Brnabic: 2025 to bring many challenges to Serbia, region, our goal is EU accession

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Monday 2025 would bring many challenges to Serbia and the region as it would be a year of important anniversaries of several political processes that had shaped the present times, but that the Serbian diplomacy must be efficient and wise for the country to continue to build a better future.

"The responsibility is upon you for Serbia to grow stronger through those challenges," Brnabic told Serbian diplomats at an ambassadorial conference in Belgrade.

She said becoming a member of the European family and continuing to meet the EU membership criteria was Serbia's main foreign policy objective.

"Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic put before the entire state apparatus of Serbia the objective of completing all internal reforms by the end of 2026, and the parliament has an important role in that. That is the challenge that is ahead of us while we must also preserve our national interests. Serbia has chosen the Serbian path, which is certainly the most difficult one, but represents the best option for our citizens," Brnabic said.

Besides the European path, Serbia is striving to boost its relations with traditional friends and forge stronger ties with countries that will be crucial for the future, she said.

"I am primarily referring to the African continent. Cooperation with all countries in the world is our priority because it will bring benefits to all our businesspeople, farmers and all the people," she said.

Brnabic noted that Serbia had signed FTAs with China, the UAE and Egypt in 2024 and that talks about a FTA with South Korea were underway.

"We must build better and better and stronger and stronger political and trade ties with Asia," she noted.