Serbian MFA rejects unfounded claims about participation of Serbian officials in Bled forum

BELGRADE - The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected unfounded and malicious speculations in some media outlets regarding participation of official representatives of Serbia in the September 1-2 Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia.

"We are equally surprised by the response of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, which was provided to some media outlets concerning the participation of Serbian representatives in the Bled Strategic Forum, thereby contributing to the dissemination of ill-intentioned disinformation. We believe that such an approach sends a message inconsistent with the partnership and friendship that our two countries have been building, while at the same time creating the impression of an attempt at indirect interference in Serbia’s domestic political debate, which is certainly undesirable," the MFA said in a statement on Thursday.

"At the aforementioned event, the Republic of Serbia was represented at a high level by the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Marko Djuric. Any attempt to diminish, relativise, or misrepresent the participation of the Republic of Serbia in this regional gathering undermines the credibility of the Forum itself.

We particularly emphasise that the claims suggesting that the President of the Republic of Serbia requested to participate in the Forum are inaccurate and inappropriate. Such insinuations are aimed at distorting the facts and damaging the reputation of the institution of the President.

We rightly expect recognition of the fact that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia actively participated in the work of the Forum, within the framework of his numerous diplomatic and intensive foreign policy activities, which confirm the importance and standing of the Republic of Serbia in international relations," it said.

"Serbia will continue to contribute to regional and good-neighborly cooperation, while making it clear that it does not accept interference in its domestic political decisions, nor the relativisation of the role of its representatives at international and regional gatherings," it concluded.

Quoting unofficial sources, N1 Slovenia has reported that Vucic had unsuccessfully requested an invitation to the forum, and that the Slovenian MFA had said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and PM Djuro Macut had not been invited, but that an invitation had been sent to FM Marko Djuric, who attended the event.