Djuric: Schengen initiative demonstrates that Serbia advocates cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Wednesday Serbia was making major efforts to advance its position on the EU path and that an initiative aimed at the Western Balkans' accelerated admission to the Schengen zone, launched together with Albania, was important because it demonstrated that Serbia advocated cooperation and a region without tensions.

Djuric noted that he had visited Brussels last week for a discussion with EU foreign policy and security chief Kaja Kallas and that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had had a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

"Those are important steps Serbia is taking, and I think that the initiative that was launched together with Albania, with the aim of our country being admitted to the Schengen zone as soon as possible, is very important because it demonstrates that we are advocating a region of cooperation, a region without tensions, a region without borders where that matters the most - a topic that is essential," Djuric said on Prva TV.

"If we look at the essence of our policy, it is really oriented towards cooperation," he added.

He noted that Serbia was aware it had eight neighbours and that stability and peace depended on its relations with those states.

"We will continue to strengthen that good-neighbourly cooperation with all countries in the region and build good relations, and that is one of the central points of our foreign policy," Djuric said.