

Questions may be lodged, electronically via website: www.dijaspora.gov.rs; or telephone: (+381 11 937 3202); and in person: Vasina 20, Belgrade; Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 16:00.
 

Faculty of Philology University of Belgrade is delighted to announce that registration for Course of Serbian language (beginner level) is now open!
This course is taught online and it lasts 12 weeks. All details and further information can be found at http://learnserbian.fil.bg.ac.rs/.
Registration will be open until 10th February 2014.

President of the Red Cross of Serbia, Prof.. Dragan Radovanovic and his associates participated in the annual meeting of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Sydney from 11-18 November 2013.

In coordination with the representative of the Australian Parliament in the Diaspora, Mr Dragan Milovanovic, on November 14th a meeting was held at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre, which was attended by representatives of the largest Serbian organizations and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Respondents to the meeting were presidents of SC Bonnyrigg, Serbian National Defence, Serbian club "Saint Sava" from Hoxton Park, Serbian Orthodox Youth ("SOYA"), the church "St. George" from Cabramatta, the meeting was followed by the newspaper reporter from" News" and Consul Jasmina Pekmezovic.

Representatives of the Red Cross of Serbia presented the programs of our oldest and most respected humanitarian organizations, with special emphasis on the recovery program in their children resort in Baosici, Montenegro.  
This program is designed for children from the Serbian enclaves in Kosovo and Metohia, pupils that walk long distance to school, socially handicapped and orphans, providing them with the opportunity of 10 days free holiday at beach resort under supervision of volunteer tutors.  Resort "Krista Djordjevic", according to the president of RCS, although, it has opportunities to receive three hundred youngsters during the season, due to lack of finance it functions with one-third capacity. The cost of a 10-day stay per child amounts to 270.00 Euros, with the help of donations from our emigrants this number could increase and provide an unforgettable vacation to a large number of children from Serbia whose parents do not have the ability to provide for them. For those who wish to send their donations to the Red Cross of Serbia, details may be obtain  here or Contact the Red Cross of Serbia http://www.redcross.org.rs

Competition is open for financing or co-financing projects in the field of international cooperation for  year 2014 - Project is for translation of representative works of Serbian literature in a foreign language and cultural activities of Serbs abroad. The bid and other information can be found on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information (www.kultura.gov.rs). For any further information regarding the competition please contact: Mr Mladen Veskovic by email: mladen.veskovic@kultura.gov.rs or by telephone: + 381 11 3398 - 026  or Мs Ivanа Ivanov by email: ivana.ivanov@kultura.gov.rs or by telephone: + 11 381 2927 -815.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia has issued a Regulation on implementation of professional practice in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which came into force 06.12.2013.

Interested candidates, who meet the requirements, may apply at the Serbian Embassy in Canberra or Serbian Consulate General in Sydney (application form).

We proudly announce that "Days of Serbian Culture" will be held in Australia, under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia-Sydney, organized by "U-neXt", Centre for Serbian diaspora and Historical Museum of Serbia, from 05 - 15 September 2013. 

All information and brochure can be found HERE.