Dear Chairman of the State Duma, Mr. Volodin,
Dear deputies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends!
I am deeply grateful for the invitation to speak at the plenary meeting of the State Duma and address you, the elected representatives of the people and nationalities, citizens of the fraternal Russian Federation! Allow me to convey the most cordial greetings from your fellow deputies of the National Assembly, as well as from the citizens and people of the Republic of Serbia!
In the year when we celebrate the 180th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, it can be stated that the joint experience of the peoples of Serbia and Russia was rarely ordinary, but it was always friendly. This experience is associated with the most difficult and beautiful moments of our history, with the greatest suffering and victories. Both nations have always been on the same side of history, in the struggle for freedom, independence and the preservation of national identity. The great power, that our nations share, is that the goals for which we fought embodied the universal principles of freedom, justice, people's right to life and dignity. Today we can proudly say that our relationship has survived the test of time, common tragedies and victories.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Many say that the Serbians has built their house at the crossroads of civilization roads and the roads of the conquerors, which were what predetermined its fate. It seems to me that not only the acquisition of the territory, but also the break of free spirit were the goals of a futile struggle of the enemy. At the sight of the invaders and at the crossroads of history, the Serbians would have difficulties to survive and realize their national and state-creating goals if, at key historic moments, there was no support from the great and fraternal Russian people.
When asked about the origin of our relations, we recall the common struggle, shoulder to shoulder, during the First World War, the Second World War, the Serbian-Turkish War, the First Serbian Uprising, we recall the centuries-old mutual assistance of our fraternal Orthodox churches since the times of the Tatar yoke, and so on, it even seems that there is no single moment of the beginning of our relationship, with the exception of our common and indisputable Slavic origin. In fact, our similar and common fairy tales and folk traditions show that we, in good and evil, survived even before that time, noted in the pages of our history.
There are few peoples, such as Serbian and Russian, with such a rich and glorious past, defeats and victories. We can say that in our rich history there are more events than days in which we can recall them. This, of course, is not our choice, but the choice of those to whom we, in the name of freedom, were forced to resist too often, no matter the cost.
This year we celebrate a number of important historic dates, 180 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, 100 years since the end of the First World War, the victory over fascism, as well as many others. Serbia does not forget the exceptional honor, which this year was done to the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, to be in the place of honor next to the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Putin, during the magnificent celebration of Victory Day.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me remind you that in the century since the beginning of the First World War, a monument to Emperor Nicholas II Romanov, who suffered severely, was erected next to the National Assembly in Belgrade. The message of the Russian emperor to the Serbian people dated July 1914 is written on the monument: “All my efforts will be directed towards retaining the dignity of Serbia … In no case will Russia remain indifferent to the fate of Serbia.” We will never forget the enormous sacrifices that Russia suffered, preventing Serbia from facing the blow of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and its allies. Victorious, but exhausted and wounded, the Serbian people and their royal dynasty soon had the opportunity to repay the good. During the bloody fratricidal war, about seventy thousand Russians found shelter in our country, and Serbian culture, education and science are obliged to them. Russians gave 12 academics to Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. Russian architects helped to restore the destroyed Belgrade, and the artists launched ballet and opera. Russian professors accounted for a quarter of the staff of the University of Belgrade, and even for a half in the agricultural and medical faculties.
The Serbian people treat monuments and eternal residences of Russian and Soviet soldiers with special care and piety because of this and many other difficult events from our common history. At the moment, a ten-day celebration of the 74th anniversary of Belgrade Liberation Day is held. Our capital was liberated through the fight with Red Army and the Yugoslav Partisans, in which 967 Soviet soldiers were killed. Dear and forever remembered, the soldiers found eternal rest in the Belgrade Liberator's Cemetery, the sanctuary of fraternity and freedom.
Ladies and gentlemen! Dear President!
We note with great sadness that in some countries cases of destruction of monuments to the victims of World War II have become more frequent, but attempts to glorify Nazism seem even more dangerous. That is why we join the proposal to jointly apply to the UN and other international organizations the initiative to recognize the victory over Nazism in World War II as a world heritage of humanity. We support the initiative to recognize memorials and memorials to those who fought against Nazism in all countries as world memorials of World War II and as part of a single international record.
We don't agree with any form of historical revisionism. Let's face it, respecting the sacrifices of both our own and others, as well as the victories that have created the country in which we live. We must not allow the redesign of history and its farce in order to forget the horrors.
Dear friends,
Let me repeat what needs to be said every time representatives of the Serbian people meet with representatives of the fraternal Russian people. Thank you for your support in principle and consistent to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, confirmed in UN Security Council Resolution 1244. That is the biggest and most difficult issue for the Serbian people and the state, which has global consequences and will require greater perseverance, wisdom and strength, despite the brutal violence against innocent and helpless victims, monuments and churches, in contrast to the cruel unilateralism, constant provocations, despite the superficiality and cynicism of many, we have reached a just and sustainable solution. As you know, Serbia puts all its efforts into this decision, maintaining security and peace. In this struggle, the present and future support of the Russian people and the State are invaluable and meaningful. Russia, better than anyone, understands what we are facing. The principles we stand for and the reality of the world in which we struggle for these principles are clear to the Russian people. Russian people is clearly aware of the differences and similarities with other crises in the world, in overcoming that it is necessary to seek a just and balanced solution. Thanks to your selfless and consistent support, support and understanding, I once again convey the sincere thanks of the Serbian people.
Dear deputies, dear President!
Many will note that periods of Serbian prosperity, not by chance, coincide with the periods of strong and active presence of Russia in the international arena. Thanks to the courageous and radical internal reforms that have been carried out over the last six years and which have given excellent results, especially in economic terms, we can say that Serbia is on the verge of an unprecedented development in its modern history. The strengthening of Serbia in economic terms largely comes as a result of the overall improvement of our bilateral cooperation.
We remain fully committed to improving our economic cooperation, military-economic, cultural, educational and scientific-technical, as well as cooperation in all other areas where we can create conditions for a better life, a higher standard of living and general well-being of our citizens.
Here, I should note the great merit of our and your government, above all the President of the Republic of Serbia, Vucic, and the Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who, thanks to their view of them, the wisdom of a statesman and extraordinary courage and hard work were able to change many of the negative currents and direct them to the benefit of the state and the Serbian and Russian citizens.
The basis for our cooperation
is the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, signed on 24 May 2013 in Sochi,
which enables further deepening of relations in all areas and demonstrates the determination to further strengthen all forms of cooperation, as well as the 2000 Free Trade Agreement. An important basis is also the Intergovernmental
Committee on Trade, Economic and Technical-Scientific Cooperation, which we, as parliamentarians, fully support.
We welcome the free trade of mutual tax, the increase in the number of companies exporting to the Russian Federation, the expansion of the structure of production and the further liberalization of trade. We particularly welcome the negotiations on the unification of the trade regime between the Republic of Serbia and the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Our trade recorded almost double-digit growth compared to the first eight months of last year, and we believe there is room for an additional increase in this indicator. In particular, I would like to highlight agriculture as a particularly promising area of cooperation, as well as the area of infrastructure, where Russia is actively involved in the financing and implementation of large-scale projects, mainly in the field of rail transport, as well as investments in the energy sector, in particular in the ”TurkStream“ construction project.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear President!
I am pleased to report that our cooperation with the State Duma, as well as with the Federation Council, has reached its highest form, unprecedented from the point of view of the People's Assembly. It is implemented on the basis of the 2009 Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agreement and the 2015 Cooperation Agreement with the Council of the Federation, thanks to the creation of the Cooperation Committee in 2015. This Commission is a unique and higher form of bilateral parliamentary cooperation of the People's Assembly and is an extremely important stimulus to parliamentary relations and to our bilateral relations in general. Today, the Third Meeting of our Committee will be held, in which the issues most representative of common interests will be discussed.
We appreciate the cooperation that is held multilaterally through consultations on international issues of common interest, as well as mutual support for proposals and applications. Cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries is very informative and successful in all international parliamentary organizations whose members are both countries, such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Orthodox Inter-Parliamentary Assembly. We also cooperate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. I am pleased to report that, at the recently concluded meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva, Serbia was nominated to organize the autumn session of the IPU in 2019 in Belgrade.
I invite you in 2019 to make sure you attend this meeting.
Regarding multilateral cooperation, I recently participated in two Eurasian cooperation platforms — at the Second Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg and at the Third Meeting of Presidents of the Eurasian Parliaments in Antalya. For the first time at the highest parliamentary level, Serbia has contributed fully to the development of Euro-Asian institutional cooperation. Being between East and West, Serbia has historically always understood and acknowledged the contribution of initiatives to strengthen cooperation and integration in the interest of the prosperity of all peoples of the Eurasian continent.
According to the State policy of the Republic of Serbia, the People's Assembly, in principle and in a consistent manner, supports the realization of free and equal cooperation in the international arena without the use of sanctions as a coercive instrument. That is especially true for parliamentary organizations. In those, we seek solutions through dialogue, which must be constantly confirmed as the best and only correct way to overcome open questions. I want to make it clear that the Republic of Serbia will never, under any circumstances, impose sanctions against the Russian Fraternal Federation and the Russian people. According to this position, the delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will continue to manifest itself coherently and in principle, in accordance with international law, by the full return of the rights of the Federation delegation to this organization.
Dear deputies, dear President!
The world is in an irreversible process of establishing multi-polar balance. This time is characterized by instability and numerous challenges. Among the most serious threats we face are terrorism, an evil that does not choose victims, and for which, unfortunately, we suffer together. We must resolutely overcome extremism and fundamentalism behind such violence.
In the process of establishing a new global balance, the Republic of Serbia sees the possibility of a fairer and more balanced world of equal participants, acting in mutual interests. Serbia believes that all international actors should make every effort to ensure and encourage the peaceful settlement of conflicts, respecting international law and the decisions of relevant international organizations, especially the UN, as well as agreements of authoritative international format.
It is known that Serbia's foreign policy priority is full membership in the European Union, as well as compliance with European integration based on universal principles and values. That is why we insist on aligning these processes with the desire of the Republic of Serbia to promote cooperation with friendly partners and countries at the international, regional and global levels.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In difficult geopolitical conditions and in an unstable environment, while respecting the spirit of freedom, will and dignity of its citizens, Serbia, in the People's Assembly, decided on military neutrality. As People and State, we want to protect our skies and our country. That is the decision of our people. Serbia has no desires and aspirations to join NATO. We have a very complicated history related to this union to think about it. At the same time, the Republic of Serbia remains open, and the policy of military neutrality enables us to actively cooperate with all partners and security agents in the region and beyond in order to preserve peace and stability.
Ladies and gentlemen,
To understand the depth of the spiritual intimacy of Russia and Serbia, just look at the incredible story of intertwining the mutual support and cooperation of our Orthodox churches,
starting with St. Sava, Stefan Nemanja, King Dragutin, and Pachomia Serbia in the Middle Ages to our modern times, in which Russia generously helps painting
and final work in the Temple of St. Sava in Belgrade, as well as the Serbian
monasteries, the population of Kosovo and Metohija, for which we are very
grateful.
Many great priests and intellectuals have contributed to the treasure of our cultural relations. The writings of Pushkin, Tolstoy, Lermontov, Dostoevsky, Leonid Andrey, Rimsky-Korsakov, Valentin Pikul, Eduard Limonov, and many others preserved a deep trace of intimacy. I would especially mention the tragically wounded general Khalilov, the leader of the ensemble named after Aleksandrov and the composer of the march ”General Miloradovich“. The Serbian people, along with the Russians, were deeply saddened by the tragic loss of friends of the choir who baptized them. Alexandrov, but we rejoice with his revival, like Phoenix, which once again confirmed the inexhaustible talent of the Russian people. His recent concert in Belgrade, on a large plateau in front of the Temple of St. Sava, was touching and unforgettable.
The giants of the culture of ancient times knew that this was the most powerful and indestructible base for the interconnection of people. That is why we must preserve it, not forgetting the culture origins and always filling its modern form with content.
Dear friends, on November 4,
2018, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin will present the Russian state award — the Pushkin Medal to the Serbian actor Milos Bikovich, who during his career
managed to work with the famous director Nikita Mikhalkov. This medal is
received by the greatest merits in the field of culture, literature and art. It
was this joyful news I received when I arrived in Russia.
Dear deputies, dear President!
By facing common problems, overcoming obstacles in order to achieve goals, good development and free cooperation, prosperity, peace and stability, I urge you to continue your efforts so that fraternal and intimate secular relationships are kept in front of us, and to continue to serve as an example for all people of good will.
Long live Serbia! Long live Russia!
Long live the brotherhood of the Serbian and Russian people!
