Stevanovic: Serbia is Slovenia's important regional partner

BELGRADE - Slovenian Parliament Speaker Zoran Stevanovic said on Tuesday in Belgrade Serbia was Slovenia's strategically important regional partner and its top economic partner in the Western Balkans, and noted that Ljubljana provided unreserved support for Serbia's EU accession.

Stevanovic said his visit to Belgrade was aimed at advancing further the relations between the two countries and their parliaments.

"Serbia is an exceptionally important partner of ours, primarily as an exceptionally important actor in the Western Balkans in strategic terms. A strong and stable Serbia represents a strong actor in Western Balkan politics and, on the other hand, it is our most important economic partner in the Western Balkans and Slovenia's most important investment spot in the Balkans," Stevanovic said at a press conference with Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic.

He said Serbia-Slovenia cooperation was good in all areas, including parliamentary cooperation, but that there was space to advance it further.

"This visit should be an initiative for making our relations even more intensive and warmer," Stevanovic said, adding that Slovenian companies remain interested in doing business in Serbia.

He noted that Slovenia would continue to support Serbia's EU accession.

"We want a Slavic brother in our family of the European Union, and I am convinced that our historical ties mean exactly that," he added.

"I promise that Slovenia will always remain a friend of the Republic of Serbia, and we will be working on that," Stevanovic said.

He also extended the deepest condolences over the death of a Serbian UNIFIL peacekeeper in Lebanon.