19 Dec 2022.

Skopje: Ambassador Jovanović interviewed for the Serbian language magazine Slovo

Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in North Macedonia Nevena Jovanović gave a long interview for the December edition of the Serbian language magazine Slovo, issued by the Serbian cultural-information centre SPONA in the Republic of North Macedonia. She talked about the bilateral relations between Serbia and North Macedonia, the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the Open Balkan Initiative, the status of the Serbian community in North Macedonia, and the preservation and protection of the Serbian cultural heritage in North Macedonia.

Ambassador Jovanović stated that Serbia’s relations with the neighbouring North Macedonia were very good, close and friendly, and that their foundations were the strong cultural and historical connections between the two countries. She emphasised that the Republic of Serbia, led by President Aleksandar Vučić, was strongly committed to building good neighbourly relations and deeply dedicated to the preservation of peace and stability in the region, as one of its absolute priorities. In that context, she stressed that Serbia’s only interest with respect to North Macedonia was to further intensify the bilateral relations, which had been showing progress over the preceding few years. She also stated that the Open Balkan Initiative, as well as the resolution of the multi-decade dispute between the two Orthodox Christian Churches in May 2022, had certainly helped the two countries develop closer relations.

Talking about the Open Balkan Initiative, Ambassador Jovanović said that it provided an efficient and stimulating model of regional cooperation and further inter-connecting of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, and the region as a whole. She emphasised that the main objective of this Initiative, which promoted the four fundamental freedoms which the European Union was based on (free movement of goods, capital, services and people), was the improvement of the overall quality of life of our citizens. She also highlighted that the Open Balkan Initiative, through the agreements concluded up to date, provided mechanisms which would make it easier for citizens of Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania to face the consequences of the energy and food crisis and the difficult winter ahead.

As regards the geostrategic position of Serbia, Ambassador Jovanović emphasised that, in spite of everything, the Republic of Serbia, led by President Aleksandar Vučić, remained strongly committed to the preservation of peace and stability, and was doing everything in its power to protect the lives and interests of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. She described the policy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and President Vučić as an open-handed, future-facing policy, and said that Serbia, although it was not infrequently faced with a policy of double standards, never allowed that to affect its commitment to preserving peace and stability at any cost.

To the question about the “different” views of Belgrade and Skopje in the matter of resolving the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Ambassador Jovanović stated that the Republic of Serbia was committed to building good relations with North Macedonia, in spite of their different views about this matter, which was a vital and essential one for Serbia.

In her interview to the Slovo magazine, Ambassador Jovanović also talked about the status of the Serbian community in the Republic of North Macedonia, which, although numerous and active, was drastically declining in numbers according to the results of the latest population census. She said that a particularly worrying matter was the the number of people who had said they spoke Serbian, and emphasised that the preservation of the Serbian language was necessary in order to preserve the Serbian identity, culture and traditions.

Ambassador Jovanović also stressed that the preservation and safeguarding of the Serbian cultural heritage in North Macedonia was a comprehensive and highly responsible task, which required thorough and careful work in collaboration between relevant institutions of both the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia, and that the volume of that heritage obliged everyone to approach its preservation with particular attention.