Selaković at the ministerial meeting of participants of the Berlin Process

21. Oct 2022.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković attended in Berlin the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs participating in the Berlin Process, who discussed the preparation of the summit of this initiative to be held on 3 November, as well as energy security, the migrant crisis and the European integration of the Western Balkans.

Minister Selaković stated that at the meeting, which was chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Baerbock, the formation of a common regional market, cyber security, as well as a higher level of cultural cooperation between partners in the Western Balkans was discussed.

Minister Selaković noted that in addition to ministers from the Western Balkans, the meeting was attended by the ministers of foreign affairs of Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Croatia and Bulgaria, as well as representatives of Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Poland.

„The preparation of the Berlin Process summit to be held in Berlin on 3 November was discussed at the meeting, but special attention was paid to issues such as energy security, the migrant crisis, as well as the European integration of the Western Balkans. The formation of a common regional market, cyber security, as well as a higher level of cultural cooperation between partners in the Western Balkans were also discussed,“ said Minister Selaković.

Minister Selaković reported that the meeting in Berlin was also an opportunity for bilateral meetings and that he discussed the security and energy crises in Europe caused by the increased rate of inflation as a result of the war with ministers of foreign affairs of North Macedonia and Greece Bujar Osmani and Nikos Dendias respectively.

According to him, he also discussed with his counterparts from North Macedonia and Greece the challenges to be faced in the future.

Minister Selaković noted that one of the important topics was the migrant crisis, because North Macedonia, Greece and Serbia were located on the South-East European migration route, i.e. a migration route that made Serbia's position quite paradoxical.

Selaković explained that migrants came to Serbia and North Macedonia from the territory of EU countries, not with the intention of staying there, but of re-entering EU countries.

„I emphasised once again the importance of taking and defining a unique European position on this matter in order to find an efficient, effective and good answer to this great challenge and great problem facing the whole of Europe,“ said Selaković.

On the margins of the meeting, Minister Selaković also met with Minister of State for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom Leo Docherty.