Cooperation between Romania and Serbia
Relations between Romania and Serbia are very good, said the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis
Bogdan Matei, 09.03.2018, 13:22
According to Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, Romania is one of Serbia’s few neighbors with whom it has never been in conflict and one of the only 5 members of the European Union that did not recognize the independence of Kosovo. During the talks held in Bucharest with his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis and other high-ranking officials, Aleksandar Vučić praised the quality of bilateral relations and reviewed a whole range of issues, among which minorities’ rights, the economy, infrastructure and tourism.
President Iohannis in turn praised the bilateral relations and promised to get involved, together with president Vučić, in boosting economic cooperation. As regards the issue of Kosovo, a former Serbian province located in the south, with a majority Albanian population, that proclaimed its independence from Belgrade ten years ago, the Romanian President considered it a bit complicated. Solving this issue will mean a huge step forward for the entire Western Balkan region. Serbia’s accession to the EU will be accomplished only after relations between Belgrade and Pristina have been clarified. Klaus Iohannis:
“No one from the outside can impose a solution, however the solution may be talked over with relevant actors. No matter the solution, it should be correct and should comply with both sides’ requirements. I cannot think of a solution for Kosovo that might be refused by the Serbs, just as I cannot imagine a solution for Kosovo that might be refused by any party interested.”
In turn President Aleksandar Vučić said:
“I am grateful to President Klaus Iohannis and to the Romanian people for the support Romania is granting Serbia for its European integration efforts and also for their wish that a compromise be reached on the Kosovo issue. Indeed, Romania did not recognize the independence of Kosovo, for us this is a big problem, but we’ll try to work out a compromise solution.”
The Serbian President promised the authorities in Belgrade would do their best to help the Romanian community in his country. This issue has been sensitive for the Romanian authorities for quite a while, no matter their political orientation. The cause of their concern is the different treatment applied by Serbs in the case of the almost 30 thousand ethnic Romanians in Vojvodina, who enjoy rights at European standards, on the one hand, and in the case of the several hundred thousand Romanians in the Timoc Valley, whose Romanian identity is not even recognized, on the other hand.
The two presidents also tackled the issue of interconnection in the energy and transport sectors, issues that were also approached during the talks President Aleksandar Vučić had with Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă and the speakers of Parliament’s two chambers.
(Translated by L. Simion)
