On the occasion of the terrible tragedy that happened on November 1, 2024 at the entrance to the railway station in Novi Sad, Government of the Republic of Serbia has declared national mourning.

On the premises of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, the Book of Condolences will be opened on Saturday, November 2th, and on Monday, November 4th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

On the occasion of the terrible event that happened on May 3, 2023 in the Elementary School "Vladislav Ribnikar" in Belgrade, three days of mourning have been declared in the Republic of Serbia, which will last from Friday, May 5th to Sunday, May 7th.

On the premises of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, the Book of Mourning will be opened on Friday, May 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, and Saturday, May 6, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Today on the Press Conference at Dubak Electrical Group in Chicago, COO Nick Dubak and Consul General Damjan Jović spoke about this American company's plan for expansion and opening of new jobs in Serbia. 

The nationals of the Republic of Serbia living abroad wishing to vote in the Referendum of the Republic of Serbia for the confirmation of the Act on Amending the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia scheduled for January 16, 2022, can exercise their voting right by casting their vote in a diplomatic-consular mission under whose jurisdiction they reside abroad.

All nationals of the Republic of Serbia, 18 years or older, with legal residence in the Republic of Serbia, have a right to vote in the elections.

The voters cast their vote exclusively in person in the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago. As a proof of identity, the voters need to present either a valid passport or a valid identity card of the Republic of Serbia.

Even if you previously voted in the Consulate of the Republic of Serbia you are still obliged to register to vote abroad in the Referendum.

Before submitting a registration, please visit the Electoral Commission web site and, by entering your unique citizenship number (JMBG) and your identity card number, check whether your name has been entered into the Unified List of Voters.

1. If your name is listed in the Unified List of Voters, you shall register for voting abroad by filling out Request for registration of the fact that a voter will be voting abroad. Your request and a copy of your valid passport or a printout of your valid identity card of the Republic of Serbia should be submitted to the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

2. If your name is not listed in the Unified List of Voters, along with the Request for registration of the fact that a voter will be voting abroad and a copy of your valid passport or a printout of your valid identity card of the Republic of Serbia, you need to fill out and submit a Request for entering a voter into Unified List of Voters.

Your request to vote can be submitted either:
- by sending an e-mail to: info@scgchicago.org (all documents submitted need to be scanned as a single file)
- by mail to the following address: Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, 201 E Ohio St, Suite #200, Chicago, IL 60611
- by fax at: +1 (312) 670 6787, or
- in person at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago every working day from 10am to 1pm.

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION FOR VOTING ABROAD IS DECEMBER 25, 2021 AT 5 PM (Chicago time GMT-6)

7 February 2022
Belgrade to get Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today in Geneva the signing of the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia, the first of its kind in the Western Balkans.
The agreement was signed at the headquarters of that forum by Director of the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernmentMihailoJovanovic and Managing Director and Head of the Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Jeremy Jurgens.
The centre in Serbia will be the 16th in the network of centres of the World Economic Forum in the world and the first in the region of the Western Balkans.
The new centre will start operating on 1 March and will function as a non-profit organisation and a platform for public-private partnership and cooperation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, while the focus of work will be on artificial intelligence and bioengineering.
This centre will work within the Serbian government’s Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment and will cooperate with scientific institutes, state institutions and the private sector.
The signing of this document was also attended by founder and Executive Director of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and President of the World Economic Forum BorgeBrende, with whom Brnabic had previously met.
Addressing the press, Brnabic pointed out that this agreement is the result of many years of joint work between Serbia and the World Economic Forum.
We started talking in 2018, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, then 2020 hampered us a bit, but we continued to plan in 2021 and here we are today, she said.
According to her, the centre will be focused on the development of artificial intelligence, biomedicine and biotechnology, and on the ways in which digitalisation can raise the productivity of companies and the entire economy.
This is what further leads to higher salaries, a better standard of living, as well as to an economy that is mainly based on knowledge, creativity and innovation, Brnabicemphasised.
Today, we have received great recognition for everything that Serbia has done in the field of digitalisation, development of high technologies and paradigm shift – from an economy that was based on labour-intensive investments to digital development.
That is why this agreement shows that Serbia has been recognised as one of the leaders in the economy and IT industry in the last six years, the Prime Minister pointed out and assessed that this is the announcement of the beginning of an even closer cooperation between Serbia and WEF.
She added that they will have a joint meeting with the 16 WEF centres for the fourth industrial revolution in the world every month, at which they will talk about what each of them is doing, since each has a different focus.
That is how we will hear what everyone is doing every month, learn from each other and I am sure that the centre in Belgrade will be one of the best, the Prime Minister said.
According to her, this gives us visibility, the opportunity to further establish Serbia as an investment destination, a country good for living and investing in new technologies and knowledge.
Jovanovic said that the ecosystem formed around the centrewill use the infrastructure of the National Platform for the Development of Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Genome Sequencing and the future bioeconomiccentre – BIO4 Campus.
Izvor/Foto: Tanjug

09. Jan 2022.

At the end of his visit to Chicago, where he spent the Christmas holidays with members of the Serbian diaspora, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Serbia would deal more intensively with the needs of Serbs living outside the homeland.

"We came here not to ask anything from the members of the diaspora, but to hear from them what they expect from the motherland and what Serbia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region can do for them", Selakovic said.

According to him, one of the most numerous Serbian communities in the world lived in Chicago and its surroundings, which is connected by a very strong patriotic feeling and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which had been active in that area for more than a century.

“I was able to see that our people here have an extremely high potential. And that is what we have to work on much more in the future, on establishing even greater national unity, even stronger ties with the motherland - the Republic of Serbia, and to work much more on promoting what Serbia is today”, the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

On the second day of Christmas, Selakovic visited the oldest Serb organization in this part of the USA - the Serbian National Defense, talked to members of various associations of the Serbian people and participated in the celebration of the patron saint day of the Republic of Srpska.

Minister Selakovic pointed out that the visit to Chicago was also an invaluable opportunity to meet with representatives of the business community in this part of the United States, who have the desire and need to invest and increase their capital in different parts of the world.

Selakovic underlined that this was an opportunity to promote Serbia as one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and a country that is the absolute regional leader in attracting foreign investments.

8.1.2022.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković told the Serbs in Chicago that the compatriots in the diaspora and the region are one of the absolute priorities for the state of Serbia and for him personally.

Minister Selakovic, who is spending the Christmas holidays with Serbs living in Chicago, spoke with representatives of associations, organizations and prominent individuals from the Serbian diaspora at the headquarters of the Serbian National Defense Council (SND).

In the conversation, he stated that Serbia's attitude towards the largest Serbian community outside the homeland, in the United States, went through different phases - from the persecution of people who had different views and different ideals through complete negligence to the time periods when some state officials visited the diaspora only to seek for help for themselves or for the people.

He also pointed out that Serbia has not had a Consul General in Chicago for eight years, whose duty is to meet with citizens, talk to them and to listen to them as there is a huge potential in the Serbian community in that city.
Saying that there will not be many of us if we divide, quarrel and do not understand each other, the Minister stated that last year he had about 400 meetings with foreign officials who were interested in how Serbia grew from a country with no perspective into what it is today, which, he said, it had succeeded through work and the creation of unity.

"After we managed to consolidate the situation at home, we can now turn to other things and our diaspora and expatriates take an important place in this context," Selaković said.

He also conveyed to the those gathered that President Aleksandar Vučić said that last year Serbia attracted more than four billion dollars of direct foreign investments, which is a record that surpassed the best 2019 so far.

Minister Selaković said that he came to Chicago on Christmas, a holiday that is spent with the family and not visiting, because he was among his own people.

"I feel that way from the very first moment. I came to hear what you have to say, to hear what your troubles are, problems, how you see Serbia today and in what context and in which way it needs to pay more attention to you," the Minister said.
Welcoming the guests, the President of the SND in the USA, Dragan Vujosevic, said that this was a historic event since for the first time official representatives of the motherland met Serbs at the headquarters of this oldest Serbian association in the USA, which was founded by Mihajlo Pupin at the beginning of the last century.

The Consul General of Serbia in Chicago DamnjanJovic said that the goal was to save Serbian organizations from extinction, to restore the old splendor and importance of SND and other associations.

The Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Arnaud Gouillon pointed out that for him Christmas was a holiday when the family gathers and that since 2015, when he decided to be converted to Orthodox religion together with his daughter Milena, Christmas has been the Orthodox and spiritual holiday for him that he likes to celebrate where he feels more spiritual.

That is why, he said, he often celebrated Christmas in Kosovo and Metohija, in the Gracanica or Visoki Decani monasteries.

"When we celebrated Christmas, this time in the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Chicago, the feeling was the same as in Kosovo and Metohija, the feeling that we were all in a great sanctuary, even though this one was not in Serbia, but it was spiritually connected with the Serbian people" he underlined.

He also mentioned the famous scientist Mihajlo Pupin, the founder of the SND, saying that today the people who speak, think and dream in Serbian and live in the USA are his successors.

"Many other communities have blended into, but you are proof that the Serbian community, although well integrated, has not forgotten its roots. That's because Serbs, in addition to preserving their language, also have their Orthodox faith, Saintsavahood, the Kosovo Myth and associations that have been functioning and bringing together all people on this continent for decades," Gouillon said.

8.1.2022.

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković attended the premiere of the documentary "The Last Hero of Halyard" in Chicago on Christmas, which tells the story of the fate of George Vujnovich, the only American war hero of Serbian origin who rests in the country of his ancestors.

The screening of the film and the reception, organized by the Consulate General of Serbia and the Halyard Mission Foundation at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library in downtown Chicago, were attended by numerous Americans, representatives of the Serbian diaspora and the diplomatic corps.

On that occasion, Minister Selaković stated that the film spoke about the primordial closeness between Serbian people and their allies in the Second World War, and that it aroused a sense of pride and sadness because the heroic operation to rescue American pilots in Serbia has not been known for decades.

"In this way, we revive the memory of those people and show the genuine humanness of the Serbian people while celebrating a kind of our historical alliance and friendship with the United States," Selaković said.

As he pointed out, today we are witnessing what will one day be history, and President Aleksandar Vučić and the Government of Serbia are making efforts to further develop cooperation with the United States, to build a new partnership in the times to come.

"I am convinced that many forgotten pages of our common history will come to the fore only in the time ahead. This was a special moment for our Serbian community in the United States, and especially here in Chicago, and a unique way to celebrate Christmas and our alliance and friendship. "Selaković said.

Minister Selaković celebrated Christmas in Chicago with Serbian diaspora, attending the Christmas liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America and the clergy in the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.

7.1.2022.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković celebrated Christmas with Serbian diaspora in Chicago.

Minister Selaković and Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Arnaud Gouillon attended the festive Christmas liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America and the clergy in the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.

The Cathedral exuded a festive atmosphere and the Serbs who were in attendance said they were pleased that a representative of their motherland was with them in Chicago for Christmas for the first time.

Speaking to Tanjug News Agency, they said that the visit would contribute to strengthening the ties between the Serbian diaspora in the United States and the motherland.

"Christmas is very important for us Serbs. It means a lot to us that a delegation from the homeland is with us," an elderly Serbian woman said.

Her compatriot, who came to the liturgy from Milwaukee pointed out that the unity of the Serbian people was important as well as the visit of Minister Selaković, adding that Gouillon was a "great Serb".

Serbs from Chicago welcome the arrival of the head of Serbian diplomacy, pointing out that the state should always be with its people, including with the diaspora.

"We are always happy when they come for a visit. We support our government, which is blessed by God and which should continue along the same line," he said.

7.1.2022.

Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic spent Christmas Eve at the New Gracanica Monastery in Chicago where he attended the liturgy officiated by Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America.

After burning the Badnjak (Yule log) in the churchyard, Selaković talked with the members of the Serbian diaspora.
On this occasion, Selaković said that he was honored to spend Christmas with the Serbian diaspora in the State of Illinois, noting that in the past representatives of our country were visiting that part of the world in order to seek some sort of assistance and expressed his desire to present Serbia as it is today-a lively and proud Serbia that experienced its full renaissance in the time of Aleksandar Vučić.

According to him, Serbs are well established in this part of the United States, they have achieved many life and professional successes and are closely following the progress of Serbia and increasingly want to return to their homeland.

"It is our task to show that Serbia is a mother to her children wherever they are and that their return to Serbia is always desired," Selaković said.

Bishop Longin said that it was encouraging that for the first time a representative of the Government of Serbia came to Chicago for Christmas, where the Serbian people, although geographically far from the motherland, are faithful and loyal to the name of Serbia and Orthodox faith.

"I believe that this day will remain inscribed in golden letters in our annals here. "I have a feeling that the time has come for the representatives of the state not to come expecting support and help from the Serbs, but to come and ask what the state can do for them," the Bishop said.

The liturgy was also attended by the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region Arnaud Gouillon. The Delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia will also attend today the Christmas service at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox  Cathedral.

6.1.2022.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković met today in Chicago with the representatives of some of the largest companies from that city and presented the economic potential of our country, primarily the benefits and opportunities provided to investors.

Selaković stated that Serbia has had the fastest growing economy in Europe in the past two years, that, despite the pandemic, it has remained stable in terms of public debt and that it is convincingly the first in the region when it comes to foreign investments level.

As he explained, the progress of the Serbian economy is the result of numerous reforms initiated at the time when the incumbent President Aleksandar Vučić was at the head of the government, primarily fiscal consolidation but also extensive changes in the education system.

Selakovic said that Serbia offers excellent conditions for business development in many areas, especially in the IT sector which has achieved impressive growth in the last five years and continues to grow.

According to him, the fact that German companies in our country employed around 17,500 workers only a few years ago speaks of the attractiveness of Serbia as an investment destination, and that today about 74,000 people work in German companies in Serbia.

Minister Selaković explained that Serbia offers excellent benefits to investors from the USA, favorable tax conditions but also fewer administrative obstacles than EU countries, adding that companies such as Microsoft and Amazon already operate in our country, and that NCR employs as many as seven thousand people.

He also pointed out the importance of infrastructure development in Serbia, emphasizing that ten highways are currently being built, which will completely change the way and quality of life and business doing in our country.

He added that Serbia is also unique with regard to the fact that every potential investor is received by the president or prime minister and that an efficient system of protection of investments against corruption has been created, while the comparative advantage of our country is numerous free trade agreements.

Minister Selaković also informed his interlocutors about the epidemiological situation and the measures that Serbia is taking in the fight against the corona virus, emphasizing that, through concrete assistance, we have expressed solidarity with our neighbors and many countries worldwide.

The Director of the World Business Chicago Michael Fassnacht said that the citizens of Chicago were proud of the fact that the city was home to the largest Serbian emigrant community in the United States as well as of the established partnership with the twin city of Belgrade.

Representatives of Chicago companies had a number of questions about the specific conditions for investing in Serbia.
Minister Selaković also had the opportunity to visit the DRW Holdings where he learned in more detail about the economic potential of Chicago, primarily about the financial sector.

Minister Selaković arrived in Chicago, together with the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the region Arnaud Gouillon, to spend Christmas with the Serbian emigrant community. The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also includes Assistant Minister for Economic Diplomacy Miroslav Knezevic.

15 December 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended tonight the opening of the exhibition entitled "Twenty Years of Partnership / Creating Together" on the occasion of marking 20 years of partnership between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Republic of Serbia.

Some of the partnerships from the past two decades were presented in photographs and videos at the Yugoslav Cinematheque, and the opening of the exhibition was attended by Serbian Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic, US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey and USAID Mission Director Susan Fritz.

On that occasion, Brnabic pointed out that USAID is a partner not only of the government of Serbia, but also of businessmen and companies.

Godfrey said USAID's support for small businesses ranges from providing equipment and technology to helping improve their products, better connect and conquer domestic and foreign markets.

Fritz underlined that Serbia has proven to be a strong development partner and that it is planned to continue cooperation in the next five years on the foundations that have been set together.

It was pointed out at the ceremony that USAID invested $882 million in Serbia, which are intended for the economic and democratic development of our country, and as announced, that cooperation will continue in the future.

Source/Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs

12 November 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that severe examples of endangering the Serbian cultural, historical and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija are proof of the important role of UNESCO in protecting and preserving heritage.

At the 41st session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, Brnabic emphasized that four jewels of the Serbian medieval cultural heritage in Kosovo – Visoki Decani, Pec Patriarchate, Gracanica and BogorodicaLjeviska, have been preserved thanks to the fact that they are inscribed on the endangered world heritage list. Hundreds of other sites and monuments are endangered.

The Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is of immeasurable importance, not only for the national identity of Serbia, but also as a part of the esteemed European and world heritage, she underlined.

Source/Photo: www.srbija.gov.rs
 

21 October 2021

Tonight, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, visited together with US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey the night works on the construction of the bridge over the West Morava on the part of the Moravian Corridor from Pojate to Kruševac, whose total length will be 112 kilometers in three sections.

During the tour of the works, the President talked to the workers, whom he thanked for working at night under the spotlight, so that the project would be realized in accordance with the planned dynamics and added that the Moravian Corridor is currently the largest and best organized construction site in Serbia,which will also be the widest highway that will connect a large number of cities and municipalities in Serbia.

"I want to thank our American and Turkish friends who organized the work on this section between Pojate and Krusevac, in an incredible way", said the President and reminded that the significance of this project is primarily in attracting additional large investments.

The project itself envisages the construction of 117 major road construction facilities, of which 86 bridges and underpasses, 29 overpasses, as well as 11 traffic loops.

"This highway is the heart of central Serbia!The largest construction site in Serbia and the best organized one, with 450 people working only in the night shift", pointed out President Vučić and added that this is a project that is being carried out "once in 100 years".

Ambassador Godfrey congratulated the contractors who will ensure that this project is carried out "according to the highest standards and in the shortest possible time" and added that "significant and wise investments in highways will make Serbia an important factor in the region and Europe".

"The Moravian corridor is also an important signal to foreign investors that Serbia wants a fair game and top quality products", said Ambassador Godfrey, adding that "the United States are proud of their cooperation with Serbia".

This is also the first digital corridor in Serbia, on the construction of which more than 2,000 workers of the "Bechtel-Enka" consortium were engaged, of which over 1,000 foreigners. Nearly half a million people gravitate towards this road, and the new Pojate-Preljina highway will connect the West with Central Serbia, passing through Cicevac, Varvarin, Krusevac, Trstenik, Vrnjacka Banja, Kraljevo and Cacak. Residents of Cicevac, Varvarin, Krusevac, Trstenik, Vrnjacka Banja, Kraljevo and Cacakwill directly feel the benefits of its construction.

The tour of the works was also attended by the Minister of Construction, Tomislav Momirović, and the directors of the companies Corridors of Serbia and Roads of Serbia, Aleksandar Antić and Zoran Drobnjak.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo: DimitrijeGoll

15th October 2021

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,
I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate. I would also like to thank the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible, pursuant to the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve lasting peace, stability and security in the Province.

Mr. Tanin,

Please accept the expressions of our gratitude for your engagement and the cooperation we achieved during your term of office.

Mr. President,

Deep regret and concerns are raised by the fact that the security situation in Kosovo and Metohija in the past period has been marked by an increasing number of various ethnically motivated attacks and incidents targeting Serbs, which was also stated in the Report; that the provisional institutions of self-government (PISG) in Pristina continue to take unilateral steps and refuse to implement the agreements reached in the Brussels dialogue; and that institutional discrimination against Serbs, attacks on the sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the undermining of the economic sustainability of Serb communities in the Province have continued.

We are witnessing that dangerous provocations by Pristina are taking place every day, at an accelerated pace, thus seriously threatening the safety of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and directly violating the agreements and arrangements reached within the Brussels dialogue.

The latest violent incursion of the so-called ROSU units into the northern part of KosovskaMitrovica, on 13 October, is the ninth incursion of its kind. Tear gas, shock bombs and unbridled violence are becoming a matter of everyday life for Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, and that must be stopped immediately.

In the last attack with firearms and chemicals used by Pristina special forces, 71-year-old Verica Djelic died as a result of chemicals used in the intervention, 10 unarmed civilians were wounded, one of them 36 years old SrećkoSofronijević was critically wounded in the back with of an automatic rifle. A three-month-old baby, who miraculously remained unharmed, was also the target of the shooting.

The false excuse for the latest unilateral action, as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy JosepBorrell called it, was the fight against organized crime and smuggling. Ladies and gentlemen, Serbia is strongly against organized crime and smuggling, but the members of the UNSC should know that such an important and general global goal, which we all share, was cynically used for an armed attack on unarmed civilians, which began with an automatic rifle raid of pharmacies in which patients of Serbian and other nationalities are supplied with vitally important medicines. Four days before the local elections in Kosovo and Metohija, in order to gain votes in an irresponsible and inhumane way, fully motivated by separatist goals, the current PISG regime used medicines on which people’s lives depend to prove its position on the status contrary to UNSCR 1244.

Only a few days earlier, another provocation on the part of Pristina led to a dangerous crisis, when personnel of the so-called ROSU unit, armed with long firearms and reinforced with armoured vehicles, were deployed to administrative crossings between central Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija - Brnjak and Jarinje – in order to remove Serbian license plates and replace them with temporary ones, thus violently preventing the free movement of citizens.

These events do not fall within the reporting period covered by the latest Report of the UN Secretary General on the work of UNMIK, but it is incumbent upon us to address them on this occasion, in order to have everyone understand how dramatic the situation on the ground has been and how serious the consequences of Pristina's unilateral actions can be.

The incursions of heavily armed Pristina police formations, composed exclusively of Albanians, into the north of Kosovo and Metohija, under various pretexts and motives, with the use of excessive force, are provocations that have an extremely dangerous potential to destabilize the already sensitive security situation on the ground. The goal of the latest incursions of Pristina’s special force personnel into the north of the province was to provoke the Serbs and additionally intimidate them with a demonstration of force, as well as to provoke Belgrade to react hastily in some way.

It is obvious that with such moves Pristina aims to erase the 10 years of dialogue, which is the only way to resolve open issues. These provocations once again demonstrate that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, not only do not intend to implement everything agreed in the Brussels dialogue, but that their goal is to completely deny dialogue as a means of resolving problems. An effective response to Pristina's lack of credibility and their dangerous play with fire, which could have unforeseeable consequences, cannot be provided by calling on "both sides" for constructiveness and restraint, which has long been a manner in public communication of some important factors in the international community. There is only one source of destabilization, it has a name – and that is the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina - and after the events of 13 October, it is clear that it can and needs to be stopped by urgent and decisive action of the international community. It is now quite obvious that these are no longer sporadic and isolated provocations by Pristina, but that this is an organized campaign of ethnically motivated violence and discrimination against Serbs.

We also express our concern over the latest imposition of tariffs by Pristina on certain products originating from central Serbia, which was made public on 8 October. We remind you that the unilateral decision of Pristina to impose duties on products from central Serbia in November 2018 resulted in a de facto complete trade blockade and a long-term stalemate in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. In contrast to Pristina, which persistently seeks to raise barriers towards central Serbia through unilateral acts, Belgrade is persistently and consistently working to liberalize the flow of people, goods, services and capital, which is the basic goal of our "Open Balkan" initiative. North Macedonia and Albania joined this initiative, but Pristina did not.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

In the period from March to September this year, which is covered in the latest Report, close to 100 ethnically motivated attacks were carried out against Serbs, their private property, religious and cultural heritage sites. The increase in the frequency of attacks was accompanied by the strengthening of the intensity of ethnically motivated violence, which more and more often targets children, the elderly, women, the few returnees present there, as well as churches and other property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

This systematically intensifies the ubiquitous sense of insecurity of the remaining Serbs, but also deters potential returnees, who are in fact being told that local Albanian communities can attack them with impunity and prevent them from returning to live in their own homes.

The most striking example of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija is the case of the displaced person DragicaGašić, who moved into her apartment in the municipality of Djakovica again in early June. In that town – to which local Albanians proudly refer as a place forbidden to Serbs - Ms. Gašić, on her return, first faced physical and verbal attacks by citizens of Albanian nationality living there. Instead of being provided protection, that seriously ill woman then became a victim of institutional persecution as well, that the local self-government bodies and the police unleashed against her. Since this is a person who is the first and only Serb returnee to Đakovica after more than twenty years, it was to be expected that, at that moment, at least civil society organizations would attempt to protect her rights. However, NGOs from Djakovica soon joined the activities aimed at the expulsion Ms. Gašić, including those receiving funding from international donors for projects related to strengthening democracy and the rule of law.

I must also mention the latest attack on the house of the only remaining Serbian woman in the center of Pec, retired teacher RumenaLjubić, whose windows were stoned twice in just 24 hours on 13 October.

Dragica's and Rumena’s fate is a frightening reflection of the real situation of human rights that almost every one of over 200,000 displaced Serbs and non-Albanians would face in Kosovo and Metohija - provided that they gather the courage to return to their homes in the Province after more than twenty years. I would like to remind you again that since 1999, only around 1.9% of internally displaced Serbs and other non-Albanians have achieved a sustainable return to Kosovo and Metohija.

Therefore, I believe that the aforementioned will encourage the members of the Security Council and the international presence on the ground to devote priority attention in the future

to the issue of the return of displaced persons, which is an important part of the UNMIK mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

I therefore thank the Secretary-General in particular for keeping this extremely important issue in focus and for calling again, in the conclusions of his Report, for the creation of conditions for the sustainable return of internally displaced persons and the sustainable reintegration of returnees.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, including monuments that, due to their exceptional value but also constantly being subject to threats are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, are still among the most endangered cultural heritage in Europe.

I wish to recall that there are over 1,300 Serbian churches and monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija. Attacks on Serbian cultural and religious heritage are at the same time attacks on the identity of Serbs in the Province and directly affect their sense of safety.

A striking example of disrespect for Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province is the case of the Visoki Decani monastery. The monastery, which has been the target of attacks and shelling several times since 2000, is still secured by KFOR forces due to being under a threat. It is faced with a series of hostile actions, and the perpetrators are not deterred by the fact that this is a World Heritage Site. Despite frequent declaratory statements, even the decision of the so-called "constitutional court" of the PISG in Pristina five years ago confirming ownership of Visoki Decani Monastery over 24 hectares, is not respected. We welcome the assessment made by the UN Secretary General in his Report.

Dear Mr. President,

The Republic of Serbia remains committed to finding a compromise political solution, as prescribed under Resolution 1244, which will ensure lasting peace and stability. We firmly believe that dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached are the only right way to resolve all open issues.

As a state committed to the respect for international law and a member of the United Nations, Serbia opposes any attempt at establishing an artificial balance between the parties in the dialogue, as well as the relativization of responsibility for unilateral acts.

We note with concern that not even eight years after reaching the Brussels Agreement, the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities has not been initiated, although Belgrade has fulfilled all its obligations under that agreement.

There are also numerous and repeated examples of Pristina violating or obstructing agreements reached in dialogue, in the areas of energy, justice, freedom of movement and visits by officials.

One such example is the verdict sentencing Ivan Todosijevic to two years in prison, which is also pointed out in the Secretary General's Report. The Brussels Agreement was directly breached, which was also stated by the representatives of the European Union. With its conduct Pristina caused immeasurable damage to the reconciliation process in Kosovo and Metohija.

Despite the interpretation from the European Commission that this is a violation of the Brussels Agreement, because Todosijevic had to be sentenced by a panel consisting of the majority of judges of Serbian ethnicity, Pristina still does not take any action in this regard.

Pristina also continued with the practice of banning Serbian officials from entering the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

We believe that it is important that the international community, and especially the European Union, as the guarantor of the agreement, firmly insists that the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina start implementing all the agreements reached.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

As before, the Republic of Serbia remains fully committed to resolving the issue of missing persons, as also demonstrated through full cooperation with relevant international mechanisms as well as participation in the work of the Working Group on Missing Persons. We expect that the representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina will fulfill their obligations.

Bearing in mind everything I delivered here today in my address, we hold the position that the international presence in Kosovo and Metohija, pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, is still necessary. In addition to UNMIK, the presence of KFOR as the main guarantor of security and EULEX, due to its engagement in the field of the rule of law, is also important. I would like to emphasize once again that Serbia fully supports respect for international law, comprehensive implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and activities of UNMIK in an undiminished scope and with adequate financial resources, so that the Mission fulfills the mandate entrusted to it under the Resolution.

Thank you.
 

5 October 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the opening of the most modern technological campus of the NCR companyin New Belgradetoday, which will employ more than 5,000 people. This campus is also the largest in Europe, covering an area of about 30,000 square meters, and it will be a center for the development of new technologies, while the total value of the investment was more than 100 million dollars.

During the tour of the company's premises, President Vučić stated that Serbia has managed to preserve a large number of young talents in the country exactly thanks to companies such as NCR.

"This is a great day for Serbia! It took many years, effort, work and energy to reach this beautiful opening today", said the president, expressing special gratitude to American partners, who have recognized Serbia as a great place to invest and work.

"I am grateful to our American friends for recognizing Serbia, this was also one of our dreams. NCR is the largest American employer in Serbia. The most important thing for us is that those 5,000 young people will stay in their country and plan their future here", said President Vučić.

According to MarijaŽivanović Smith, one of the company's executives, 85 percent of employees are "millennials" – young people aged 25 to 40.

The new business center of this American company was built according to the highest standards of "smart construction", and the cornerstone for the campus was laid in May 2019.

NCR is an American corporation that is also a world technological leader in providing high quality and professional support to companies in various industries, including companies in the field of finance, tourism, catering and telecommunications.

The Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, and the US Ambassador to Belgrade, Anthony Godfrey, also visited the campus today.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo: DimitrijeGoll

27 September 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić has received today ambassadors of the Quinta member countries -  the USA, Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany as well as the Head of the European Union Delegation who asked for the de-escalation of the crisis in the north of Kosovo and Methoija.

President Vučić explained the position of Serbia on this occasion. “We are dedicated to the preservation of peace and observance of the Brussels Agreement but under no circumstance shall we allow the humiliation of Serbia or its citizens”, said President Vučić.
 

26 September 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has discussed today by phone with the General Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg about, as the General Secretary said, worrisome situation in northern Kosovo and Metohija.

President Vučić said that Serbia had not violated either Brussels Agreement or Resolution 1244 by anything, by any single move or in any manner jeopardized peace preservation.

“The complete occupation by armored vehicles of northern Kosovo and Metohija has lasted for seven days and it is conducted by Priština and everyone in the international community “are thunderously silent”, said Serbian President. “However, everyone is worried all of a sudden when they spot Serbian helicopters and airplanes at the territory of central Serbia, because apparently they should not exist, or should not take off until they receive the approval from Kurti or someone from the international community”, says President Vučić.

Serbia observes all international agreements it signed, Serbia will always conduct responsibly and seriously, but Serbia is still asking when the formation of SMC will start and when Kurti’s armored units will be withdrawn from northern Kosovo and Metohija.

Finally, with the gratitude to General Secretary Stoltenberg for the fair relation and wish to listen to the Serbian side, President Vučić asked about the norm and international regulation violated by Serbia? Today, yesterday or any time?

The two interlocutors agreed to stay in constant touch due to necessity of the preservation of peace and stability in the entire region.

Source/Photo: www.predsednik.rs

25 September 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Nikola Selaković, has stated that in New York he introduced foreign ministers of 28 countries to economic success of Serbia but also to the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, which he also discussed with the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, who told him that we could count on the support of the Russian Federation, with regards to Serbian interests in K&M.

Summarizing results of his visit to New York within the session of the UN General Assembly, Minister Selaković says that one of the last meetings was with Minister Lavrov, which was their third meeting in the previous nine months.

The Serbian Foreign Minister says that he surely used this opportunity, too, to introduce Minister Lavrov to the latest events in northern Kosovo and Metohija, the situation of the dialog between Belgrade and Priština and very clear and unambiguous attitude of President Aleksandar Vučić regarding the continuation of the dialog and subsequent events in K&M.

“We discussed the principled support of the Russian Federation, which is constantly present not just in Moscow, Belgrade, in the field, but also here in the East River, by the delegation of the Russian Federation as the permanent member of the UN Security Council. Of course, we will continue to maintain this type of dialog. What Minister Lavrov said was that we could count on the support of the Russian Federation in future with regards to our interests in K&M”, highlighted Minister Selaković.

He said that he had had the opportunity in New York to hold 33 meetings, of which 28 with ministers of foreign affairs, whom he had introduced also to topicalities related to the latest events in Kosovo and Metohija, but also to our principled position regarding the observance of the international public law, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Minister Selaković said that his colleagues at the meetings had praised the substantial and fantastic success of Serbia in the consolidation of the economic sphere and transformation of what had been on the edge of collapse and economic disaster seven years before to the fastest growing economy in Europe, which Serbia was in the past two years.

He said that most of his interlocutors had supported our reforms and expressed great respect toward what President Aleksandar Vučić and Serbia had done in the previous period.

Many of them, says the Serbian Foreign Minister, showed great interest in the manner in which Serbia organized the figth against Covid 19.

“It was a great pleasure and pride to represent the Republic of Serbia in all these meetings. Many of my colleagues confirmed their arrival to Belgrade to the Conference on 11th and 12th October, which is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Non-Allied Movement”, said Minister Selaković.

He emphasized that it was not just the evidence of how much they had cared to come to Belgrade to the conference, but also to see and witness the Serbia which after several decades of attempts to fight different challenges rose to its feed, was economically consolidated and turned towards its traditional friends.

“That is a great deal and our country will surely during October be one of the spots on Earth of greatest importance for multilateralism, for cooperation among the countries which share the same values, the values entered into the UN Charter and which are based on the promotion and fight for peace, equality, observance of the international public law and rights of every country to pursue its path to happiness and better and more ordered society in compliance with the wishes of its population”, said Minister Selaković.

He said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, JeyhunBayramov, would come to Belgrade to the conference on the occasion of the Non-Allied Movement adding that we had strategic cooperation with Azerbaijan and frequent contacts.

“We agreed to realize as soon as possible after the Belgrade conference his bilateral visit to Serbia”, added Minister Selaković.

He said that it had been agreed to intensify the cooperation and finalize the agreements which should be signed and after that realized when the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Azerbaijan President IlhamAliyev took place.

Minister Selaković says that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had recently received its sector for economic diplomacy and there were great expectations from it and one of the tasks was to deepen the cooperation with Azerbaijan.

25 September 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic warned today that Pristina has seriously jeopardised local and regional stability after sending heavily armed special units to the north of Kosovo who are exerting ` against the peaceful Serbian population.

Brnabic spoke at the general debate of world leaders, as part of the 76th session of the

UN General Assembly in New York.

We bring the Prime Minister's speech in its entirety:

Mr. President,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have the great honor to address you today on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia.

Esteemed Excellencies Mr. Abdulla Shahid, Mr. VolkanBozkir and Mr. AntónioGuterres, I would like thank you for the active engagement, dedication, and leadership you have shown during these difficult times for the United Nations and all of humanity.

Serbia shares your conviction and we remain fully committed to supporting your efforts.

This year, we come together at a decisive moment in our history.

Covid-19 has shaken our foundations to the core.

At the same time, we are increasingly witnessing and experiencing effects of climate change.

And, finally, we are seeing significant shifts in global partnerships and alliances, trade wars between traditional partners and allies, protectionism instead of openness and free market, and overall uncertainty at an unprecedented scale.

Some of the pressing and extremely emotional issues that we have locally, in the Balkans, are still unresolved and while we are trying – and Serbia is especially dedicated to this – to change the future by working together and creating alliances, through initiatives such as the Berlin process or Open Balkan, others are trying to disrupt these processes, and instead of focusing on the future, they want to recreate the past – whatever the cost of that may be.

But, let me start with COVID:

COVID-19 pandemic has exposed critical weaknesses in the architecture of global governance. It has threatened to erase the progress many nations have achieved in recent years.

It has placed nations at a junction between isolation and collaboration, between panic and hope, between chaos and order.

The pandemic questioned some of the basic tenets of the open and cooperative international order.

Global exchanges, international communication, cross-border trade have all seen a vast decrease.

Curfews, restrictions on freedom and lockdowns of entire societies have created uncertainty in many segments of the individual lives of our citizens or – for that matter – our own individual perception of what freedom in today’s world even means.

For Serbia, this pandemic threatened to undermine everything we have been doing for the past 7 years, to crush all of the results and accomplishments of difficult reforms we initiated in 2014, and to propel us back to the times of high unemployment, rising public debt, uncontrollable deficit, and overall desperation.

Much as in any other country, COVID-19 has tested our nations’ resiliency and, this time, unlike during the global financial crisis – which was of much more limited scope and incomparable in consequences to COVID-19 pandemic – Serbia stood strong.

The reforms we undertook in the pre-COVID times made us more resilient than ever.

The fiscal consolidation, the budget surplus we had, efficient and predictable investment environment, became a lifeline that saved us from a recession during the pandemic and one that ensured we could support our citizens and our economy during these, most difficult of times.

Despite the effects of the crisis, Serbia has managed to preserve financial and economic stability. In 2020, we recorded a decline in GDP of only 0.9% – one of the best results in Europe. Our public debt remained below 60% of our GDP, average salary continued to grow by almost 10%, while despite the pandemic the number of people employed increased by over 3%.

The recovery in this year has been stronger than expected – our GDP will grow approximately 7%, and perhaps even stronger.

Prior to the pandemic, we have opened our borders to investment, technology, and ideas, and we managed to create peaceful and stable environment that allowed us to pursue rapid domestic transformation, with innovation and knowledge-based economy as the foundation.

The innovative advances we had made allowed us to diversify our capabilities when the virus hit – through e-Government, online education and digital textbooks, or central software system for a successful vaccination rollout.

We invested heavily in health infrastructure and strengthened the health system in order to respond to the current crisis, eternally grateful to the health care workers for their dedicated struggle.

Our decision to put geopolitics aside, and people at the center of our policies, is the reason we were able to acquire vaccines quicker than most other nations.

We did not discriminate between manufacturers, did not care whether vaccines are from the East or from the West, but chose to negotiate with all vaccine manufacturers deemed safe by regulators. This openness gave us the ability to purchase vaccines from around the world, giving our citizens the unique freedom to choose which vaccine they prefer.

Excellencies,

Serbia believes in solidarity between nations, multilateralism and helping others when in need.

Since the beginning of this year, we have made it our mission to support our neighbors, and all those in need, with COVID-19 vaccines and we have also allowed foreign nationals to come to Serbia to receive the vaccine which will protect their lives.

In total, Serbia has donated or allocated over a million doses of vaccines – of which 230.000 doses to the region; 300.000 doses for foreign nationals which came to Serbia to get vaccinated; and additional 570.000 doses to countries of Africa and Asia.

We will keep doing so, to the greatest extent possible, and until COVID-19 is behind all of us.

That is why we have also taken steps to acquire the technology to produce at least two types of COVID-19 vaccines to help improve global access so we can all be safe and victorious.

However, as stated by dignitaries of some of the largest nations during this General Assembly, there are other pressing issues that all of us need to keep addressing without any delay and in a bold manner – and that is climate change.

Serbia has redoubled its efforts to make our country safer and cleaner for its citizens, and by doing so, contribute to the fight against climate change and for environmental protection.

We are strongly committed to the implementation of the sustainable development goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We are committed to global efforts and will continue to work actively to meet our obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

We are about to submit our revised Nationally Determined Contributions to contribute to this critical global effort. We have already announced our intention to reduce greenhouse gasses for at least 33.3% compared to 1990, and 13.2% compared to 2010, which we are currently incorporating into our energy and climate strategic documents.

We work strategically on planning and investments in this sector. These investments are extremely expensive, requiring years and decades of commitment and a systemic approach - but we are clearly set on the path of this transformation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Of all the challenges we face, the most worrisome for Serbia is the maintenance of peace and stability in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija.

For more than two decades, we have been constantly drawing international attention to the problems that non-Albanian population is facing in Kosovo and Metohija. Physical safety, respect for and protection of human rights, especially of minority communities, are far from satisfactory.

We are now witnessing a constant increase in the number of attacks targeting Serbs, their property and religious heritage in Kosovo and Metohija.

To illustrate, there were 55 such incidents in 2014, 62 in 2016, 71 in 2020, and 100 since the beginning of this year. The total number of attacks in 2020 has already been surpassed by June of this year.

According to the UN, Kosovo and Metohija is still the territory with the least number of returnees (internally displaced Serbs) of all post-conflict areas in the entire world!

I will give you just a few examples to depict how life of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija looks like.

On the 11th of May the house of RadojePumpalović, 81-years old returnee to Kosovo in the village of Dubrava, in Istok municipality, was attacked. This was the 5th attack on him in the same year. Again… he is 81 years old.

Since June 2021, multiple attacks were carried out against DragicaGašić, 59-years old woman, the first Serb returnee in Đakovica after 22 years since the end of the conflict. Attacks include stoning of her apartment, banning her from shopping for food in the local store and petitions by civil society organization demanding her eviction from the city.

On 2nd of July, in the village of Gobulji near Vučitrn, a group of Albanians attacked 13-year old Nikola Perić. The attack occurred when he was returning home from the school playground with three friends.

Attacks on Serbian medieval churches, monasteries and monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, make them some of the most endangered cultural heritage sites in Europe.

Monastery VisokiDečani was recently listed, by Europa Nostra, as one of the 7 Most Endangered Heritage Sites in Europe in 2021. The Advisory Panel of Europa Nostra noted that Dečani is the only monument in Europe under robust military protection for a continuous period of 20 years, although it constitutes a monument of ultimate historical and cultural importance for Europe and the world.

This spiral of violence occurring in Kosovo and Metohija culminated at the beginning of this week. On the pretext of enforcing new license plate rules, Priština dispatched heavily armed special units to the north of the province. This is yet another brutal violation of the Brussels Agreement, and this irrational show of force has ignited a major crisis. It disrupted the supply of food and medication to Serb communities in the north of the province. Local Serbs who peacefully gathered to protest this measure were met with tear gas and police brutality, thus seriously threatening local and regional stability.

Despite of all the challenges and daily provocations, Serbia remains strongly committed to finding a compromise-based solution that will ensure lasting peace and stability.

Dialogue and the implementation of the agreements reached – are the only proper way to resolve all open issues.

However, almost 9 years after reaching the Brussels Agreement, as the 1st agreement on normalization between Belgrade and Priština, the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities – the backbone of this agreement – has not yet even begun.

I would like to appeal, once again, to the international community, and especially the European Union, as the guarantor of the Brussels Agreement, to firmly insist that the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Priština start implementing all of the agreements reached.

The Republic of Serbia, by defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, at the same time defends international law, the UN Charter, legally binding UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and the supreme authority of the Security Council when it comes to the preservation of international peace and security.

We attach special importance to the activity of the UN mission in Kosovo and Metohija and expect it to continue to implement its mandate in the Province in accordance with this resolution.

Dear friends,

Our generation shares the common destiny of the modern world, which is becoming increasingly complex in terms of geopolitics, technology, health, climate. In the face of these challenges, Serbia will continue nurturing international partnerships, on a predictable and transparent basis.

We will continue pursuing the rule of law reforms on our EU path, which is our strategic foreign policy goal. We see this as inseparable from achieving sustainable peace, stability and prosperity.

We will host, together with the Republic of Azerbaijan as the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, a commemorative high-level event marking the 60th anniversary of the First Non-Aligned Movement Conference, which was held in Belgrade in 1961. We are very much looking forward to hosting our friends from all parts of the world in Belgrade in October this year.

We will further enhance cooperation across the Balkans, through the Open Balkan initiative and Berlin process, by opening borders, harmonizing differences, and further integrating our region.

In conclusion,

Over the past 7 years, Serbia has been transformed: we sparked an economic revival, created opportunities for young people, cultivated a tech boom, and improved Serbia’s position abroad. The progress we have made has allowed Serbia to better face and survive the pandemic.

The world now faces a turning point. The recovery from COVID-19 and sustainable reconstruction will not proceed if issues, new and old, are not handled by joint forces and collaborative international actions.

This pandemic taught us one important lesson: unless all of us are safe, no one is safe – so we can either win together, all of us – regardless of how rich or poor, large or small, from Europe, Asia, Africa, America or Australia, or fail together.

But, if anything, the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the issue of climate change, should have taught us to stand together.

Thank you.

Source:www.srbija.gov.rs

22 September 2021

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković, has met in New York today American Congressman Eric Swalwell.

Minister Selaković informed Congressman Swalwell on the dedication of Serbia to European integrations and reform process of our country emphasizing the results of economic reforms achieved in the previous seven years.

Selaković thanked Congressman Swalwell for the positive standpoint, dedication and true friendship. The interlocutors discussed also the investments in Serbia and partnership of Serbia and the USA.

The Serbian Foreign Minister introduced the Congressman on the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija emphasizing the dedication of Serbia to the dialog and peaceful and compromised solution to open issues. Selaković added that the regional stability is the key interest of Serbia.

The Minister informed the interlocutor on the “Open Balkans” initiative and promotion of the freedom of movement of people, goods and capital in the region.

The meeting at the building of the Serbian Mission at the UN was also attended by the Ambassador of Serbia in the USA, Marko Đurić, Head of the Serbian Mission at the UN, NemanjaStevanović and the General Consul of Serbia in Chicago, DamjanJović.

22 September 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic participated today at the Global COVID-19 summit, organised by the White House, which was opened by US President Joseph Biden.

The video messages are attended by a large number of world leaders and officials of international organizations, including UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British and Canadian Prime Ministers, Boris Johnson and Justin Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and many others.

In the message, the Prime Minister pointed out that Serbia was among the first European countries to procure a covid vaccine, and that she was the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine.

Thanks to years of investment in digitalisation and development of eGovernment, we have managed to organise a complicated and complex vaccination process very efficiently and in a way that it is focused on citizens, she explained.

However, as she added, from the very beginning we were aware that this is not just a matter of our citizens and only our struggle. In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all safe or no one is safe.

That is why, in addition to procuring vaccines for our citizens, we donated vaccines to the citizens of the Western Balkans, but also to other countries, she reminded and specified that Serbia donated 230,000 doses of vaccines to the region, we vaccinated foreign citizens in Serbia with approximately 300,000 doses and set aside we have 570,000 doses of vaccines for countries in Africa and Asia.

Brnabic mentioned that Serbia has already started the production of covid vaccine from one manufacturer, and that it will start production from another by the end of the year, because in that way we want to help and support all people and countries that need vaccines.

This is a pandemic in which we will either win together or lose together, but we must fight together, the Prime Minister repeated.

That is why Serbia supports the goals of this global summit, she emphasised, and expressed her gratitude to the United States of America and President Biden for organising the summit and supporting joint efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccines are the only way out in the fight against the pandemic, concluded Brnabic.

5 August 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, met with the Congressmen of the United States of America, Eric Swalwell and Sean Maloney today, with whom he discussed the development of bilateral relations, as well as stability in the Western Balkans region.

President Vučić pointed out the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation and improving overall relations with the United States, and especially the importance of improving economic cooperation between the two countries. "Serbia wants to establish better relations with the United States", said President Vučić.

The two congressmen said that they came to visit Serbia encouraged by the economic results, with the intention of encouraging American investors to invest more in our country.

Congressmen Swalwell and Maloney expressed support for the "Open Balkans" regional initiative, which they saw as a great opportunity for the progress of the Western Balkans. President Vučić said that the initiative was open to others in the region and that regional economic cooperation and interconnection were the basis for peace and stability.

President Vučić informed the American congressmen about the results that Serbia has achieved in terms of vaccination. The delegation of the US Congress welcomed the solidarity that Serbia has shown by helpingthe citizens of the region, as a responsible neighbor, with donations of vaccines. He thanked for the help of the USA so far in the fight against the pandemic, especially having in mind the fact that the USA is currently one of the countries most affected by this virus in the world.

President Vučić reminded his interlocutors that this year marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the United States, expressing hope that we will have the opportunity to adequately mark this important jubilee, despite the restrictive circumstances caused by the pandemic.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo: www.predsednik.rs

5 August 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, attended the marking of the Remembrance Day of all the victims and expelled Serbs in the armed operation"Storm" and said that Serbia remembers!

"Today, when we remind ourselves again of what happened in August 1995, the terrible pogrom, the expulsion of more than 250,000 Serbs, the exodus and ethnic cleansing, we, at the same time, and finally, remind ourselves of who we are, what we are, where we come from and where we are going. Thank you all for being here together tonight and for showing how much we love our people", said President Vučić, adding that we will not forget any of the things that the Krajina people had to go through.

"For us, these are not just terrible numbers of victims", said President Vučić and emphasized that Serbia will not forget.

"History has never been rewritten like today. That is why I want to remind us all not only of what others have done to us, not wanting us to exist, but also of what we have done to ourselves, just as if we ourselves did not want to exist", said the President, noting that we must never again allow Serbia to forget its silent heroes.

President Vučić emphasized that we must never again cover our eyes, ears, and mouths in front of something that truly was a pogrom and the downfall of all humanity.

"Pretending that this is not true, avoiding saying it, is a crime not only against the victims, but also against ourselves, every living Serb, people from Krajina, as well as Serbia and its future", said President Vučić and underlined that people can stand up straight and live with themselves and the others without hesitation, fear and doubt, only if they remember.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia must fight for peace and cradles with children, as well as that not remembering annuls and erases us from the history and the future, depriving us of the right to tomorrow.

"Our mission is a happy future for us and for the new generations! Today's Serbia is based on a clear identity and a culture of remembrance", said President Vučić and reminded that everything that had been neglected for decades had been done, and that a strong Serbia has become the master of its own destiny.

"Eternal glory to you, Serbian martyrs who perished in the"Storm"and all other pogroms. Your children are in their Serbia, taken care of, loved and successful. Sleep peacefully, Serbian falcons, the future of your children is our vow", concluded President Vučić and thanked everyone who showed that night how much they love their country and that Serbia remembers.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo:www.predsednik.rs
 

2 August 2021

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, met today with the representatives of the company UGT Renewables LLC, after which an Agreement on Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the representatives of this company. President Vučić said that this Agreement is the beginning of a new era and an important step into the future for the energy security of our country, but also one of the projects of crucial importance for economic development and success within the green agenda of Serbia.

After the signing of the Agreement, the President emphasized that it is important to have as many renewable energy sources as possible and that talks on the conditions are now to follow, and he expressed confidence that "the best possible agreement will be reached, which is crucial for thesuccess of our country within the framework of the green agenda".

The president said that the construction of solar panels on an area of about 2,000 hectares and a dozen locations throughout Serbia was being negotiated with the American company, which would provide an additional gigawatt of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.9 million tons per year.

"A big and important thing for Serbia, I believe that this will contribute to the further interest of energy and innovative companies to invest in our country", the president pointed out, adding that after the signing of the contract, the construction would take about two years.

"This is a great investment, that contributes to the economic growth of Serbia", President Vučić emphasized and added that in this way, Serbia will reform and modernize the energy sector. The President pointed out that this project creates new opportunities for attracting other investors, who see the arrival of American investors as a positive signal.

The agreement was signed by Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy, and Peter Goodall, CFO at UGT Renewables LLC. The signing was also attended by US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey.

Source: www.predsednik.rs

Photo:Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

22 July 2021

We have decided – our goal was and remains the EU, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said in an interview with the German daily "Handelsblatt",adding that there is no alternative for Serbia, but also stressing that China is an important partner for Serbia, and that the task of the state is to take care about the interests of its citizens.

He thus answered the question of what Serbia will choose once it has to choose between close relations with Beijing or the EU. Vučić emphasized that Serbia wants to become a full member of the EU.

"We are connected by history, common culture, EU members are already undoubtedly our most important partners", he explained and added that the trade exchange between Germany and China is 3,000 times higher than between Serbia and China, and, as he noted, even despite that, Serbia's business operations with China are portrayed as a problem.

To the statement that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel did not congratulate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China, and that he did so, he replied that Serbia is not Germany, but a small country. On additional insistence on what Serbia will do if it has to choose between the EU and China, he underlined that Serbia has already decided, that its goal was and remains the EU membership.

"Our biggest investors are from the EU. The EU accounts for 67% of our trade while 17 percent of the trade is with countries of the region that are all on the way to the EU. We cannot survive without the EU", he added.

"But can we do a lot of good things with China – of course. And we do that, just like Germany does", Vučić pointed out, and to the remark that the quality of the Silk Road projects was being criticized, primarily because of Chinese workers, he answered that the quality of roads or bridges, which Serbia is building with China, is excellent.

"We give jobs to those who submit the best offer to us. That is why I tell Europeans who criticize Chinese projects in our country – offer us a project for one euro more and you will get it", he emphasized.

In that regard, he pointed out that Serbia is building a railway to Northern Macedonia with 600 million euros of EU aid, stating that that offer was better than China's.

"There is often talk of a 180-kilometer railway to Budapest through the territory of Serbia, which is financed by China. But the railway that is being built with the help of the EU from Belgrade to the northern Macedonian border is twice as long and no one is talking about it. It is all too political", he stated.

Asked whether he welcomes the plans of the EU and the USA regarding an alternative initiative to the Silk Road, Vučić said that he supports everything that brings advantages to our region.
 

21 July 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today in New York that our country has been given the opportunity to cooperate with one of the most powerful investment groups in the world, Goldman Sachs, which it will use.

Brnabic, who talked with Goldman Sachs President David Solomon, during her working visit to the USA, emphasised that the presence of Goldman Sachs gives a completely different level of respect and credibility of the country.

We tried to bring Goldman Sachs to Serbia, it seems that we have succeeded for now, on a small scale, they do not come just like that, they are not present in the region. We managed to agree to have a small joint project to make sure that everything we talk about is really like that, and when you open the door and show yourself, it is a different perspective, she explained.

The Prime Minister noted that she could not give details of the talks on the project that were discussed at the meeting.

She pointed out that the meeting was at a completely different level than in 2014. Namely, this group will now be present as Goldman Sachs and develop some segment of its business in Serbia.

It was an excellent, but difficult meeting, said Brnabic and added that this group knows everything about Serbia – how much we have changed, how serious and credible we are, they appreciate all that.

According to her, Serbia will continue to fight for the cooperation with Goldman Sachs to move to an even higher level.

The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks she had with entrepreneurs in the field of IT gathered in the organisation "Serbian Entrepreneurs", which helped her to have numerous meetings in the USA.

She said that she expects three or four new investments from the working meetings during her visit to the United States, which will bring at least 120 new jobs that will be created in the next year.

The Prime Minister emphasized that from the most important centre of the world, she received confirmation that everything we are doing and planning is on the right path, noting that all those who have already invested in Serbia have stated that we are another country compared to what they saw six years ago, and that it is an incredible step forward.

Source:www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs

20 July 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that the result of the first day of talks with the representatives of American companies in New York was the announcement of three or four new investments in Serbia.

Brnabic, who is on a two-day visit to the United States, said after a meeting with more than 50 members of the New York branch of Young Presidents Organisations, that she is extremely pleased with the meetings in New York, where investments or investment funds were announced for our companies and for our young talents.

The Prime Minister pointed out that she was very well received and that the participants in the meeting announced that they would come to Serbia and that they would redirect the investments they planned to other parts of the world, such as India, to our country.

Brnabic pointed out that they are interested in investing in the IT sector, startup companies, biotechnology and biomedicine, explaining that these investments are not classic, but investment funds.

She expressed satisfaction that the leaders of the blockchain company Guilded, with whom she had previously talked, expressed interest in Serbia and its position in the field of blockchain – the latest technology that provides a high level of data protection and guarantees transactions without the possibility of abuse.

In the years to come, Guilded will be one of the largest and most advanced companies. If we bring them to Serbia, we will succeed in positioning ourselves on the world market in financial technologies, gold trade and the digital sphere, the Prime Minister emphasised.

As she pointed out, representatives Guilded were impressed by what Serbia has done in the field of e-government, but also by the position in the field of blockchain.

The Prime Minister stated that they expressed interest in our data storage capacities and our Data Centre in Kragujevac.

If we finish everything started today, they will come to Serbia or keep their data in our country, said Brnabic, emphasizing that it would be of great importance for our country.

The Prime Minister expressed her gratitude to our diaspora and the organisation "Serbian Entrepreneurs", which helped organize the meetings.

Today, the Prime Minister continues talks with representatives of American companies, and one of the most important will be with the leaders of the largest investment bank, not only in the United States but also in the world, Goldman Sachs.

Source:www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs
 

The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, received today, at separate meetings, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy Kurt Donnelly, with whom they discussed cooperation between the two countries in the field of energy.

President Vučić pointed out that it is important for Serbia to ensure energy security, i.e. a continuous supply of energy sources, for which the needs are growing. American diplomat Donnelly said that for President Biden's administration, energy is one of the key issues in the economy, but also in foreign policy, considering that the United States want to be a global leader in the fight against climate change and encourage Serbia to be ambitious on this issue.

In this regard, President Vučić said that four laws in the field of mining and energy have been passed, which enable energy transition and contribute to achieving the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. He also stated that Serbia is commited to diversifying the sources and directions of gas supply.

The two interlocutors also discussed possible joint projects in the field of energy, as well as other issues of bilateral cooperation.

At the meeting with the Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabić, energy efficiency wasdiscussed, as well as energy security and the transition to a green economy.

Brnabić pointed out that Serbia has adopted important laws in the field of mining and energy, which will significantly affect the "green transition", as well as that significant funds are being invested in the installation of filters in Serbian factories, which should reduce air and environmental pollution, given that citizens care about their living environment.

Donnelly pointed out that the new US administration has set the field of energy among its main goals, and that the focus is on energy security and the concept of energy justice, in order for the citizens around the world to have enough energy and to create conditions for creating new and better jobs and job positions.

2nd July 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić attended today the reception on the USA Independence Day and on that occasion handed over a congratulatory message to Ambassador Antonio Godfrey, addressed to President Joseph Biden, which reads as follows:

"Every 4 July citizens of the USA celebrate memory of a fight for freedom and independence, crowned in Declaration of Independence, adopted 245 years ago. We, in Serbia, share universal values, reflected in the Declaration, that “all men are created equal, and that they are endowed with unalienable Rights, to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Precisely because of the idea of freedom loving, and inspired by belief in truth and justice, in difficult historical moments, Serbia was an ally to the USA. In the light of the 140th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between our countries, such examples of historical alliance should serve as guidance for further development of our relations.

Serbia is committed to stronger cooperation with the USA, which we see as a partner in all areas of mutual interest, as well as in facing different challenges of today. I am convinced that our friendly relations contribute to peace and stability in the region, which we highly appreciate, as well as to promotion of shared values, and to the benefit of safer and more prosperous world. Allow me therefore to tell you how pleased I am for concrete steps in strengthening of our bilateral cooperation, such as opening of regional office of the International Finance Corporation in Belgrade," reads the congratulation of President Vučić.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
Photo:www.predsednik.rs

29th June 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić participated today via a video link in the conference "Mini Schengen" with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Edi Rama, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev. The officials discussed further steps in regional cooperation, as a process vital to the progress of the Western Balkans and the European path as a whole.

The interlocutors agreed that the countries of the Western Balkans need membership in the European Union, but also that the European Union needs the Western Balkans just as much since the region is surrounded by EU borders and the countries aspiring to membership share common European values.

The President of Serbia and the Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia have expressed the wish that the four European freedoms - the movement of people, goods, services and capital, begin to be implemented as soon as possible throughout the region, and that in this context they will provide full support to the regional common market at the Berlin Process Summit to be held on the 5th July.

"We are aware that only by working together and accepting regional cooperation within various regional initiatives such as the common market, regional Schengen, green corridors or the Berlin Process, can we bring our economies closer, increase the well-being of our people and bring in large investments that would otherwise not be possible for any of us individually", is one of the joint conclusions of this video conference.

The interlocutors agreed to meet in Skopje on July 29th to review the progress in the implementation of existing initiatives and projects and to sign additional agreements between the three countries related to the implementation of the Berlin Process commitments, as well as cooperation and assistance in the event of natural disasters and relief measures for trade, export and import.

"We call on and encourage our colleagues from the region to sign and implement similar agreements, so that the vision of a common political and economic space across the Western Balkans would soon, through the single market, become an important part of our citizens' daily lives," said the Serbian President and Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia.

The interlocutors pointed out that despite the delays in the enlargement process, they will continue to try to identify new ways, policy areas and financial instruments for all three countries to increase their contribution to Europe, strengthen ties with the European Union and gradually integrate the region into the single European market.

Speaking on the Green Agenda, the interlocutors issued a joint call to the European Union and the United States to join countries across the region to support the development of projects that could be invested as soon as possible to improve environmental protection and increase the widespread use of renewables as part of the EU Economic and Investment Plan implementation and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.

"Our countries have a huge potential for sustainable growth and development of this sector. We will ask for practical support to find out which projects can improve our region in terms of renewable energy sources for our citizens and for the green energy future of the EU ", said the interlocutors during the "Mini Schengen" video conference and concluded that only regional connecting, with the EU support, can contribute to the overall stability and progress of the entire region and Europe.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
Photo:www.predsednik.rs
 

09. June 2021.

Dear Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, members of the delegations

I would point to a few ongoing issues in my speech that refer to the competences of the Mechanism, namely, the possibility of serving the sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia, with the current practice of disabling early release of the sentenced persons as well as obligation of the Mechanism regarding protection of sentenced persons.

The second part of the speech will be dedicated to issues that are opened by the six –month Report on the work of the Mechanism by Mechanism President Mr. Agius and Report by the Chief Prosecutor Mr. Serge Brammertz, especially regarding current cooperation of the Republic of Serbia and the Mechanism.

The third part of my speech, and I noticed that in many of your statements even today, is going to be the view of Serbia on everything that took place in The Hague Tribunal and what the Tribunal verdicts brought to people in the region of former Yugoslavia.

The Republic of Serbia has initiated before the Security Council, on several occasions, the issue of possibility of serving sentences passed by the ICTY and Mechanism in the Republic of Serbia. Beside the efforts to move this issue from “square one”, not a single response was obtained from the Security Council. The majority of persons that are serving their prison sentences are citizens of the Republic of Serbia, and it comes naturally that the Republic of Serbia is interested in enabling them to serve their prison sentences in the Republic of Serbia.

ICTY and the Mechanism are making references to the Security Council as an institution in charge of dealing with this issue.

I am ready to reiterate here the readiness of the Republic of Serbia to take over obligations and liability for executing prison sentences that the Tribunal or Mechanism passed on the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, under the monitoring of the Mechanism and full respect for the authority of the Mechanism regarding early release.

Mr. President

A particular problem that we are facing with is disturbance by the judicial institutions established in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, which is within Serbia and which is under Interim Administration of the UN. We are witnesses of attempts of retrial for two citizens that are serving their prison sentences for which they had already been trialed before the ICTY. More concretely, in previous period there was an attempt for hearing of Nebojša Pavković and for obtaining extradition of Vlastimir Đorđević.

I urge on the Mechanism and Security Council to prevent attempts of violation of the principle ne bis in idem, a civilization principle that was confirmed in Article 7 (1) of the Statute of the Mechanism and to disable retrials for persons already convicted by the ICTY, particularly to make sure that it is not done in the territory which is under interim UN administration.

Mr. President,

President of the Mechanism (Mr. Carmel Agius), apart from the regular Report, delivered also on 11 May 2021 a letter to the President of the Security Council, whose subject is the alleged omission of the Republic of Serbia to apprehend and turn over to the Mechanism PetarJojić and Vjerica Radeta, indicted of contempt of court, claiming that in this way the Republic of Serbia was acting contrary to its obligations towards the UNSC Resolution 1966 (2010) and asking the Security Council to take measures in order to ensure that Serbia meets the alleged obligations in accordance with the Mechanism Statue and Resolution 1966.

The point of the argumentation of the President of the Mechanism comes to that that the Republic of Serbia has the obligation to deprive of liberty and extradite to the Mechanism its citizens accused of contempt of court, regardless of the nature of accusation, circumstances under which such an order was made and consequences that might result from its implementation.

It is about accusations that do not refer to sever violations of international humanitarian law and that are related to a case before the ICTY, which ended in 2018 (Vojislav Šešelj case), by acquitting the defendant in the first instance, and upon the Prosecutor’s complaint the defendant was declared guilty and sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment, which was covered by the time he spent at the UN Detention Unit.

Judge Agius states that Serbia ignores its obligations in accordance with the Resolution 1966 (2010). Quite the opposite- the Republic of Serbia takes seriously its obligations regarding cooperation with the Mechanism. After the warrant for apprehension and extradition of the two persons accused of contempt of court to the Mechanism had been introduced, the Higher Court in Belgrade established that assumptions for their apprehension and extradition to the Mechanism had not been met. The decision is founded on the rules of international law and domestic law of the Republic of Serbia and it is mandatory for holders of the executive power in the Republic of Serbia.

I would remind here that the first decision of a sole judge (Aydin SefaAkay, 12 June 2018), that was acting in this case was that the criminal prosecution of V. Radeta and P. Jojić for alleged contempt of court was to be forwarded to the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia. In procedures that followed, the argument of the alleged unwillingness of the witnesses to cooperate with the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was stated for the first time, and the decision on deprivation of transferring the case to the jurisdiction of the judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia was based on the respective argument.

The Republic of Serbia expressed its readiness to take over the court procedure against PetarJojić and Vjerica Radeta on several occasions and it provided appropriate guarantees. Additionally, the Republic of Serbia fully recognizes and accepts the obligation of the Mechanism to monitor trials that were transferred to national courts with the help of international and regional organizations, as well as to take measures envisaged by Article 6 of the Statute of the Mechanism.

I would remind here that the Republic of Serbia extradited to the tribunal all the persons indicted by the Prosecutor’s Office, and among the respective mostly highest political, military and police officials; it enabled presence of vast number of witnesses, delivered extensive documentation. Obligation of the Mechanism, in accordance with the Resolution of this Security Council, is to take measures that enable transfer of cases to national justice system. In previous practice, 13 cases were transferred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 to Croatia and only one to Serbia.

The last but not the least, I want to remind all of you here of the fact that France- of course as a sovereign and independent country- upon request for apprehension and extradition of Florence Altman for publishing documents and contempt of court, refused the request for extradition, with an explanation that it does not extradite its citizens. For far smaller offence you ask as to extradite our citizens Jojic and Radeta, showing both the distrust to Serbian justice and judiciary and Serbian State, as well as a fact that the rule from ancient Rome is still valid – quod licet lovi non licet bovi.

It does not harm to underline that high-level officers and politicians were not trialed for crimes against Serbs, and that crimes against Serbs remained unsanctioned before ICTY and Mechanism. Let me remind you, just as an example that Ademi and Norac case for ferocious crimes against Serb civilians in MedačkiDžep was left to Croatian justice institutions. Proven crimes against Serbs, like those of RamušHaradinaj, NaserOrić, then Ante Gotovina and other indicted for military operation “Storm” that led to a complete ethnic cleansing of Serb population in the big part of today’s Croatia, resulted before the ICTY in acquittals. Many horrible crimes against Serb civilians that were committed in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and that resulted in ethnic cleansing, simply were not the subject of interest of the ICTY.

What’s very important and not to leave anything unclear, Serbia is a country that condemns all crimes and all criminals who perpetrated them in the region of former Yugoslavia. However, it is interesting that despite often criticism Serbia is the only one that speaks openly and condemns crimes perpetrated by Serb nationals, while in other regional countries they do not speak at all about crimes that representatives of those nations committed against members of Serbian people.

And I want to emphasize once again here in front of you that Serbia condemns terrible crime in Srebrenica and extends its deepest condolences to the families of all killed in that massacre. And there are no “buts” about the respective.

Nevertheless, we are here to analyze results and penal policy of ICTY and the Mechanism and it was such that it has never gained trust among Serbian people, no matter where they live. And not because we Serbs do not acknowledge crime committed by some of our compatriots, but because The Hague Tribunal, with exceptions, was judging only to Serbs and in all three territories of former Yugoslavia- Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo and Metohija, which some of the SC Member States see and name of course, contrary to law and legal norms and UN Resolutions, as an independent state. I would try to plastically prove to you how The Hague justice was tailored even though I know that it will not come to understanding of many of you, but to me it is important because of the history, facts, and school books that will be made in accordance with the facts.

Namely, Serbs were sentenced to totally 1138 years of imprisonment, and to 8 life imprisonments. At the same time, The Hague Tribunal did not sentence a single Croat for crimes against Serbs, neither in actions MedačkiDžep, nor Flash and Storm. How politically cunning it was done in the Tribunal, and all wrapped in the form of law and justice. Prosecutors of The Hague Tribunal chose on purpose three military and political leaders of Croats, Bosniac Muslims and Albanians, on all three mentioned territories, committed against Serbs. – Ante Gotovina, NaserOrić and RamušHaradinaj. It is interesting that following the same pattern, the same pattern, this injustice was shared. Namely, all of them were sentenced in the first instance procedure, with the exception of RamušHaradinaj, because not a single witness survived. Gotovina was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in first-instance procedure, while by a mysterious decision of the second instance council and 3:2 judge ratio, the verdict was changed to acquittal. NaserOrić, for crimes against Serbs, was also sentenced in first instance verdict, but by a mysterious decision of the second instance court, and again 3:2 ratio decision was an acquittal and he was set free of any liability. Let me reiterate, all witnesses in process against Ramus Haradinaj, either committed suicide or were killed under very, very strange circumstances.

Let me conclude, I do not want to believe that someone wants to say that there had been no crimes against Serbs, but judging by the verdicts of The Hague Tribunal, no one- absolutely no one- is responsible for those crimes.

Nevertheless, we in Serbia will show responsibility and we will fight for peace, stability and reconciliation in the region.

We ask UN Security Council Member States to help us with rational and pragmatic approach and respect for international law and not by attempts of further humiliation of Serbia. Serbia is a small country, with proud and courageous people, the one that gave the biggest sacrifice during the WWI and WWII; people who wants to leave in peace with their neighbors. And when I am asking you for this, I do not think I am asking for too much.

At the very end, Serbia is the fastest growing country of the Western Balkans region and we cannot progress unless our relations with neighbors, friends and other countries are good, solid and better. That is why- despite the selective justice that was applied in The Hague Tribunal- we will be open for any dialogue, any kind of cooperation and we will look towards the future and not towards the past. And I have only one message for the citizens of Serbia and citizens of Serbian nationality in the entire region- keep your heads up, neither Serbia nor Serbian people are convicted of anything and it is up to us to work even more diligently, to open factories and to fight for our children and our future.

Long Live Serbia!

3 June 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke today with Special Representative for the Western Balkans and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of State Matthew Palmer about the state of bilateral relations, the continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, the relations in the Western Balkans region and the economic cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting was also attended by US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey.

Brnabic pointed out that one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities is the improvement of all areas of cooperation and more intensive bilateral relations with the United States.

Our interest is to intensify the political dialogue and visits at the highest level, and I hope that this year we will have the opportunity to mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Prime Minister said.

Brnabic pointed out that the dialogue with the temporary institutions in Pristina is in the focus of the government, but that it is necessary to implement the things that were previously agreed within the dialogue, primarily to establish the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Belgrade has fulfilled all its obligations and we expect to see that from the other side as well, so that the dialogue makes sense. One of them is the issue of finding and identifying missing persons, and we are fully committed to a complete solution to that issue, said the Prime Minister.

Palmer pointed out that the United States strongly supports the dialogue conducted under the auspices of the EU and the role of EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak, and praised the commitment of Belgrade and President Aleksandar Vucic to the talks with Pristina.

Belgrade will continue to advocate achieving a sustainable compromise in the dialogue with Pristina, while protecting the interests of the Serbs there, as well as preserving the state and national interests of our country, the Prime Minister pointed out.

Brnabic and Palmer also discussed the overall regional situation and agreed that peace and stability in the Western Balkans are essential for the political and economic progress of the entire region.

Palmer underlined that one of the priority interests of the United States is the stability and security of the Western Balkans, and praised Serbia's role in regional initiatives, which will significantly raise the quality of life of all citizens in the region, but also further improve regional empowerment.

It was also pointed out that the focus of US activities in Serbia will be on investments in infrastructure and investments in renewable energy sources.

Palmer also highlighted the need to ensure that the media environment allows different opinions to be heard.

Source:www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs

26 May 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic talked today via video call with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the US Department of Commerce David de Falco about the improvement of bilateral economic cooperation, as well as cooperation with American companies and institutes in the field of energy diversification and renewable energy sources, digital economy, development and research.

Explaining that the development of an integrated national plan for energy and climate is of strategic importance for Serbia, the Prime Minister stated that legal frameworks have been created for a favourable business environment and opening the market for new investments in this area.

According to the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Serbia has proven to be a good investment market and one of the leading economies in the region.

It is necessary to strengthen economic cooperation in sectors where there are mutual benefits, De Falco explained, stating that American companies in Serbia operate with the same intensity in the current epidemiological conditions.

The digital economy and the IT sector are recognised as the bearers of future cooperation between Serbia and the United States, and significant project cooperation with American companies could be achieved in the digitalisation of the health care system in Serbia.

The Prime Minister mentioned the good results of the work of the company NCR, which has been operating in Serbia for many years, and pointed out that it is extremely important that investors like this are satisfied with doing business in Serbia and ready to cooperate with educational institutions, given that the economic reform is based on knowledge and innovation.

The meeting was attended by Serbian Ambassador to the US Marko Djuric and US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey.

Source:www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs

20 May 2021

Anew service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs"e-Consulate" was presentedin Belgrade today, intended for foreign citizens who apply for a visa and aspire to come to Serbia to work.

On that occasion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said that this service was one of the indicators of good development of our country, which, as he pointed out, was becoming a magnet for serious foreign companies, which brought a large number of workers from other countries to work in Serbia.

"Not to be pretentious, but completely realistic, this service represents a turning point in the functioning of our system. E-Consulate and digitalization of the procedure for issuing work visas for foreign citizens who want to work in Serbia, is the first electronic service offered by the Foreign Ministry, and I can promise you that this is indeedour first, but by no means the last e-service", Selakovic emphasized.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy pointed out that "e-Consulate" reflected the modernization of an extremely important segment of the activities of diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, and that we were actually talking about something that was essential for the further development processes of our country.

The Minister recalled that, when the President of the Republic visited the construction site of the Moravian Corridor, he was told that some construction works were delayed because Bechtel companywas not issued work visas on time.

“The moment we saw that and heard the President, I alerted the servicesin the Ministry.We were surprised, aswe knew that the issuance of visas in Turkey had a good dynamic, and then we determined that it was actually workers from Bangladesh who applied for a visa through our Embassy in India, where we have a problem with staff shortage”, the Minister explained.

As he added, this is a demanding and laborious task, each of our employees had to receive the documentation on paper, check it, then request additional information, and only then forward it.

"Today, this has been fantastically perfected for our consular officers, all that documentation is submitted in electronic form. We used to have two filters to check the documentation, now we actually have three. And the work is significantly more efficient", Selakovicpointed out.

As he emphasized, this is a service whichwas promised less than four months ago and it becomes available on Monday, in 95 diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia, i.e. in all our embassies and consulates general.

The biggest result of that endeavor, the Minister pointed out, apart from the advantage it would bring in the future work, was the fact that it was not a project of one state body, but a joint endeavor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IT and eGovernment Office, General Secretariat of the Government, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, National Employment Service.

“We did an extremely good job in record time. This is to the pride of our Ministry, to the pride of the entire state. I am convinced that in the period ahead, we will further modernize our affairs and make Serbia one of the few countries that has such mechanisms and such state-of-the-art provision of consular services",Selakovic said.

Speaking about the "e-Consulate" portal itself, the Minister explained that there is a cartoon of Nikola Tesla and the building of the old railway station with one crane, which actually symbolizes a historical fact - that Tesla was in Belgrade in the year when it was built.

"Today it is the place behind whichthe Belgrade of the future is rising, and what we managed to do together is an indicator of something that is the future of Serbia, the development of artificial intelligence, IT and creating conditions for more people to live and arrive here in Serbia in the future seeking good life and employment", concluded the Minister.

The Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment, Mihailo Jovanovic, said that this was the first time that e-services were focused on foreign citizens, which was the case with our citizens so far.

In the period from 1 January 2019 to 17 May this year, the most applications for Serbian visas were submitted at the Embassy in Beijing, 6,766 applications, then in New Delhi - 2,973, Shanghai 2,115, Tokyo 1,798, and Cairo 1,756.

In that period, 1,270 requests were submitted in Algiers, 1,095 in Jakarta, and 1,077 in Beirut.

In terms of their nationality, Serbian D visa foremployment is most requested by citizens of China - 9,516 applications, followed by India 1,955, and Ukraine - 673.

19 May 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic attended today the signing of a cooperation agreement between the companies Millennium Resorts and Marriott International on the construction of a hotel complex in Vranjska Banja.

Brnabic stated that this investment will revive the south of central Serbia, and it will also bring new investors, jobs for citizens, higher wages and a better standard of living.

She underlined that this is the largest project of Marriott International in the Balkans and the biggest investment in the Serbian tourism at the moment.

According to her, it is difficult to bring projects to certain parts of the country that are far from Belgrade and where there are not many investors, and who do not see those places on the map of investment destinations, even though they are.

But, when you attract one investment, another comes, a third starts, and that area begins to develop on its own. That is sustainable development, said the Prime Minister.

Brnabic assessed that the moment when this biggest investment in Serbian tourism is being realised is not at all easy, because everyone is still struggling with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some of the biggest consequences are suffered by private companies and that is why I thank the Millennium team for not giving up on this project or postponing it, but going ahead with it so that Vranjska Banja could have such a pearl as soon as possible, the Prime Minister underlined.

US Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey said that the project of building this complex in cooperation with Millennium Resorts and Marriott International is important for both Serbia and the USA, not only in the economic, but also in the cultural sense.

He stated that one of the most beautiful hotel complexes in this part of Europe will be built in Vranjska Banja.

Source: www.srbija.gov.rs
Photo:www.srbija.gov.rs

10 May 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nikola Selakovic met today with Ambassador of the United States of America Anthony Godfrey.

The Serbian Foreign Minister underlined that the promotion of all areas of cooperation with the United States was one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities, as well as that our country was committed tohavingthe most substantive and broadest possible cooperation.

Ambassador Godfrey emphasized the support of the United States of America to Serbia's European path as well as to the economic growth of Serbia and the region.

In the year when we mark the 140thanniversary of bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States, there is a desire to work on projects of mutual interest and proceed to a higher phase based on partner cooperation, Selakovicunderlined and added that, to this end, Serbia was particularly interested in promoting economic relations with the United States.

Minister Selakovic and Ambassador Godfrey pointed out the numerous activities and commitment of SerbianAmbassador in Washington Marko Djuric to the development of Serbian-US relations and the celebration of 140 years of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy also emphasized that our country was grateful to Washington for its continuous support to the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristina, as a process for a peaceful, compromise and sustainable resolution of the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.

The collocutors agreed that both countries were committed to the implementation of the Washington agreement on the normalization of economic relations, as a step towards the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Selakovic and Godfrey also discussed regional cooperation, and the Ambassador pointed out that Serbia and the entire Western Balkans were still in the focus of the United States.

29rh April 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić met today the Ambassador of the United States of America, Anthony Godfrey, to discuss the continuation of the Washington Agreement implementation and European integration, as well as bilateral cooperation, especially in light of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

President Vučić said that the agreement on the normalisation of economic relations reached in Washington was complementary to the activities of the EU and a step towards the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Priština. "Serbia is always ready for an open dialogue with Priština", President Vučić pointed out.

President Vučić expressed gratitude for Washington's continuous support on the path to Serbia's full membership in the EU, which is one of its priority foreign policy goals. "American support in the process of European integration of our country is of great importance to us. The United States could suggest to its European partners that the progress of the Western Balkans in the field of European integration is necessary, primarily because of the possibility that the candidate countries will at some point feel the fatigue of the constant lack of progress. The reform of our societies is a goal in itself, but the outcome also needs to be known and clear", President Vučićemphasised.

President Vučić said that strengthening cooperation with the United States is one of the foreign policy priorities for Serbia and that he believes that the desire for stronger ties is mutual. Therefore, the President pointed out that more frequent high-level visits would confirm such a commitment of the two countries, and at the same time, he expressed hope that the American president could visit our country.

President Vučić and Ambassador Godfrey agreed that more projects of mutual interest are needed and, in this regard, pointed out the importance of engaging the regional office of the International Development Finance Corporation DFC in Belgrade.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
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22nd April 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the Atlantic Council about the situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as about regional issues and foreign policy priorities of the country.

President Vučićemphasised that in the procurement of vaccines, Serbia did not act geopolitically, but having in mind the saving of human lives only. He said he did not believe that what his team did was something hugely historical, even though Serbia with its efforts managed to obtain more vaccines than the others.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia's success in the procurement of vaccines is related to its success in the economy and stated that Serbia is second in Europe in terms of growth and that the IMF forecasts Serbia to grow by 5% for the current year, while domestic projections range between 6 and 6.5 per cent of GDP growth. He added that direct foreign investments also contributed to the strengthening of the Serbian economy, and reminded that last year Serbia attracted almost 70% of all investments in the region, which is the most important pillar of our economic growth, in addition to higher public spending.

"These good results were achieved with the reforms initiated in 2014 and 2015", President Vučić explained, adding he was proud that Serbia was able to help the region.

President Vučić expressed the expectation that the EU will open a cluster with Serbia in the accession negotiations in June.

"We have started to achieve results on many issues in the field of rule of law. I think we are making good progress in the fight against organised crime. Of course, there are issues we have to face. We have to make huge efforts to overcome all these problems. We are ready to hear all the criticism. If we can achieve results in the economy and vaccination, I do not doubt that we can improve the state of human rights and democracy", concluded President Vučić. He stressed that the most important thing is to preserve peace and stability in the region and that the Western Balkans could be the engine of development of entire Europe if a single market within the "mini Schengen" initiative would be formed.

Speaking about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, President Vučić said that both sides must fulfil what was signed in Brussels.

"You do not hear any blackmail from Belgrade. We do not threaten with war damages and lawsuits, but we hear that every day from Priština and there is no reaction from the USA and the EU", the President said, emphasising that it is important to increase trust between the two sides and that hostile atmosphere must not be created. He pointed out that Serbia must invest more in the relationship with the United States and increase the trust of the American side.

"We need the United States as a friend of Serbia because we can do something good. We can progress with the support of the United States. That is a precondition for economic progress. The United States may not be our best friend, but it is a friend with whom we have a common interest and common future", President Vučić said, adding that Serbia aspires to have as much support as possible. He noted the military-technical cooperation, but also cooperation in other fields.

"The interest of American companies ready to invest - is growing", concluded President Vučić.

Speaking about the green agenda, President Vučić stated that it is not an easy issue for the region, and Serbia alike, although everyone agrees that a green transformation is necessary.

"Nowadays, jobs and living standard are no longer the main topic, because citizens know that everything is going well, but they are talking about ecology. Environmental protection is an important topic, to which we will dedicate ourselves, but we should not go to extremes," said President Vučić and pointed out that he was proud of the development of Serbia.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
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21st April 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić talked today via a video link with the representatives of the delegation of the International Monetary Fund led by the Head of the Mission, Jan KeesMartijn. The interlocutors concluded that Serbia's main goal remains to preserve the hard-earned reputation of a fiscally secure country, as well as to continue with a responsible fiscal policy so that public debt does not exceed 60 per cent of GDP, whereby Serbia continues to work on further economic growth.

During the conversation, President Vučić and Jan KeesMartijn especially referred to the incentive measures and adopted three packages of measures to help the economy and citizens, which preserved macroeconomic stability and even achieved a higher employment rate. Martijn commended the responsible economic policy of Serbia and the successful crisis management during the pandemic.

"Serbia achieved one of the best results last year despite the challenges of the pandemic", Martijn said, noting that Serbia was one of the few countries to which the IMF did not adjust the initial projection of the 5% growth rate it gave last year.

President Vučić added that following the first quarter of 2021, Serbia is well on its way to achieving the planned growth of 6% as planned, since one of the main focuses of the Government is investing in large infrastructure projects and intensifying work on attracting foreign direct investments.

"In 2020, Serbia was at the very top in terms of economic growth in Europe, and I am convinced that this year we can enter the first three or four countries in terms of growth", said President Vučić, adding that he was satisfied that Serbia still, despite the pandemic situation, has an extremely strong inflow of investment.

President Vučić and Jan KeesMartijn also discussed a new advisory arrangement, which is of special importance in light of the improvement of the general investment climate in Serbia, as well as in the context of even greater investor assurance.

"Given Serbia's tremendous progress over the past eight years, the priority goal of this arrangement will be to preserve the results achieved, but also to provide support for further implementation of structural reforms aimed at even faster, stronger and more sustainable growth", said President Vučić and thanked the IMF and the personal engagement of Jan KeesMartijn in the professional and expert support that Serbia is counting on.

President Vučić pointed out that Serbia will pay special attention to reforms in public companies, and that priorities will continue to be investments in infrastructure, creating an even better climate for investments, greater investments in the environment, science and capital projects, which will further contribute to the long term stable financial growth in the coming years.

Source: www.predsednik.rs
Photo: www.predsednik.rs

13 April 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic stated today that Pristina furtherpersisted in its campaign of hatred against the Serbian people, which was most drastically seen in the unfounded accusations of mass rapes and genocide.

At the UN Security Council meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Selakovic emphasized that the efforts of the provisional institutions in Kosovo and Metohija to create a narrative about mass rapes of Albanian women were obvious, and that propaganda methods and lies were used for that purpose.

"It is clear that there were victims on all sides in the conflict, as well as that our side has evidence of numerous Serb victims. But the precondition for ensuring the protection of rights that belong to each individual victim is a rational and well-argued approach", Selakovic said responding to the slander of the Pristina representative.

Selakovic underlined that, contrary to the claims of politicians from Pristina about 20,000 raped Albanian women,the information provided by theCommission for the Verification and Recognition of Sexual Violence Victim Statusindicates 912 raped persons, however, failing to include in this number the Serb women who were victims of violence.

"Let me emphasize that Serbia condemns every act of sexual violence in conflicts and is committed to achieving justice for all victims. The number of victims certainly does not diminish the horrific effect of this type of violence on each victim individually, but also, speculating on numbers does not contribute to justice being served and leads to politicization and slowing down the reconciliation process", Selakovic said.

Regarding the genocide accusations, Minister Selakovic stated thatthey only went to prove that Pristina furtherpersisted in its campaign of hatred, propaganda and open hostility towards the Serbian people.

"Through statements given on a daily basis, they attempt to paint a picture that Serbia is to blame for everything and that genocide was committed against Albanians, all in order to hide their own responsibility for the committed crimes", the Serbian Foreign Minister said. 

He underlined that anyone who knew what the definition of genocide impliedwould understand that it was not Serbia that committed something, but that the Serbian people was instead a victim of the "state-building" project of the Kosovo Albanians, based on the dangerous idea of ethnically clean territories, as evidenced by more than 200,000 expelled Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija.

"We are convinced that the civilized world will not agree to be their accomplice in concealing and covering up their crimes, and that a clear message will be sent to them that they must take responsibility for their actions", Selakovic said.
He reminded that until 1999, around 40,000 Serbs lived in Pristina, and that today there were only about twenty of them, that around 17,000 Serbs lived in Pec, and that today there were only the Serbian nuns in the Patriarchate of Pec, that around 12,000 Serbs lived in Prizren before the war, and that today only 17 families remained there, and that in Urosevac, out of 10,000 Serbs who lived there before the war, only the family of a Serbian priest remained.

April 13, 2021.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic warned, at the United Nations Security Council meeting, that the political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohijawas not decreasing, but on the contrary, was becoming stronger.

At the meeting discussing the Report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK, Minister Selakovic recalled that the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities  remained unfulfilled for 2,917 days now and that, in fact, 19 April marked eight full years since the agreement was reached in Brussels, while Pristina still refused to follow up on its commitment and enable the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

The Minister reminded that the current Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina repeatedly threatened to unite the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania, and that he also stated that the dialogue with Belgrade was low on the list of his priorities.

Minister Selakovic pointed out that itwas high time for Albanian leaders in Pristina to show responsibility in fulfilling their commitments, but also a sincere commitment to reaching a compromise solution and building mutual trust.

"Serbia is determined and will not give up on identifying a compromise solution, which will be sustainable for future generations as well. The only way to build lasting peace and stability in our region is by working to build trust and insisting on positive political agendas", Selakovic concluded.

According to the Minister, lasting peace and stability can only be achieved if none of the participants in the dialogue pursued maximalist demands and insisted on the complete humiliation of the other.

He pointed out that the Serbian and Albanian peoples, as the two most numerous peoples in the Western Balkans, needed to find a way to reach reconciliation and a basis for cooperation, both in terms of the economy and in achieving shared prospects for membership of the European Union.

"Belgrade has made sincere steps in that direction, by being one of the initiators of the idea of relaxing the flow of people, goods, capital and services, popularly referred to as "mini-Schengen", the Minister underlined.

Pointing out that Serbia had time and time again demonstrated its commitment to dialogue as the only way towards a peaceful, political solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija, Selakovic underscored that the recent elections in the Province confirmed that political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohijawas not decreasing, but on the contrary, was becoming stronger, which could be seen during the recent pre-election process.
Minister stressed that political pressures on Serbs continued even after the election process was completed, by denying Serbs fair representation in provisional institutions as the new so-called government in Pristina decided to assign only one ministry to the Serb community.

"Serb returnees represent a particularly vulnerable category, who spend their every day in fear of being attacked.I remind you that the southern Serbian province is still an area with the lowest return rate of displaced persons in the world", the Minister said and emphasized that, in the last year alone, more than 80 attacks and incidents took place in our southern province, targeting Serbs, their property and religious sites.

It is particularly worrying for the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, Selakovic noted, that in the previous period, and especially in March this year, there were frequent physical attacks on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"A striking example of the disrespectful attitude towards Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province, whose exceptional universal value UNESCO confirmed by inscribing them on the World Heritage List, is the case of the Visoki Decani Monastery", the Minister underlined.

Furthermore, the Serbian Foreign Minister assessed as concerning the breaking into the Health Center in Strpce by police inspectors and officers, in January this year, who conducted a search aiming to discover Covid-19 vaccines there, originating from central Serbia.

"Although we consider this to be an intrusion into a health care institution, our reaction was restrained this time as well. We did not want our decisionsto cause escalation and politicization of activities that are solely aimed at protecting public health. We organized the vaccination of citizens from Kosovo and Metohija at three locations in central Serbia and thus clearly demonstrated that people's lives are the top priority to us", the Minister stressed.

Minister Selakovic stated that Serbia highly valued the activities of UNMIK mission in Kosovo and Metohija and that it supported it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve security in the Province.

Selakovic said that the international missions in Kosovo and Metohija - UNMIK, KFOR, EULEX and the OSCE mission, under the administration of the United Nations and in line with UNSC Resolution 1244, played a key role in the preservation of peace and protection of the population.

"We support and respect their engagement and efforts made in the framework of their mandates, with the common goal of creating conditions for a peaceful and safe coexistence of the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija. The Serb and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohijahave the utmost confidence in the international presence and consider it a guarantor of security and a barrier against the arbitrariness of the provisional institutions in Pristina", the Minister emphasized.

He said that this demonstrated the need that international missions remain engaged in an undiminished scope, in order to consistently implement UNSC Resolution 1244.

Selakovicfurther emphasized the importance of KFOR international forces and pointed out that any unilateral attempt to assign to someone else or that someone else assumes a part of KFOR's mandate and responsibilities constitutes a violation of UNSC Resolution 1244.

The Minister also noted as unacceptable the unilateral decisions on the formation of the Pristina "Ministry of Defence" and launching the process of transforming the so-called "Kosovo Security Forces" (KSF) into the so-called "Kosovo Army".

At the beginning of his statement, Minister Selakovic lodged a protest against the abuse of the video format of the session by the representative of Pristina as she had a flag of the self-proclaimed "Kosovo" placed behind her, and the representative of Russia did the same.

Below is an integral version of the speech of the Minister of Foreign AffairsNikola Selakovic

Distinguished President of the Security Council,

Distinguished Special Representative,

Esteemed members of the Security Council,

At the outset, I have no choice but to lodge a protest against the abuse of the video format of this session on the part of the representatives of Pristina in order to promote the symbols of the so-called statehood of Kosovo. Despite the fact that the representatives of Pristina were warned on several occasions, including by the President of the Security Council at the previous session, that such abuses of Security Council sessions are absolutely unacceptable and constitute a flagrant violation of the Security Council rules on participation of representatives of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, under Rule 39 of the UN Security Council Rules of Procedure, we are again faced with their reckless disregard for the rules of this distinguished body. Let me reiterate our call for the necessary steps to be taken to prevent such abuses.

It is my great pleasure to address this august body at the meeting on the work of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija. At the outset, I would like to thank Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Guterres and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK Mr. Tanin for the report submitted and for their efforts made towards the implementation of the UNMIK mandate, and also to the members of the Security Council for the continued attention they have devoted to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. The Republic of Serbia highly values the activities of the Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija and supports it in carrying out its work as efficiently as possible and undiminished in scope, aiming to build and preserve security in the Province.

Mr. President,

In the previous period we have faced political instability in Kosovo and Metohija. We recently had elections in the Province, which unfortunately confirmed that political extremism among Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija is not decreasing, but on the contrary, is becoming stronger. We have witnessed Albanian leaders competing among themselves in efforts to find the best way to provoke an incident in Serb communities, in order to score political points of the Albanian electorate. Under the pretext of amending the voter list, a large number of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija were deprived of one of their fundamental political rights - the opportunity to elect their political representatives. Out of approximately 140,000 of citizens of Kosovo and Metohija who were removed from the voter list in the latest election process, 85% are Serbs.

Despite numerous challenges and problems, the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija have shown, by high turnout and a convincing victory of the Serb List which won all ten seats reserved for Serbian representatives, that nothing can stop them from resolutely defending their position. Political pressures on Serbs continued even after the election process was completed, by denying Serbs fair representation in provisional institutions as the new so-called government in Pristina decided to assign only one ministry to the Serb community.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

Unfortunately, it was not only during the election activities that we witnessed the unreasonable anti-Serb policy being pursued by the provisional institutions in Pristina. This goes to the length of breaking into the Health Center in Strpce, in the south of Kosovo and Metohija, by police inspectors and officers from Pristina, in  January this year, who conducted a search aiming to discover Covid-19 vaccines there, originating from central Serbia, which they did not find. In doing so they demonstrated force and threatened to arrest the director of the Health Center, medical staff and doctors. At a time when the whole world is fighting the pandemic with vaccines being the only way to end this challenge, while Serbia is showing support and solidarity by donating vaccines and medical equipment to all in need in the region, Pristina wants to destroy vaccines only because they originate from central Serbia. As the whole world expresses gratitude to medical doctors, who have made great and heroic sacrifices in combating the virus, the provisional institutions in Pristina are attacking Serbian doctors for doing their job.

Although we believe that intrusions into health care institutions are inadmissible, our reaction was restrained this time as well. We did not want our decisions to cause escalation and politicization of activities that are solely aimed at protecting public health. We organized the vaccination of citizens from Kosovo and Metohija at three locations in central Serbia and thus clearly demonstrated that people's lives are the top priority to us. Serbia continues to be ready to help all in need of assistance, and we call for reason and responsibility, especially in such difficult times.

Mr. President,

Attacks targeting Serbs and their property have been on the rise. In the last year alone, more than 80 attacks and incidents took place in our southern province, targeting Serbs, their property and religious sites. According to the information provided by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija, in the second half of last year, the number of incidents increased by more than 30% compared to 2019. Therefore, we cannot agree with the assessment that the "security situation in Kosovo remained stable, with a few incidents reported affecting non-majority communities". Last weekend, for example, an entirely unprovoked physical attack by a group of Albanians on two Serb young men took place in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.

Serb returnees represent a particularly vulnerable category, who spend their every day in fear of being attacked. The fact that one family of returnees was the target of seven attacks clearly indicates the persistence of those who do not want Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. There is absolutely no trace of political will in Pristina for 212,995 displaced Serbs who have been living outside Kosovo and Metohija for 22 years to return to their homes. Since 1999, the rate of sustainable return of internally displaced persons in Kosovo and Metohija has been only 1.9%, which according to the UN data is officially the lowest percentage of return of expelled population after a conflict anywhere in the world.

At the same time, while arresting internally displaced persons, Pristina authorities are exerting the strongest of pressures on the Specialist Chambers in The Hague. The aim is to completely prevent the further processing of a number of cases against members of the terrorist KLA, on charges of serious crimes committed during the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija against both Serbs and persons belonging to other nationalities. President of the Specialist Chambers Madam Trendafilova recently warned that, should the pressures continue, this would have very dramatic consequences to the trials in progress. President Trendafilova underlined as highly problematic the phenomenon of witness intimidation, who are key for conducting proceedings successfully and rendering a proper verdict.

Although the wait to raise indictments was far too long, we consider it commendable that efforts have finally been made to punish the perpetrators of numerous serious crimes which were committed during the armed conflicts a little over two decades ago, but also upon the arrival of the international forces to Kosovo and Metohija. For example, no one has been held accountable to this day for the killings and abductions of 17 journalists in Kosovo and Metohija, which is currently the largest number of unsolved cases of murdered and kidnapped journalists in Europe. Furthermore, the perpetrators of any of the mass crimes committed against Serb civilians after 1999 have not been brought to justice. I will remind you of only a few of these cases: 14 Serb farmers were killed in the village of Staro Gracko, 12 displaced Serbs were killed and 43 wounded in the attack on the "Niš Express" bus in Livadice near Podujevo, and in Gorazdevac near Pec unknown persons fired automatic weapons on children who were swimming in the Bistrica river. Two Serb children were killed then, and four were seriously injured.

We expect the EULEX Mission to continue to support the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor's Office, as well as its additional engagement in the field of the rule of law. Special attention needs to be devoted to witness protection, and determining the fate of missing persons.

International missions in Kosovo and Metohija - UNMIK, KFOR EULEX and OMIK are an integral part of the international civilian and security presence in our southern province, under the administration of the United Nations and in line with UNSC Resolution 1244 (1999), and play a key role and make an outstanding contribution to the preservation of peace and protection of the population. We support and respect their engagement and efforts made in the framework of their mandates, with the common goal of creating conditions for a peaceful and safe coexistence of the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija. The Serb and other non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija have the utmost confidence in the international presence and consider it a guarantor of security and a barrier against the arbitrariness of the provisional institutions in Pristina. This further demonstrates the need that international missions remain engaged in an undiminished scope, in order to consistently implement UNSC Resolution 1244.

I would like to further emphasize the importance of KFOR international forces and point out that any unilateral attempt to assign to someone else or that someone else assumes a part of KFOR's mandate and responsibilities constitutes a violation of the UNSC Resolution 1244, while also being a potential source of instability and tensions. I will remind you that Pristina, contrary to international law and completely ignoring the interests and positions of the Serb community in the Province, would not abandon its plans to install a new security actor in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. We consider the unilateral decisions on the formation of the "Ministry of Defence" and launching the process of transforming the so-called "Kosovo Security Forces" (KSF) into the so-called "Kosovo Army" to be unacceptable. I would like to reiterate that such unilateral moves on the part of Pristina constitute a gross violation of the UNSC Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement, according to which only the International Security Forces, that is KFOR, have the mandate for all military aspects of security in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.

In this context, an additional reason for concern is the announcement of the construction of the largest base of the "Kosovo Security Forces" in the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, which Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija perceive as the most open provocation and threat to their physical safety.


Distinguished members of the Security Council,

It is particularly worrying for the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija that in the previous period, and especially in March this year, there were frequent physical attacks on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church. In just two weeks, as many as seven Orthodox landmarks in the province were targeted by vandals, at a time when we all remember the March 2004 pogrom against Serbs and Serbian holy sites in Kosovo and Metohija. The condition of the Serbian cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija is humiliating, including the four monuments that are inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger (Visoki Decani, Holy Virgin of Ljevisa, Gracanica and the Patriarchate of Pec). Numerous administrative and technical barriers are imposed on priestly and monastic communities, which makes it more difficult or even impossible for them to survive on church property.

A striking example of the disrespectful attitude towards Serbian cultural and religious monuments in the Province, whose exceptional universal value UNESCO confirmed by inscribing them on the World Heritage List, is the case of the Visoki Decani Monastery.

Distinguished members of the Security Council,

The reason for the nervous behaviour of Pristina is all too obvious, as the project of the so-called independence today fails to be recognized by more than a half of the United Nations Member States, including five members of the European Union. However, it is high time for Albanian leaders in Pristina to show responsibility in fulfilling their commitments, but also a sincere commitment to reaching a compromise solution and building mutual trust.

I will remind you that the current Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina has repeatedly threatened to unite the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania in the past. A member of his party publicly said last weekend that the self-proclaimed Kosovo and Albania would be united, I quote, "with rifle and gunpowder, or referendum boxes".

I need not explain why such dangerous ideas constitute a direct threat to peace and stability. They violate Resolution 1244, while continuously destabilizing not only our southern province, but the entire region as well, and in no way contribute to the dialogue process, but instead hamper it again.

We have demonstrated time and time again our commitment to dialogue as the only way towards a peaceful, political solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija. Even today, after many years of negotiations, but also failure to fulfill what was agreed and constant unilateral moves and provocations on the part of the provisional institutions in Pristina, we are still ready to sit down at the table and talk.

We are ready for dialogue but not to be blackmailed and threatened and especially not for ultimatums recently presented by Prime Minister of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina. I will remind you of his statement that the dialogue will be low on the list of priorities of the Pristina authorities. It is bewildering how Pristina refers to ultimatums completely undermining any chance of dialogue, as the European Union also pointed out, as "principles" and how it persistently insists that Belgrade should recognize the unilaterally declared independence of "Kosovo", upon which, they believe, all else would be resolved. What is the purpose of the dialogue then, if Belgrade is only expected to recognize the so-called Kosovo? Does the dialogue imply that one side should give up everything only for the other to win it all? And does the dialogue, in Pristina's opinion, imply that what was agreed should not be fulfilled?

I will remind you that Pristina still refuses to follow up on its obligations arising from the agreements reached so far and does not agree to discuss their implementation within the dialogue. And the situation is quite simple - in April 2013, the first agreement was signed in Brussels, which envisaged four obligations: one for Pristina and three for Belgrade. Belgrade has fulfilled all obligations, while the only obligation that the provisional institutions in Pristina had - to form the Community of Serb Municipalities - has remained unfulfilled for 2,917 days now. In fact, 19 April marks eight full years since the agreement was reached in Brussels, and of Pristina's failure to fulfill the obligation to form the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Distinguished Mr. President,

Regardless of the discouraging messages heard from Pristina and the fact that the dialogue has been in progress for many years, Serbia is determined and will not give up on identifying a compromise solution, which will be sustainable for future generations as well. Lasting peace and stability can only be achieved if none of the participants in the dialogue pursues maximalist demands and insists on the complete humiliation of the other. The Serbian and Albanian peoples, as the two most numerous peoples in the Western Balkans, need to find a way to reach reconciliation and a basis for cooperation, both in terms of the economy and in achieving shared prospects for membership  to the European Union.

Belgrade has made sincere steps in that direction, by being one of the initiators of the idea of relaxing the flow of people, goods, capital and services, popularly referred to as "mini-Schengen".

As far as Serbia is concerned, we are convinced that the only way to build lasting peace and stability in our region is by working to build trust and insisting on positive political agendas. The inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohija, of any nationality, whether they are Serbs or Albanians, do not deserve anything less.

Thank you for your attention.
 

24 March 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic made a statement on the occasion of marking the Day of Remembrance of the victims of the NATO aggression.

"Your Holiness, distinguished Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, distinguished Speakers of the National Assemblies of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Prime Ministers of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, distinguished Ministers of both Governments, dear guests and friends, representatives of the Serbian People from Montenegro, North Macedonia, Croatia, thank you for the fact that we are all together tonight and that the Serbian spirit is unbreakable and invincible.

One child a day and a little more than that. That is the most difficult, sickening and painful number of the NATO aggression from 1999. Killed, stopped, guilty of nothing, having committed no sin, without the right to defence, without the right to justice and without the right to life.

No one has ever been held accountable for this crime, a crime greater than a crime. No one, for the 2,500 killed civilians, but also soldiers and policemen who were only guilty of guarding, protecting themselves and their homes. No one has ever been held accountable for more than 6,000 persons injured.

Even today, 22 years after the aggression, it is not possible to explain that, there is no universal justification, despite all the work done to that end, there is no reason, it makes no sense, and only names remain, as eternal as sin.

MiljanaMilic, fifteen years old,
Vladimir Milic, twelve years old,
Miomir Mladenovic, fourteen years old,
Dragan Dimic, three years old,
JulijanaBrudar, ten years,
OliveraMaksimovic, twelve years old,
Miroslav Knezevic, thirteen years old,
DajanaPavlovic, five years old,
StevanPavlovic, eight years old,
Marko Simic, two years old,
Milica Rakic, three years old,
Ivan Ivancic, seven years old,
Marko Ivanovic, three years old...

And the list goes on, eighty nine names, not only Serbian ones...

The senselessness of sheer killing did not choose. Sixteen children, aged two to seventeen, from the Ahmetaj and Hasani families, were killed in a convoy returning home to Prizren.

In one headline in the West, this was simply explained as a "tragic mistake". The deaths of Marko Roglic, Milan Ignjatovic, Gordana Nikolic, Irena Mitic, Milica Stojanovic, BojanaTosovic, BranimirStanijanovic, our Sanja Milenkovic...could not expector get even such an explanation.

Those deaths were not tragic, for those who caused them, much less a mistake. It was just an excuse, a miserable excuse.

They were a result of intent and a clear decision, as a severe judgmentagainst one country, its people, its children.

And that is why today we will refrain from speculation in giving a nameto everything that happened during the spring of 1999. Because a crime happened, a heinous and terrible one. And it was an aggression, nota bombing, not an intervention, not a campaign, not an operation. An aggression is what happened. An attack on a sovereign country, without a decision of the United Nations, without a sufficient reason that would justify attacking the then Yugoslavia or a neighbouring or NATO country.

No one was attacked by Serbia or the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at that time. They attacked us, with one goal. To defeat us, to keep killing us, and in the end to take away a part of our territory.

And no matter how much we analyze things today, no matter how harsh and critical we are towards ourselves, our policy and leadership at the time, it is clear that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia were left with almost no choice then. The choice was horrible, either the loss of territory and people on the one hand, or the complete disappearance of the Serbian state, morals, honour, Serbian spirit, names and surnames. And we couldnot help but lose.Nineteen big ones attacked one small country, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. They attacked both Serbia and Montenegro. And even when they don't talk about it today, in one of the two independent countries, those are the facts. And that small country, and that small nation, to all nineteen of them so great and powerful, held a lesson in what matters most - honour, morals and love for freedom that a nation can have.

Yes, justice, lest we forget justice. All those nineteen great ones today still silently talk about their military success, avoid answering questions, while - can you imagine, one small, only numerically small Serbian people, that small but magnificent nation, with sadness, tears in their eyes, proudly remembers their resistance and struggle against the nineteen cruel and arrogant ones.

We lost a lot, we lost our fathers, brothers, spouses, children, but the honour and Serbian heart are still there, to protect Serbia, which is eternal and indestructible.

We lost children, we lost people, we lost control over a large part of the territory, we lost billions because of the destroyed infrastructure and economy.

And all that was left for us was the body of a tortured, destroyed country, a country in disintegration, mutilated, looted, wounded, deserted, and guilty, condemned for everything that happened not only in the 1990s, but throughout history.

A country that, even ten years after the aggression, did not have the strength to stand up, rise to its feet, and do anything but be silent, or bow its head and obediently apologize, for everything, even for its dead, even for its murdered children.

Today, it is no longer that failed, tortured, devastated, mutilated Serbia.

Today, it is Serbia, which has found its strength and its pride again.

Serbia, which calls things by their real names.

Serbia, which turned its back on war and defeats, and started working.

Serbia, which rose to stand on its own feet and has a voice of its own.

Serbia, which, even when they don't believe it, they listen to. Which is capable, which is growing, and is no longer part of the problem. Serbia, which is and will be, at least we will do our best to this end, the very solution that enables the entire region to live in peace and understanding.

And that Serbia, today, when there are still many more bombs in the world than vaccines, sends not bombs, but precisely those vaccines to the region. Today, it is ready to produce them as well, and in just a few months we will do just that, but not only for ourselves, but also for others, for the entire Balkans.

We are ready, and we are willing to help.

We are not ready to be and we will not be silent, nor be humiliated again.

We draw the right to that not only from the victims we had, but also from the fact that we stopped looking at others only a long time ago, and looking for fault and guilt only in them, and not sometimes in ourselves as well.

We looked at each other and admitted. Every loss, every defeat and every crime that someone committed in our name, every failure and every wrong policy.

And we are no longer doing anything that could endanger anyone.

We continue to work and work, and grow more and more, gaining strength with only one goal - to be the best in economy and education, health, in culture, science, sports...

And we want to be safe, on our own. We want our army to be much stronger than it was in 1999. So that we never again face a situation that someone is killing our children, destroying the country, or expelling our people.

We want to remain free, to decide our own destiny, and for no one to take everything away from us ever again, and give us nothing.

And that nothing today, and I will repeat it as much as necessary, is the idea of some great, powerful ones, but also those who serve them, the idea that "Kosovo" should recognize us, so that we could recognize "Kosovo".

We do not need that recognition. And Serbia will not allow you to walk over our victims, our history, our past, but also to walk over our future. You will get the answer of reasonable, kind and responsible people. We need a compromise. We need all the obligations that we and Pristina have assumed to be fulfilled, but only we have fulfilled them so far.

And this is not our whim. It is not a phantasmagoria about a Serbian world that we want to create.

Even today, when they threaten us with the formation of a Greater Albania, when they say that the Community of Serb Municipalities is not going to happen, it is ours to be calm, to take care of our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but to send a clear message to all those great, powerful ones that we are not as weak as we were, that we will be able to preserve what is our own, not touching anything that belongs to anyone else.After all, Serbia is not and will not be but a handful of oats that every crow from the whole wide world can eat. As for those who used the strength and power of the nineteen arrogant and cruel ones, I only ask them not to threaten us. Please, please, don't threaten us. They should not think that Serbia is broken and that it will not have the strength to respond. Please, please, our Albanian neighbours, do not threaten us. And we ask all others, who have demonstrated their cruelty towards Serbia, not to help you in that. That is all we are asking and nothing more.

And we will respond to calls for peace, calls for compromise, and always with good will, because we do not want to have children killed again. And we do not want the children of others to suffer again. But do not underestimate Serbia, and do not look at Serbia with the same eyes as you did in 1999.

Today, Serbia is much stronger, much more powerful. Today, Serbia is a united country of togetherness, not a divided one. Today, Serbia is incomparably stronger and better in every aspect than it was in 1999, from the economy to our army. And we will never threaten anyone, we just ask you and request from you to respect us and nothing more.

Today, we are building roads that will connect us, among ourselves, with the region and with the world. Until the end of the year, we will work on eight motorways, on eight routesin the entire Balkans, not only Serbia, eight roads of peace and cooperation.

Only a crazy person would trade this for war, for dead children, for demolition and new loss. And yes, we want to have the closest relations with everyone who took part in the aggression against our beautiful Serbia, we have forgiven a long time ago, but no, we will never forget. And don't ask us to.That one day, every year, we will remind both ourselves and you. The nineteen of you, the most powerful, strongest, greatest in terms of might and force, but not so muchwhen it comes tohonour and morality. We will keep remind you and ourselves, just so it would never happen again. Not to us only, but to none other freedom-loving people in the world.

And if we have an offer, today it reads as follows: we are ready to make the whole Balkans a winner, for everyone to win, as long as no one tries to make Serbs the only losers.

And the path to this goal is not difficult at all.

We just need to respect and understand each other and not try to humiliate each other.

And not to touch into what everyone paid the highest and bloodies price for. Freedom. And we, Serbs, know the price of freedom.

Into our right to have it, to keep it and to remember all the victims who are part of it.

And our defeats, our lives and our children are built into ours. And the lives of our heroic pilots, and our giants from Kosare and Pastrik, and our children, innocent, completely innocent, and only guilty of living in Serbia.

This is too high a price to be quiet about it.

Because that would mean that we are ready for another defeat, for another humiliation.

And we are not.

And when all go quiet, we will keep repeating.

A child a day, and a little more. This was how much you killed us. In an aggression that even you did not understand why you carried it out.

And we will keep repeating this, just so it does not happen to us again.

With special reverence, we are fulfilling our obligation to pay tribute to all innocent Serbian victims who laid their lives on the altar of the homeland, both civilians and our heroic soldiers and policemen, the heroes of Kosare, Prizren, Mitrovica.

Today, for us Serbs, life in Kosovo and Metohija is like Via Dolorosa, using their last strength on the road toGolgotha, but we would not be Serbs if we were not capable to "exist in a terrible place".

And today, tonight, I can conclude with one important sentence. On the soil of Europe, there was, and today is stronger than ever, an indomitable, unwavering, unconquerable and never conquered Serbia.

May eternal glory be to all the victims of the NATO aggression and let us all exclaim together - long live free and proud Serbia", President Vucic said.

Source:www.predsednik.rs
Photo:www.predsednik.rs

La République de Serbie en qualité de membre associé à l'OIF, de concert avec toute la communauté francophone dans le monde entier, célèbre le Mois de la Francophonie. Pour tous les amateurs de la culture serbe et de la langue française, le Ministère de la Culture et de l'Information de la République de Serbie a préparé un vaste programme et L’Ambassade/la Mission permanente/le Consulat de la République de Serbie à…… vous invite à découvrir la diversité et la richesse de la culture serbe en français.

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić spoke today via video link with the US State Department's Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, with whom he discussed numerous regional issues, the general situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery measures and continuation of dialogue with Priština.

The interlocutors primarily discussed the current situation regarding the pandemic, which left serious consequences for the health and lives of people around the world, as well as the global economy. President Vučić informed Special Representative Palmer about the measures taken by Serbia to protect the population, as well as about the course of vaccination of Serbian citizens.

Palmer congratulated Serbia on the exceptional success in vaccination, as well as on the help in vaccines that were delivered to the countries in the region. He particularly pointed out the importance of such a regional policy aimed at solidarity and connection, emphasising that in challenging times countries should find an opportunity to express their readiness for cooperation.

The two interlocutors also discussed the overall regional situation and agreed that peace and stability in the Western Balkans are essential for the political and economic progress of the entire region.

"Serbia is and will always be firmly committed to peace, prosperity and well-being of all people living in the Western Balkans. In that sense, our country is consistently committed to dialogue, solidarity, projects and cooperation aimed at connecting peoples, cultures and economies, which will altogether contribute to the overall stability and better life of all", said President Vučić and added that today's talks were, as always, open and contentful.

"We have considered many important issues, as well as all the differences that exist between us," said President Vučić, emphasising that one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities is to find solutions in the future that would bring better and more intensive bilateral relations between the United States and Serbia.

The US official indicated that one of the US priorities is the stability and security of the Western Balkans and commended Serbia's constructive role in regional initiatives, such as the "mini-Schengen" initiative and numerous infrastructure projects that would significantly improve the quality of life of all citizens in the region and further develop and strengthen regional economic integration.

President Vučić particularly accentuated that Serbia will continue to strive for achieving a sound and sustainable compromise in resolving the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, while protecting the interests of the Serbs who live there, along with preserving the state and national interests of Serbia.

Palmer stressed that the United States supports the process led by the European Union and added that he expects the dialogue to continue soon, emphasising the importance of implementing the Brussels Agreement and reaffirming the United States' commitment to dialogue and talks on contentious issues.

The two interlocutors also discussed the importance of media freedoms in the region, the economic situation, as well as the consequences of the pandemic on the economy of all countries, with special emphasis on economic recovery measures and further economic cooperation between Serbia and the United States.

Belgrade,
15th March 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic held an online meeting today with Special Representative for the Western Balkans and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of State Matthew Palmer.

Palmer and Brnabic discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, the situation in the region and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as economic relations and American investments in Serbia.

Brnabic underlined that one of the foreign policy priorities of Serbia is the improvement of all areas of cooperation with the United States (US), noting that the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is marked this year.

Speaking about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, she said that Belgrade will remain committed to the dialogue and ready for its continuation, but, as she explained, it will also continue to insist on the full implementation of the previous agreements.

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary said that the US supports the process conducted by the EU and added that he expects the dialogue to resume soon.

He highlighted the importance of the implementation of the Brussels Agreement, noting that it is not starting from the beginning, but that many segments of the agreement, which refer to the improvement of the lives of citizens, have already been implemented.

According to him, the compromise is the basis not only of dialogue, but also of the future agreement between the two sides.

Palmer stated that the overriding interest of the US is the stability and security of the Western Balkans region, and praised the constructive role of Serbia in regional initiatives such as the Mini Schengen.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Serbia is committed to improving relations with its neighbours, and that during the pandemic, the contribution to cooperation with countries in the region has been especially visible through the provision of vaccines, humanitarian and medical aid.

Serbia can count on the support of the US on its European path, Palmer emphasised and pointed out that progress has been made in European integration and reforms, primarily in the field of the economy.

When it comes to European integration, Brnabic pointed out that Serbia has accepted the new methodology of the European Union and that it expects positive signals from the Union in the coming period.

The interlocutors also discussed the possibilities of increasing economic cooperation and American investments on our market, adding that American companies that already operate in Serbia are satisfied with the existing conditions.

The Special Representative of the State Department used the opportunity to praise the positive trend of immunisation of the population in Serbia, but also to thank for the successful vaccination of the staff of the American Embassy to Serbia.

Belgrade,
12 March 2021

8 March 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selakovic said today that the fight against all forms of crime was a top priority of the Serbian Government and an integral part of the EU accession process.

"It is also our moral duty, in order to leave a better world for the generations to come", Selakovic said participating via video-link at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Kyoto.    

Minister Selakovic emphasized that Serbia, in its Second Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment from 2019, identified as its goal to eliminate cybercrime, human trafficking, terrorism and irregular migration.

The Serbian Foreign Minister pointed out that our country had established in a timely manner a normative and institutional framework that regulates prevention of abuse in this area, as well as that the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Cybercrime, a special court department and a special police unit were established. 

The Minister underlined that, in the field of the fight against corruption, Serbia was guided by the postulates set out in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the UN Convention against Corruption.

Selakovic pointed out the efforts made by the Anti-Corruption Agency, as an independent state body, to protect the public interest, build individual and institutional integrity, strengthen transparency and accountability of the public administration.

"We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism, including extremism and radicalism, and call for them to be fully eradicated, while implementing the relevant UN resolutions and conventions and theUN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy", the Head of Serbian diplomacy underscored. 

In order to combat these complex phenomena efficiently and successfully, Selakovic said, it was of vital importance to build capacities of our societies and states, while exchanging experiences at the regional and global levels.

Minister Selakovic thanked Japanese Ambassador Hikihara for the skill he showed in conducting the talks on harmonizing and adopting the Kyoto Declaration, which, as he stressed, was an important indicator of the commitment to creating and maintaining the institutional framework for crime prevention as one of the main preconditions for promoting sustainable development goals.

"Back in 1970 when Japan hosted this event for the first time, we demonstrated strong political will to draw attention to the problem. Today, it is incumbent upon us to reaffirm this willingness and resolve and translate it into concrete steps", the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

FM Selakovic video link speech at the 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice, Kyoto

18 February 2021

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana, PhD, as the new Serbian Patriarch, in its convocation in Memorial Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade on 18 February 2021.

Immediately after the election a thanksgiving service was officiated and Many Years was chanted to the Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Bells at Saint Sava Cathedral in the Vracar district of Belgrade rang a few minutes before 4:00 pm indicating that the 46th Patriarch of Serbia was elected.

Newly-elected Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (Peric) was born on 22 July 1961 in Becej, to father Radivoje and Mother Radojka.He was baptized as Prvoslav. He finished primary school in Curug, and the “Jovan JovanovicZmaj” Grammar School in Novi Sad. He was ordained a monk according to the rite of small schime by his spiritual father, then hieromonk Dr. Irinej (Bulovic), at Decani Monastery on Sunday of St. Thomas in 1985.

He graduated from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade in 1986, when the then Bishop of Raska-Prizren Diocese, future Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed memory, ordained him a hierodeacon at the monastery of Holy Trinity in Musutiste.

He attended postgraduate studies in Athens from 1986 until 1990. That year, upon the blessing of Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa, he joined the monastery of Holy Archangels in Kovilj, where he was ordained as hieromonk and became its abbot.

Many young monks and novices came to the monastery following him. These were the years when the Kovilj Monastery became a spiritual center for many young people: intellectuals, artists, popular actors and rock musicians, especially from Novi Sad and Belgrade. Since then abbot Porfirije has particularly dealt with drug-addicted patients. In 2005, he formed for this purpose a therapeutic community called “The Land of the Living”, which is recognized as the most successful drug-addiction therapy project and, under the leadership of Bishop Porfirije, it has more than a hundred residents in camps throughout Serbia today.

During the ordinary meeting of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade on 14 May 1999 he was elected as Bishop of Jegar, Vicar of the Diocese of Backa.

He defended his PhD thesis Possibility of knowability of God in St. Paul’s understanding according to the interpretation of Saint John Chrysostom at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Athens in 2004.

He became a lecturer at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology - Department of Pastoral Psychology - succeeding famous psychiatrist, academician Dr. VladetaJerotic.His lectures have been attended not only by students of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, but other Belgrade faculties as well.

Together with a group of experts: psychologists, doctors, criminologists, sociologists, Bishop Porfirije founded a civic association that deals with the resocialization of victims of destructive religious sects and cults.

Bishop Porfirije has not been just president of the Steering Board for a decade, but a real spiritusmovens of the Humanitarian Fund “Privrednik”, which has provided scholarships for a great number of gifted, but poor pupils and students, regardless of their nationality or religious affiliation.

In 2005, the National Assembly elected him as representative of all Churches and religious communities, to be a member of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, and in 2008 the RBA elected him its president.As President of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, Bishop Porfirijesupported the long-term interests of society and citizens, unaffected by political influences.

Since then, church radio stations have been heard in the broadcasting spectrum of Serbia. He has made a key contribution to launching of a series of radio and television shows dealing with religious topics.

In 2010, The Holy Assembly of Bishops entrusted him to establish military chaplaincy in the Serbian Armed Forces.The fruits of his labour in that field include not only the suitable legal regulations, but also the selection of military chaplains, the organization and equipping of churchesat barracks and performance of the first religious services.

His expert theological works Bishop Porfirije published in magazines both in Serbia and abroad. He participated in a large number of scientific conferences and symposia across the globe.

Bishop Porfirije, as one of the most prominent contemporary Serbian clergymen and intellectuals, has an extremely wide circle of friends, not only in the Homeland, and he fosters personal friendship and close cooperation with priests and representatives of other Churches and religious communities.

He speaks Greek, English, German and usesthe Russian language, while his style of communication is always adapted to his interlocutors.

He was enthroned as the Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana on 13 July 2014 in the Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Zagreb. The solemn Hierarchal Liturgy was served by Serbian Patriarch Irinej, accompanied by a large number of archbishops of the Serbian Church and other sister Churches, as well as priests and monks, and pious people.

Source: SPC/Serbian Orthodox Church

To all our citizens we extend congratulation for the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia!

Congratulation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia

Reportage of RTV Avala from Chicago 

The U.S. Embassy in Serbia made an unusual mistake today by placing a sign of equality between the congratulatory messages sent to Serbia by Presidents Donald Trump and Joseph Biden on the occasion of Statehood Day.

The normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština, as President Donald Trump saw it in his congratulatory message last year, and the issue of the so-called mutual recognition mentioned by President Biden neither formally and legally nor materially mean the same, or even approximately the same.

I will remind you that during the signing of the Washington Agreement, President Donald Trump was very ready to listen to and respect Serbia's views, and to, without going into the issue of the so-called mutual recognition, praise our country as a factor of stability and engine of democratic and economic development of the entire region.

Not only did President Trump not insist on the so-called mutual recognition between Belgrade and Pristina, but he was inclined to embark with us on the search for innovative solutions that would truly stabilize the region.

Such inclination is not recognized in the congratulatory message we received from President Biden, which does not mean that the new U.S. President, as a man who knows the situation in the Western Balkans extremely well, will not be in favor of a compromise between Belgrade and Priština and that he will pursue a policy of imposing solutions which quite obviously cannot stabilize the region in a lasting way.

Belgrade,
9 February 2021

President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army Aleksandar Vucicattended a demonstration of capabilities of one part of Serbian Army units in the "RastkoNemanjić" barracks in Pancevo. On this occasion, President Vucic stated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristinaat any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China. 

The President said that he would rather put his "head on the chopping block" than sign any document with arecognition and reminded that he had already once refused to do so in Washington, where there were two versions of the agreement.

He stated that he immediately had his delegationleave the meeting, that he told the U.S. delegation that Serbiawould not sign such an agreement,while conveying that Serbia would always endeavour to hold peaceful talks in order to preserve peace, but that it would not take any humiliation.

The Serbian President thanked the U.S. President Joe Biden for the letter of congratulations on the occasion of the upcoming Statehood Day, in which, in addition to the usual emphasis on commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability and democratic values, he unequivocally called for mutual recognition of Serbia and "Kosovo" as a result.

Mutual recognition between Serbia and "Kosovo" is not part of any act of any world organization, the President pointed out and reiterated that Serbia was ready to continue the EU-facilitated dialogue with Pristinaat any point, while respecting also the position of the United States as well as the positions of Russia and China.

According to the president, the situation is difficult and will only be increasingly difficult.

"As I told you three days ago, I can see it and I expect it, I cansee the situation slowly tightening, because the conflicts between themat the global levelhave beenincreasing and intensifying, and then we have to pay the price", the President said.

President Vucic said that said that it was up to our state to continue strengthening the country in the economic sense.

The President added that the role of the army was very important in the highly complex security and political conditions of the modern world, and that was why Serbia needed to do everything it could to deter any potential aggressor and attacks on citizens and the country.

"The policy of strengthening the armed forces will continue at a faster pace", the President emphasized, adding that the goal was for the Serbian Army to play a stabilizing role with regard to the political developments in the region.

According to him, it should be clear to everyone that Serbia was not a punching bag and that noteveryonecould attack and threaten it like it was the case in the past.

Vucic said that he was pleased with what he saw and that a lot had been done in the previous period, pointing out that the salaries of military personnel would be significantly increased as of April.

President Vucic also stated that investments in the Serbian Army would continue, whomhe told that he expected the Army to continue to be the guardian of our country, its integrity and freedom.

"We expect you to be the guardians of our country, its integrity and freedom, the defenders of our people, the guardians of the homeland, the protectors of the interests of the state of Serbia and to be a deterrent factor forevery aggressor and anyone who might consider attacking Serbia", Vucic said.

The military exercise called "Spearhead" demostrated the capabilities of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, and the event, which the President of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Army assessed as very good, was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojsa Stefanovic and Chief of General Staff ofthe Serbian Armed Forces, General Milan Mojsilovic.

Photo: Presidency of Serbia / Dimitrije Goll

Belgrade,
7 February 2021
 

President of the United States of America Josef Biden conveyed a letter of congratulation on the Statehood Day of Serbia to the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić. The congratulation reads as follows:

"On behalf of the American people, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your fellow citizens as you celebrate Serbia's national day on February 15.

As we commemorate 140 years of partnership between our two countries, the United States maintains its enduring commitment to promoting economic cooperation, regional stability, and democratic values. We remain steadfast in our support for Serbia's goal of European integration and encourage you to continue taking the hard steps forward to reach that aim - including instituting necessary reforms and reaching a comprehensive normalization agreement with Kosovo centered on mutual recognition. The strength of our relationship is built on a deep history of people-to-people ties, fighting as allies in both World Wars, and we celebrate the great contributions Serbians have made to American society across many fields. We also value our close cooperation in combating the COVID-19 pandemic as we jointly confront this unprecedented global challenge.

I look forward to working with you to deepen the bonds of friendship between our countries and to strengthen the relationship between Serbia and the United States. I wish you and the people of the Serbia a joyful celebration", reads the congratulation of the U.S. President Biden.

7th February 2021
 

26 January 2021

Serbia's foreign policy positions are naturallybeing adjusted to the new developments at the international level, but our foreign policy priorities have not changed in a long time. Our top and most important interest is to preserve good-neighbourly relations and stability and peace in the region and, in the same context, to find a peaceful and just solution to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said in an interview with Politika daily.

Another lasting interest of ours is full membership of the European Union, because this is the type of society we strive for. At the bilateral level, our goal is to strengthen ties with traditional friends, the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, but also to build new partner relations with the United States. One of the most important tasks of our foreign policy is to improve the position and protect the rights and identity of our people in the region, as well as to provide various types of support to Serbs in the diaspora. All these are very important and more often than not complementary goals, Nikola Selakovic pointed out.

What kind of relations do you expect Serbia to have with the new U.S. administration?

It is too early to speculate about this in public. The new presidential administration in Washington is currently preoccupied with internal issues and this will be the case for some time. There are people in the team of President Joseph Biden who have dealt with our region, and it is likely that the Balkans and Serbia will be the focus of the U.S. foreign policy at some point. I will remind you that President Vucic and President Biden not so long ago had very substantive talks in Belgrade, after which our President stated that he had the opportunity to talk to someone extremely well acquainted with the situation in this part of the world and an extraordinarily prepared interlocutor. Taking their personal relationship into account, but also the importance of enhancing the ties between Serbia and the United States, we have reason to expect that a meeting between the two presidents will be organized in the foreseeable future. I am sure that the nature and dynamics of the relations between Serbia and the United States will be influenced by the fact that Ambassador Marko Djuric now represents us in Washington, whose presence at President Biden's inauguration ceremony is an important signal and, I believe, a harbinger of positive developments in bilateral relations between our two countries.

How would you describe our country's relations with Moscow, Brussels and Beijing?

Russia is our traditional friend and that friendship goes beyond merely political ties. These are deep spiritual, cultural and civilizational bonds, and it is only natural that we have a mutual interest in improving those ties, even though they are at a very high level. We have a relationship with the People's Republic of China whichis, in addition to the sincere iron-clad friendship between our peoples and high political representatives, based ondeep trust and mutual support. Full membership of the European Union is Serbia's strategic orientationthat all our friends are aware of, but our country does not forget its friendships, but strengthens and promotes them instead, and approaches all with honesty and no ulterior motives. In this context, we do not seek any preferential treatment, but only the right to freely and independently make decisions about our future and relations with all who respect us.

Could Serbia pursue a different foreign policy than the one it is pursuing at the moment?

It is always possible to have a different policy, just look at the foreign policy of Serbia ten, twenty or thirty years ago, examine the results at that time and you will realize how irretrievablyexpensive that policy turned out to be. Whether a policy is right, at eitherforeign or domestic level, is measured through its results and effect on the lives of citizens and the fate of the entire state.
Our foreign policy priorities are not being defined on a whim, but are instead the result of a serious and deep examination of our complex position and strategic thinking about ways to improve it. Today, Serbia has a better international reputation and credibility than two decades ago, and the main reason for that is that our results have shown how serious and responsible we are as a country. That kind of credibility is not achieved by trickery, but only by hard and well-thought-out work on oneself. And I need to emphasize on this occasion as well that the main inspiration for such an attitude towards politics, the state and its future comes fromnone other than President AleksandarVucic. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I have the opportunity on a daily basis to see the level of appreciation and respect President Vucicenjoysbeyond the borders of our country.

When can we expect the vacantposts of Serbian ambassadors and consuls across the globe to be filled?

That is one of the main tasks for 2021. This will be a year of reinvigoration and I believe also rejuvenation of Serbian diplomacy. Our country, given its size, has a fairly extensive diplomatic network, which provides it with great opportunities for deepening political and economic relations with countries in all parts of the world. But we need more fresh and energetic staff, people whowill be the most honourablerepresentatives of a modern and dynamic Serbia. There are such people in Serbia, and we do need a serious rejuvenation, in order to avoid wide generation gapsin our personnel, and to lay the foundations of a modern career diplomacy.

How would you describe your relationship with Serbian President AleksandarVucic?

President Vucic and I are, in addition to having close and friendly relations, by virtue of the work we doand our constitutional competencies, the closest collaborators in the realization of Serbia's foreign policy goals. This allows me to talk to him often, and on many occasions learn a lot of new and important things. President Vucic is a man who inspires people around him with his strategic and visionary approach to politics, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to be part of his closest team of associates over the years, and to have had him as a kind of political mentor. In any case, his vision of Serbia as a modern, progressive and prosperous state, which independently and on its own will decides on its destiny, is my wish as well and key motivationfor political engagement. For only such Serbia is a country that its own citizens, as well as Serbs beyond our borders, can confidently rely on, while also being an inspiration to the entire region.

Source: Politika

Belgrade, 26 January 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Nikola Selaković expressed his congratulations tonight to Antony Blinken on his appointment as the new United States Secretary of State.

“Warm congratulations to Antony Blinken on his appointment - we look forward to celebrating 140th anniversary of Serbian-US relations this year by intensifying our cooperation," Selakovic said on the Ministry's Twitter account.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić talked today with the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the Head of the European Union Delegation about the continuation of reforms on Serbia's path to membership in the European Union.

Brnabić confirmed that full membership in the EU remains a key foreign policy priority of Serbia, emphasizing that reforms in the area of the rule of law are in the focus of the government of Serbia.

She pointed out that Serbia is sincerely committed to the implementation of radical reforms in the field of justice, the fight against corruption, the strengthening of independent institutions and the freedom of the media, and added that much has already been done in practice.

The Prime Minister informed the ambassadors of the Quint countries and the Head of the EU Delegation about the concrete measures that the government of Serbia has taken so far in the area of the rule of law, and pointed to the further fulfillment of the GRECO recommendations.

According to her, the initiative to amend the Constitution was adopted and forwarded to the National Assembly, new members of the State Prosecutors' Council were elected, and work is underway to establish a unified and centralized case management system.

The state is working on further strengthening the cooperation with independent bodies and institutions, as well as on improving election conditions, among other things, by forming a working group for the improvement of election conditions.

She pointed out that, when it comes to media freedom, the government has adopted the Action Plan for the implementation of the Media Strategy and formed the Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.

The ambassadors of the Quint countries welcomed the measures implemented by the government of Serbia, assessing that these are encouraging steps in the right direction and represent the basis for accelerating the accession process.

Brnabić expressed the expectation that the reforms that are being implemented will be recognized and adequately evaluated, and that in 2021, accession negotiations with Serbia will be accelerated.

Belgrade, 21 January 2021

President of the Republic of Serbia AleksandarVučić conveyed congratulations to the newly elected President of the United States of America, Joseph Biden, which reads as follows:

"Please accept my sincere congratulations on the occasion of taking the office of the President of the United States of America, as well as my best wishes for your good health and every success, to the benefit of your country and all its citizens.

I deeply believe that you will perform your duties with true devotion, endless energy and clear vision, typical for your long political career and rich experience of a statesman. There is nothing more honorable than serving your country, not slowing down in front of big challenges brought by uncertain times the world is unwillingly facing.

Dear President,

This year we celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the USA. In the previous period, we marked important jubilees from our common history, remembering the bright examples of our alliance on the side of truth and justice. Precisely those examples were a strong incentive for us in Serbia to strive to bring back relations with the USA to the level of true partnership, the way they used to and should be, despite scars left by times of lack of understanding and disagreements. I am convinced that, with mutual respect and common values, you will be our partner in strengthening political dialogue and economic cooperation.

Allow me, therefore, to extend to you the invitation to visit Serbia, now as the President of the USA, with a hope that you have fond memories of a visit in 2016 and that a wish for richer Serbian-American ties is mutual", reads the congratulation of President Vučić.

Belgrade, 20th January 2021
 

Serbian President AleksandarVucic pointed out that Serbia is the first in Europe in terms of economic growth, which will be officially confirmed at the end of March, and that this was possible owing to the reform measures taken since 2014 and the rapid opening of the country after the first wave of coronavirus.

The President pointed out that Serbia had a growth of 5.2 percent in the first quarter, while the Eurozone was at minus 3.2 percent, in the second quarter Serbia had a growth of 6.3 percent, while the Eurozone was at minus 14.7 percent, and in the third quarter, when the Eurozone was at minus 4.3 percent, Serbia's figure was only minus 1.4 percent.
Vucic stated that Montenegro, for example, recorded as much as 26 percent minus in the third quarter.

Furthermore, the President emphasized that hospitals were built and renovated in our country, and that two hospitals were built from the ground up in just four months.

He said that the state made significant efforts to procure respirators, masks, gloves, protective suits, medicines, everything that was needed, and pointed out that work was being done on 10 general hospitals throughout Serbia, adding that all these were major achievements that were only possible owing to the success of the 2014 reforms, the enactment of the Labor Law, which yielded excellent results, and also through fiscal consolidation measures.

"These are unprecedented results for Serbia. Was Serbia ever before the first in Europe in terms of growth rate? We will get the results on 31 March that will confirm that Serbia is number one in Europe. All that was possible thanks to people who believed in difficult changes",Vucic said.

According to the President, this year, as many as six highways will be built in Serbia at the same time, and in this regard, he noted that Bulgaria has announced that the highway from our border to Sofia will be completed by the end of the year, after which it will be possible to use motorway to travel to Istanbul, which is very important to ensure that our country is on a transport route.

President Vucic emphasized that in 2020, the so-called year of corona, our country had a net inflow of foreign direct investment amounting toEUR 2.9 billion net, and three billion gross, which means that many foreign companies such as Toyota Tires, Boysen, ZTF and Brose have invested in Serbia even in this year of crisis.

The President said that Serbia has the highest average wages in the region, amounting to 511 or 512 euros, and that in February, due to the January increase, the average wagewill be 535 or 536 euros, and that only in Belgrade in the last seven years the average wageincreased by 180 euros or 40 percent.

That President said that Serbia was fourth in the regionin terms of salariesbefore, and that today we are officially the first, and that the difference in relation to other countries will only increase faster.He also pointed out that the employment rate is growing in Serbia as well as that our public debt increased less than in most European countries. This is illustrated by the data that in Italy the public debt surged to 156 percent, in Germany to 87 percent, in France to 114 percent, in Croatia to 88 percent, while in Serbia it is at 57 percent.

The Serbian President announced that by Sretenje, 15February, an additional package of assistance to the economy will be earmarked, and as he explained, it will be a new capital injection for companies, the trade, entrepreneurs, small, medium and large enterprises which, as he said, concerns 1,052,000 people within that system.

Vucic specified that it will most likely be help in the form of two or three payments amounting to half a minimum wage each, and thatthere will also be sectoral aid for tourism, hotel owners, travel agencies, guides, for bus carriers, through another half minimum wage payment.

The President added that efforts will be made to extend the guarantee schemes as well, which proved to be excellent, amounting to 1.5 billion, and this time, through the same system, two more portions amounting to 500 million each could be provided.

Vucic said that the first agreements with DFC worth 300 to 400 million dollars are expected in seven days.

He also stated that the statewill endeavour to help pensioners further, in addition to increasing pensions by5.9 percent in January,which will be reflected in their first checks in February, and added that pensioners should by March receive symbolic aid in the form ofpackages with vitamin C, D and zinc, which, as the President said, are small things, but they reflect the state's care and efforts made to protect health.

The President announced that negotiations on the procurement of the Chinese vaccine would be completed in the next seven to eight days, after the first quantities of the Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines have arrived in Serbia, and pointed out that the Chinese vaccine was of exceptional quality, but probably the most expensive, which is why he wrote to the Chinese President and asked for a discount for our country.
Vucic thanked the Americans for deciding to sell the vaccine to our country and noted that no one in the region other than Serbia has received it, except for the small quantity that Albania got.

He pointed out that our state relied on itself and its own capacities, and that our state leadership anticipated that vaccines within the European COVAX plan would arrive late.

The President rejected the claims about bad results of Serbia in the fight against the corona virus and stated that our country has recorded the lowest corona virus mortality rate in the region.

He presented statistical information indicating that Slovenia had 144 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, North Macedonia 126, Bosnia and Herzegovina 123, Bulgaria 115, Montenegro 115, Hungary 110, Croatia 107, Romania 85, and Serbia 51.

"The mortality rate in the region is as follows: Bulgaria 3.9, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.7, Hungary 3.11, North Macedonia 3.03, Romania 2.48. Slovenia 2.15, Croatia 1.99, Montenegro 1.4, and Serbia 1.0. This can be seen in the graphs and is no fabrication", the President stressed.

He said that the state will fight for vaccines, and that only Serbia, in the Western Balkans, received significant quantities of vaccines, other than a smaller quantity that Albania received, and added that in one day since the registration for vaccination opened, as many as 63,000 persons have registered.

President Vucic expressed his belief that the year ahead will be better than the previous one as well as that the corona virus will be defeated through vaccination of citizens.

Belgrade, 12 January 2021

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today that Serbia's desire is to build better relations with the United States and that she will try to do so.

Answering the question of the journalists, during the visit to the University Children's Clinic "Tirsova", Brnabic reminded that the arrival of Joseph Biden to the position of the President of the USA will affect relations with Serbia, reminded that America is one of the most important partners of our country.

The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that Serbia managed to do a lot to improve relations during the mandate of Donald Trump.

I would also like to thank US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey. We want to continue to build even better relations between the United States and Serbia, the Prime Minister emphasised.

Belgrade, 10 January 2021
 

3 January 2021

Our compatriots living abroad are one of the great potentials that the state has not recognized in the right way so far, which is why a different approach is needed to the issue of how to strengthen our diaspora and use the good will of people who are potential lobbyists for the interests of Serbia and the Serbian people, Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said.

"When it comes to Serbs in the diaspora, and especially in the region, this issue has been a kind of an unattended cropwhich requires a lot of work, and even when a lot is done at once this is not apparent immediately ", MinisterSelakovic stated in an interview with Tanjug.

He emphasized that the appointment of the Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region for the first time after almost seven years since thisbody was formed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shows that it is one of the priorities of the Ministry he is at the helm of.

Selaković notes that intensive efforts have been long underway on forming a plan to make the diaspora more visible both outside the borders of Serbia and in the mother country itself.

"Every person in the diaspora is a potential lobbyist for the interests of our country and people, and we need to find the right way to use that", he said.

That much can be done in that regarSelakovic illustrates with the fact that only in Switzerland, in 24 cities, there are Serbian cultural and artistic associations which amounts to more than 3,000 young people who get together in order to preserve our tradition, culture, the Serbian language and history.

"If they were able to set up such associationsin 24 cities, it speaks volumes about the enthusiasm of these people. There is so much enthusiasm, energy and love in these people. We need to exploreways to help them and use their good will and potential", the Minister points out.

He also cites the example of an emigrant family in Canada, the Varaklic family from southwestern Serbia, who sends Christmas packages for children in the Raska region every year. He adds that they have so far donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-governmental organizations for those needs alone, but he says that we do not see that here.

"The state does not recognize this, and these are people who gained success as entrepreneursworking in a distant country, who can be serious lobbyists for Serbia, for Serbian interests, someone who represents us in the best possible way", MinisterSelakovic said.

Minister Selakovic also pointed out that Arnaud Gouillon has been appointed ashead of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Regionand described him as a man of extraordinary energy, great love for the Serbian people, which he showed in his engagement towards Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, where they were seriously endangered.

"By doing so, he showed and set an example to many of our compatriots of what an individual can do. And when one such individual focuses energy, enthusiasm and love for people, onwork done within the state administration system, I think that the preconditions have been created for such activities to yield good results", Minister Selakovic said.

Source: Tanjug

2 January 2021

This year, Serbia could finally haveAmbassadors and Consuls General appointed to about a third of the currently vacant positions in the country's diplomatic and consular missions in the world, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic is convinced that most of these positions will be filled, as he points out, by the best possible people.

"In the next year, I am convinced that the majority of these vacancies will be filled",Selakovic told Tanjug, emphasizing that the work is being done gradually, because the state wants to show that is has a quality staff who will represent Serbia's interests in the best possible way.

The Head of Serbian diplomacy reminded that in a number of diplomatic missions, the four-year mandate of Ambassadors and Consuls General has already expired, so that the procedure for appointing new ones will follow, after their recall.

One of the "vacant" spots is the post of the Serbian Ambassador to China.

"We are working hard to find the best possible solution for our new Ambassador to China and as we appointed one of the best people in the state system as Ambassador to the United States, who, I am sure, will perform his duties in the best possible way, I am convinced that it will be the same for the Ambassador in Beijing", Selakovic said.

The Minister, who took over the foreign policy sector in the Government a little over two months ago, points out that circumstances in the world, as well as Serbia's position in it, have changed, but that Serbia's foreign policy goals do not change: the country remains strategically committed to European integration and, whilepursuing the EU path, it will also strengthen traditional friendships with Russia and China, as well as promote and strengthen new partner relations with the United States.

"Relations in the region, good-neighborly relations, regional cooperation are also important for Serbia, because this fits into the set of requirements on the European path. But, even regardlessof the European path, it is always important who you live next to, who you live with, what your neighbors are like and what the relations are like in the neighborhood", MinisterSelakovic said.

He also points out that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija is of inestimable importance, it being the main national and state issue for Serbia and the Serbian people.

"When I say that circumstances are changing, but not the goals - the EU and European integration was our goal seven years ago as well, but look at what our room for maneuverwas then, in terms of economic aspects, and look at it today. Circumstances changed, and thenyou adjust your actions to these changed circumstances, to the best extent possible",Minister Selakovic said.

He reminds that foreign policy priorities for 2021 were also outlined by the President of the Republic,and that maintaining peace and stability in the region is the absolute priority.

"Only in a peaceful and stable region of the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe can Serbia thrive economically, culturally and scientifically - in every respect. Peace and stabilityin the region  are “sine qua non” without which there is no development and progress. Serbia has acted, is acting and will act as a factor that stabilizes the entire region and maintains peace in the region, showing that it is the region that benefits everyone the most", MinisterSelakovic said.

Relations in the region have always been complex, and the region, Minister Selakovic noted, is to our great regret, burdened with issues that we cannot have a bearing on, and which concern
the past.

Serbia's approach is to seek room to influence what is happening today and what will happen
happen in the future.

In this context, he states that the so-called "mini-Schengen" initiative for market unification of the region, which originated from AleksandarVucic and was met with a positive response from the Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, is one of the opportunities to do much more for the region.

"To show how much more we can do if we act together and if we seek our common denominators, and not what separates and divides us ", Selakovic points out.

When it comes to relations with the United States, Selakovic said that one should not expect the great powers to change their positions the way we would like, want or imagine, butthat it is important that the Ambassador in Washington, Marko Djuric, also emphasizedthathis task, among other things, will be tomakeefforts to change the climate in bilateral relations with the United States - the most important country in the world, as our lacking communication with themin the pastseriously affected the position of the Serbian people and Serbia.

"I am convinced that Djuric will work seriously on that, together with President Vucic,Prime Minister Brnabic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and contributeto a large extentto changing that climate", Minister Selakovic said.

He points out that it is extremely important for Serbia to promote its partner relations with the United States to a higher level.

"This is a country with which we cooperate closely in many areas and a country with which we must strive, and not give up in doing so, to find what we have in common, our common groundand good examples of our cooperation in the past, and to create space for such cooperation in the future as well", Minister Selakovicconcluded.

29 December 2020

Preservation of peace, taking care of the health and better living standard are key for Serbia in 2021, underlined President of the Republic AleksandarVucic, convinced that even though the completion of this ambitious and by no means easy task will be anything but straightforward, best results can be achieved by working in concert with the Government, while ensuring security and a future of certainty for the citizens.

The President said that Serbia has set for itself great and ambitious goals for the next year, notwithstanding the complex international and regional circumstances, and that it will endeavour to fully preserve peace and stability in the region and the country, while safeguarding the vital national and state interests.

"Serbia will remain on the course of a winning policy - the policy of stability", President Vucic said and stressed that our country remains on the European integration path and that it will carefully foster its friendship with Russia and China, while building a friendship with the United States as well.

According to the President, Serbia will continue to pursue a winning policy, with the country itself as a top priority, i.e., a policy that will enable Serbia to continue beingone of thetop three countries in Europe in terms of growth rate in the next two years.

A precondition for that, the President noted, is to crack down on criminal groups, but also to ensure even bigger investments in the police and army forces.

"Serbia is the country that recorded the highest growth in Europe in 2020", the President pointed out at the annual press conference and added that he expects to conclude a new arrangement with the IMF, as well as that Serbia, by the end of next year or early 2022, will raise its credit rating to an "investment" one, which will put our country's rating on par with the most developed EU countries.

As the greatest success in 2020, Vucicnoted that Serbia will end the year with the highestgrowth rate in Europe, which, as he said, is expected to be from minus 0.75 percent tominus one.

"I am proud to be the President of a country that is the European champion in terms of GDP",Vucic pointed out and added that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also pleased with Serbia's success.

According to President Vucic, this result will encourage Serbia to accelerate its European path, while continuing friendships with those who did not turn their backs on Serbia when it was at its darkest hour, namely Russiaand China.

The President pointed out that the activities to attract foreign investors will continue, then that work will be done on investments in agriculture, primarily the food industry, newmachinery, and digitalization of agriculture.

President Vucic also emphasized that the goal is for salaries in the public sector to average between 560 and 570 euros by the end of the year. Only in Belgrade, the average salary would be around 700 euros.

President Vucicreminded that the salaries of health care workers will increase by five percent from January 1, while the salaries of others in the public sector will increase by 3.5 percent and an additional 1.5 percent as of April 1, while corporal, private first class and non-commissioned officerarmy rankswill get an increase of an additional 10 percent. He noted that the minimum wage will be increased by 6.6 percent and so will pensions from January 1, by 5.9 percent, with the plan that the average pension amounts to 270 euros by the end of 2021.The President especially pointed out investments in health care, reminding that two new covid hospitals have been opened and that the renovation and construction of health facilities continues throughout Serbia, while stressing that Serbia is by far the first in the region in terms of hospitalized persons per 100,000 citizens, which is whyit has recorded a low mortality rate , and also that Serbia this yearhas been among the top three countries in the region according to the number of PCR tests performed.

Speaking about tourism, the President said that, next year,efforts will be made on the development of the Danube basin region, from Apatin to Kladovo, that the Ovcar-KablarGorge will be developed, as well as our mountain centers.

Discussing the field of culture and information, President Vucic said that the implementation of the media strategy and the completion of the reconstruction of the National Theater in Subotica are important for next year, and he announced investments in museums, especially emphasizing the relocation of the History Museum to the train station building. He also stated that the floor heating in the Church of Saint Sava will be completed next year.

He pointed out that the state will continue to take care of our citizens in Kosovo and Metohija, that no one can forbid Serbia to help its people, and that Serbia will not give up on helping our people.

As he emphasized, Serbia is ready to send medicines and vaccines to the Albanian population as well, and pointed out that in the upcoming period our country will pursue a policy of peace in the region and will endeavour to cooperate with Zagreb, Sarajevo, Podgorica and others.

Washington, D.C, 28 December 2020 - Serbia is sincerely committed to opening an entirely new chapter in the relations with the United States and that commitment of ours is not determined by specific appointments in the White House. I hope that we will have an excellent cooperation and partner relations with the administration of the new President of the United States of America Joseph Biden.

Serbia is sincerely committed to opening an entirely new chapter in the relations with the United States and that commitment of ours is not determined by specific appointments in the White House or political composition of the key U.S. institutions, the newly-appointed Serbian Ambassador to the United States Marko Djuric said in an interview for Politika.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabic received today the first vaccine against the coronavirus made by Pfizer company, at the Torlak Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera.

Brnabic, who is the first European Prime Minister to receive the vaccine, pointed out that this day may be the first since 6 March that we have a reason for a smile on our faces as it marks the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic in Serbia, but also in Europe and the world.

As Prime Minister and as someone who leads the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team, I felt obliged to be the first to receive the vaccine, to show that we believe in it, as well as in our institutions - the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia and experts who worked round the clock to test the vaccine, she said.

Underlining that it was an honour to do this for her country and be the first to pave the way for all citizens, the Prime Minister said that she agreed with President of the Republic AleksandarVucic that the two of them receive different vaccines, so he will most likely receive the next one that arrives, most probably the one produced by China.

At the moment we have the Pfizer-BioNTech consortium vaccine, and the vaccines from the Chinese Sinopharm are expected in the near future, as well as certain quantities of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.

She expressed her belief that at the end of the first quarter or the beginning of the second quarter of next year we will have the vaccine of the company AstraZeneca, and after that the vaccine manufactured by Moderna.

As we promised, all vaccines licensed in their countries and approved by relevant international agencies will be available to our citizens, and of course they will be tested by all of our agencies and institutes as well, the Prime Minister pointed out.

She said that prior to the vaccination of health care workers, Minister of Health ZlatiborLoncar will also receive a vaccine shot as we endeavour to serve as an example and show how confident we are in the vaccines and institutions.

Brnabic pointed out that Serbia, not counting Great Britain, is the first country in Europe to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the third to start a mass immunization and campaign for giving the vaccine - after Great Britain and Switzerland.

We achieved something very important and we will not stop even for a moment until the immunization of the population is completed, the Prime Minister said.

She specified that our country will receive another 16,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in January, as well as that together with other vaccines we will have a total of one million doses in January, and a total of approximately two million doses during the first quarter of next year.

There is a dynamic on which Pfizer delivers vaccines and it varies dependingon the production, and this is the case with deliveries to both Serbia and all other countries worldwide. We expected to receive 10,000 doses from Pfizer-BioNTech in December, however 4,807 doses arrived, the Prime Minister explained.

Serbia demonstrated that it is able to fight and succeed if we all work as a team, Brnabic said and called on all not to see the beginning of vaccination as the end of the fight already, but to continue to apply all measures instead.

This is to be certain and to be able to help our health care workers, and once the immunity is acquired we will be able to slowly start taking off the masksin 2021, but until then we should not see this as a victory but as the beginning of the end, the Prime Minister concluded.

After the Prime Minister, vaccine shotswere also administered to the Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs and a member of the COVID-19 Crisis Response TeamDarijaKisicTepavcevicand to PredragKon who is also on the COVID-19 Crisis Response Team.

Furthermore, vaccine shotswere also given to Head of the MMA Department for the Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections prof. Dr. VesnaSuljagic and academician PredragPesko, professor of Belgrade and Heidelberg universities and full member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

The first quantities of the vaccine arrived in Serbia on 22 December, and today they will be administered to patrons of nursing homes in Belgrade and Novi Sad.

Serbia is the first country in the region to receive a shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

In addition to procuring the vaccine among the first countries in the world, even before EU countries, Serbia is one of the rare countries that managed to build and open two covid hospitals in record time. The hospitals with 930 beds in Batajnica and 500 beds in Krusevac are a major contribution to the expansion of capacities and strengthening the health care system in the fight against coronavirus and, as President Vucic said, represent a monument of the future, that will talk about the accomplishments the state made in a short time.

Also, we recall that investments in health infrastructure have been large in Serbia, and since 2016, 80 health centers and clinics have been renovated, and worksare underway onsix large health centers. This way more than EUR 200 million was invested in the reconstruction,construction and equipping of hospitals and more than 300 million in the renovation of clinics andspecialized hospitals, and many have already been completed, such as the University Children's HospitalTiršova, and KBC Zemunnad KBC "DragišaMišović" hospitals.

The absolute priority of the Serbian Government is the successful completion of health infrastructure projects that are underway, but great attention is also paid to health workers,
whose salaries have, by 2020, been increased by 56.8% for specialist doctors, and 66.9% for
nurses, while significant fundingis invested in the education of health professionals,as well as in equipment and working conditions.

Like other countries, Serbia has faced great challenges this year, most notably health challenges, and all factors in the state were focused on preventing the spread of the virusand safeguarding the lives and health of citizens. Serbia has faced these challenges better thanmany wealthier and more developed countries in Europe and the world.

Belgrade,
24 December 2020
 

On the occasion of 10 December, the international Human Rights Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia reaffirms its commitment to the principles and values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on this day in 1948.

The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been the foundation for the development of international law in this field, and of the international system for the promotion and protection of human rights, as a unique achievement of modern civilization. It is incumbent upon us today to safeguard and strengthen the international system ensuringrespect for human rights, to develop human rights standards, control the implementation of commitments, and also to continue cooperating with international and regional institutions on the protection of human rights.

Serbia is fully committed to the universal values of human rights and implementing in practice the international legal instruments relating to human rights. Our continued cooperation with the Human Rights Council mechanismsin the framework of the United Nations, with the Council of Europe and the mechanisms of the OSCE human dimension, represents an important segment of activities carried out by all state authorities, thus demonstrating our consistent commitment to the implementation of international human rights standards.

The international Human Rights Day is an opportunity to point out once again that Serb and other non-Albanian populationis being deprived of its rights in Kosovo and Metohija and to call again on the international community to ensure the respect for the guaranteed international human rights norms and contribute to creating conditions for the return of internally displaced persons and giving them back theirusurped property.  

The reception was held at the Consulate General's Office in Chicago to mark Statehood Day, which was attended by representatives of the local institutions, Consular Corps, Serbian Orthodox Church, representatives of Serbian Clubs and Associations, business people and dignitaries from the local Serbian community, including ex Consul General of Serbia Mr. Desko NIkitovic. 

After the anthems (opera diva Sladjana Saric) were intoned, congratulations read on this occasion by Chicago Mayor Lorry Lightfoot, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

In his speech Acting Consul-General M. Varadinovic recalled that the first Constitution of the Principality of Serbia of 1835 was one of the first such legal acts that limited the power of the Prince and introduced the division of powers into a legislative, executive and judicial. This Constitution symbolizes Serbia's enduring aspiration for democracy and freedom within the family of European nations.

At the end of the official part of the program, the folklore ensemble "Kolo" performed the song "This is Serbia".

A report on this event was made by the local RTV Avala and was broadcasted by RTS and BN.

Photographs 

A celebration of Republika Srpska Day and its patron St. Stefan has held at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago. At the invitation of the Republika Srpska Association of Serbs, Acting Consul-General Milan Varadinovic attended this event. In his brief speech he thanked his hosts for their warm welcome, recalled the value of peace and expressed the hope that all people in the region would devote themselves to developing mutual cooperation in the future.

The reporage was made by RTV Avala and Srpska TV.

At the invitation of Kangrga Dušanka, the leader of the ensemble "Ducati and Biseri", Acting Consul-general Milan Varadinović attended a jubilee concert on December 14, 2019, dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the founding of this folkloric ensemble. The concert was held in the ceremonial hall of Taft High School, attended by many children of our citizens who live in the area. The program was also performed by the "Kolo" ensemble from Hamilton (Ontario, Canada), as well as the "Silk Thread" ensemble from Rockford (Illinois).

Many members of the "Ducati and Biseri" ensemble are also active as actors in the theater companies "Mira Sremcevic" and "Atelier 312". This ensemble also participated in the organization of a short program to celebrate the National Day of the Republic of Serbia at the premises of the Consulate General in Chicago in 2019.

The concert of the ensemble "Ducati and Biseri" was held with the support of the Office for Diaspora of the Republic of Serbia. (Reportage by RTV Avala).

Acting Consul General Milan Varadinovic visited the SOC St. Simeon Mirotocivi in Las Vegas. In addition to meeting with priest Jovan Katanić and the Church Municipality leader Glogovac Bojan, he also spoke with several of our citizens in an effort to help them solve their consular problems. On this occasion, a joint lunch was held in the church hall, attended by about 100 of our citizens.

Parish of SOC St. Simeon Mirotocivi is currently building a new Temple. They also have its folcloric group with around 80 children who are also traveling and performing in various parishes in West America. Teology and Serbian language classes are also organized at the Church.

From December 6 to 8, 2019, Chicago hosted the 7th Serbian Film Festival titled "Towards Light, Without Borders". This Festival marked the 20th anniversary of the NATO bombing of Serbia. The organizer of the festival, Ms. Slavica Petrovic, is also the owner / editor of “Mirror" – the local newspaper in the Serbian language. Before the opening of the festival, new Acting Consul General Mr. Milan Varadinvic made a brief speech about the importance of the preservation of the cultural identity.

After the screening of the short introductory film "Towards the Light," the festival was opened by Milos Bikovic, producer and actor of the first screened film "Balkan Border." Guests at the festival included Mr. Petar Ristovski - director of film "King Peter the First", Mr. Miodrag Radonjic - actor and co-producer of the film "South Wind" and "Balkan Border", Mrs. Danica Ristovski - actress and Mrs. Teodora Ristovski - actress, as well as Mr. Milos Rastovic, one of the leaders of the Serbian National Federation of Pennsylvania (SNF is the oldest Serb association in the US) and the director of the film "Tesla's People", who also spoke of his film.

On the occasion of the Film Festival, a press conference was held in the premises of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia on Saturday, December 7th, with participation of all guests of the Festival. On this occasion State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nemanja Stevanovic spoke about the incentive measures of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for development of the film industry.
The press conference was moderated by journalist and writer Mila Filipovic and was followed by local media: RTV Avala, Srpska TV and Chicago Events.

Reporage by RTV Avala was transmited also by the Serbian national television (RTS).

The 106th Conference of World Radiologists was held in Chicago December 1 – 6, 2019. This is the world's largest annual gathering of experts in the field. This year it brought together about 50,000 physicians and around 700 exhibitors from around the World.

On this occasion, 15 doctors, manufacturers and traders of the medical equipment came from Serbia, including representatives of Vizaris, as well as hospitals Belmedik, Zvazdara, Military Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad and Institute of Medicine, Statistics and Informatics.

On this occasion, the Serbian-American Association of Doctors and Dentists (SAMDS - Serbian American Medical and Dental Society), in cooperation with our Consulate General, organized a cocktail party for participants of the Congress from Serbia, their business partners and Serbian-American people on December 2, 2019.

The repotage produced by RTV Avala was transmitted by the Serbian national television (RTS). Information of this event was also published by the Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia (MSP).

At the Chicago City Hall on December 6, 2019. Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas organized the traditional Christmas celebration. On this occasion, Christmas carols were sung, and each state and some regions had the opportunity to decorate their Christmas tree.

The Serbian Christmas tree, was located to our delight next to the Greek and it was decorated in the spirit of Serbian Christmas tradition by our citizen Vera Calovic, who is doing that for the last 20 years and to whom we are very thankful. 

This event has been held at the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Chicago continuously since 1942 and now almost all countries in the world are represented by their Christmas arrangements. The exhibition runs from mid-November to the end of the first week of January.

Serbia was presented with very knowledgeably arranged showcase dedicated to the symbolism of the Orthodox Christmas prepared by the Romano family, for which we thank them very much.

On November 15, 2019, In the Irish American Heritage Center, the Serbian theater "Mira Sremcevic" from Chicago performed its play “Zona Zamfirova” for the last time.

The play "Madam Minister" is being prepared and premiere is expected on March 6, 2020 at the Skokie Theater.

As part of the Serbia Around the Piano World project, renowned Serbian pianist Jasna Popovic gave her solo concerts in Chicago (November 12) and in Hawaii (November 14, 2019).

In Chicago she performed authors from Serbia, Andorra, Brazil, Italy, Israel, S. Macedonia and Spain. This concert was also attended by prof. Natasa Bogojevic, who is the author of the composition "Kolo".

In Hawaii, works by Hawaiian (Magnuson), Serbian (Tajcevic, Mokranjac, Bogojevic, Despic, and Krstajic) and other world authors (Kruksent, Barcello, Pruzansky, and Porto) were performed. It was the first solo concert by a Serbian artist in Hawaii.

Acting Consul General Mr. Milan Varadinovic attended the concert in Chicago, and former Economic Advisor to the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago Mr. Milomir Ognjanovic attended the concert in Hawaii.

The pianist particularly thanked the financial assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia - the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and the Serbs in the region.

On November 10, 2019, the Association of Serbian-American Physicians and Dentists (Serbian-American Medical and Dental Society) celebrated its Saint Kozma and Damjan.

Reporage RTV Avala

“Passport to the World” event was organized by Rotary 1 Club in the grand ceremony hall of the famous Union League Club, featuring a total of 46 different entities: 18 Consulates General, 11 Trade Representatives, 3 Government institutions, and 4 NGO / Club. The Rotary Club also provided a wealth of service for the occasion, and the Consulate General of Serbia was given a booth in the most visible location, right next to the main stage from which the club president addressed.

Serbian booth was approached by a large number of visitors and this was great opportunity to promote the tourist potential of the Republic of Serbia.

Information about this event is also available on the  of the Serbian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

With auspicies of the Office of the Mayor of Chicago, a Consular Gala was held on November 1, 2019, attended by representatives of 87 Consulates General accredited in Chicago, institutions, businesses and other distinguished officials.

After protocol call with the Major Lory Lightfoot and official introduction of all the heads of the Consulates present, Mayor Lightfoot addressed all the guests, emphasizing the positive role played by immigrants in building a multicultural Chicago. On this occasion, the Dean of the Consular Chorps, Mrs. Patricia Maza-Pittsford, presented the "Global Citizen" awards to the representatives of the sponsors, as well as to the former president of the Office of Sister Cities.

The event, which began with the modest initiative of a small number of Consulates General - including the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, was soon recognized by the Mayor's Office as an opportunity to promote Chicago as an open city.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia was represented by Acting Consul General Mr. Milan Varadinovic and former Consul General Desko Nikitovic, one of the founders and guest of honor of the event, who kindly introduced now Acting Consul General to his friends and business associates.

On October 19, 2019, in Prairie Theater in Chicago, Serbian theatre ensemble “Hawk`s Eye” premiered its musical "Eternal Love". At the invitation of the director Milan Andrijanić, consul Milan Varadinovic also attended.

Reported by: RTV Avala and Serbian Times

On October 14, 2019, the Nova Gracanica Monastery celebrated its Saint – The Vail of the Mother of God (Intercession of the Theotokos). Service was led by the Bishop Longin of Midwestern America, and Fr. Serafim Baltic – Discesan Secretary and Abbot of Monastery Gracanica. Acting Consul-General Mr. Milan Varadinovic attended the ceremony.

Reporage of RTV Avala

A traditional marathon was held in Chicago on October 13, 2019, involving about 46,000 runners from about 140 countries, about one third of which came from overseas. The marathon was serviced by over 12,000 volunteers and followed by over 1.7 million people. The economic effects of the Chicago Marathon are estimated at nearly $ 400 million, including $ 20 million for humanitarian purposes.

The Republic of Serbia was represented at this year's Chicago Marathon by Mr Dejan Nikolic, Director of the Belgrade Marathon and Mr. Srdjan Coic, Director in the Turist Organisation of Belgrade. At the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo they have organized Serbian booth. In addition they had number of meetings and presentations of Belgrade, amongst which we wish to highlight the media "Ppresentation of Sister Cities", including Belgrade.

The video reportage of the local RTS Avala was published by the Serbian national television RTS, and information  published by the Press Service of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Serbia.

On October 5, 2019, at the invitation of our distinguished journalist, Aleksandar Zigic, Acting Consul General Mr. Milan Varadinovic attended the celebration of the anniversary of the work of RTV Avala from Chicago. (reportage) 

On September 16, 2019, with the blessing of Bishop Longin and in the presence of Bishop Irinej, the Association of Serbian Lawyers celebrated St. Joanikije. The cocktail party, which was for this occasion organized at the Sheraton Hotel in Chicago, amongst few dozens of Serbian-American Lawyers was also attended by Congresman and Judge Ted Po, District Judge Laura Ayala Gonzales, Bishop Irinej, and Acting Consul-General Mr. Milan Varadinovic.

After consecrating the celebratory cake, Bishop Irinej recalled the early legislative activity of the Serbian state under the auspices of the Serbian Orthodox Church, beginning with Nomokanon of St. Sava in the early 14th century, after which Bishop Joanikije II (later Patriarch) participated in drafting the laws for the Serbian King Stefan Dušan in the mid-14th century.

In his inspiring speech, Congressman Ted Po recalled the traditional alliance between Serbia and the United States, which dates back to World War I. He particularly referred to the largest ever rescue rescue of the American airman downed and recovered from Serbia during World War II (Pranjani). On this occasion, the new Acting Consul Geeral also addressed the attendees, speeking of the importance of the jurist profession within the consular work for protecting the legality and rights of individuals.

A dinner to celebrate Mr. Vlade Divac's entry into the NBA Hall of Fame was held at the Dawson Restaurant in Chicago on September 9, 2019. It was organized by the Ana & Vlade Divac Charity Fund. The invitee were donors, prominent businessmen and representatives of the most respected families of Serbian descent, as well as several SOC priests.

Following the presentation of the fascinating life and sports journey of our first and most famous NBA player Mr. Vlade Divac, Ana and Vlade Divac gave their short speeches, as well as some of their donors and friends. The latest project to collect aid for the reconstruction of the Technical School in Vladicin Han was also promoted, where 840 students attend in extremely poor conditions, whilst some of them won the prize in the robotics competition for the second year in a row.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago was represented by the new Acting Consul-General Mr. Milan Varadinovic and Vice-Consul Mr. Milinko Spica, as personal guests of the Bishop Irinej of New York.

Reportage of the RTV Avala was transmited also on the Serbian national TV (RTS). 

August 28 - 31, 2019, the delegation of Vrnjacka Banja visited Chicago. The delegation consisted of the Mayor of Vrnjacka Banja Mr. Dejan Djurovic, the Director of the Mercury Hotel Mr. Dejan Stanojevic, the Director of the Fontana Hotel Mr. Djordje Makuljevic, as well as representatives of the Tourist organizations of Vrnjacka Banja. The delegation had several business meetings and the opportunity to present its tourist and spa facilities to a large number of our citizens during the Serbian Festival.

On this occasion, a business meeting and presentation was also held at the premises of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago (RTV Avala reportage).

On September 1, 2019, invited by the West American Diocese of the SPC, headed by Bishop Maxim, representatives of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago visited the St. Sava SOC in San Gabriel (Los Angeles) and joined the magnificent celebration of the 800 years of the SPC's autocefality. The celebration was attended by a large number of archbishops and bishops of the SOC, as well as guests from Greece, Russia and the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Archbishop Elpidofor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate held the service together with Metropolitan Joseph of the Patriarchate of Antioch and Metropolitan Sava of the Greek American Archdiocese, as well as the archbishops of the Serbian Orthodox Churches: Midwestern Longin, Canadian Mitrofan, Dusseldorf Maximus, East-American Irinej, Bihać-Petrovac Sergius, Buenosares-South-Central Cyril, Zahum-Herzegovina Dimitri, Bishop Stobis David of the Archdiocese of Ohrid and Abbot of the Monastery of Hilandar Archimandrite Methodius. The liturgy was also attended by Archbishop Petar of the Russian Orthodox Border Church. Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej could not come due to his medical condition. Special guests and singers during the liturgy were students of Prizren Theology.

Archbishop Elpidofor on this occasion announced the decision of the Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to mark the 800th anniversary of the Autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church with a celebration in Nicaea, to which the Patriarch of Serbia Irinej will be invited, as well as all the archbishops of the SOC. In his speech, he conveyed the greetings of the Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, emphasized the brotherly ties of the Serbian and Greek Orthodox people, and expressed his satisfaction that the celebration of autocephaaly was held in a temple bearing the name of the first Serbian Archbishop and Monk, St. Sava, consecrated in 1219 at the Cathedral of Nicaea by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The archbishop also referred to the strong historical and diplomatic ties between the two peoples, through wars but also in peace, especially the support of the 1990s and with the current problem of the unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence.

During the festive lunch that followed, the host of the celebration, Archpriest Predrag Bojovic, was honored and decorated for his work on painting the temple of Sv. Sava in LA. The temple was painted by the same masters who painted the temple of St. Sava in Belgrade, in the same style and with the same motifs, among which stands out the fresco of the new martyrs of Jasenovac and Pribilovo. The owner of the California winery, of Serbian origin, who produced a special wine called "Autocephaly 1219-2019", served during the celebration, was also honored.

This was the first opportunity to introduce to our citizens and the Serbian Orthodox Church leadership a new Acting Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago Mr. Milan Varadinovic, who had arrived only a week earlier assuming the office from his esteemed predecessor Mr. Dejan Radulovic.

A farewell reception was held at the Consulate General for Dejan Radulovic, Acting Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, on the occasion of the completion of his mandate.

The reception was attended by representatives of US institutions, members of the Consular Corps and representatives of the Serbian community (Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Midwest, Serbian organizations and associations, the media, the Serbian Diaspora).

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic addressed the attendees with a suitable speech and on that occasion thanked them for their cooperation in the past five and a half years.

Lisa Kohnke, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Global Affairs presented Acting Consul General Radulovic with a letter from the Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot while Robert White, the Director of the Regional office in Chicago, expressed the thanks on behalf of the US Department of Homeland Security.

Thanks to the Acting Consul General were also presented by the Serbian Film Festival in Chicago, the newspaper of the Diaspora "Serbian Mirror" and the Association of Krajina Serbs "Prelo".

Photo gallery can be seen here.

Interview with the Serbian Times can be seen here.

Chicago marked the 800 anniversary of the autocephalous Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States. The central celebration was held at the Saint Sava Monastery in Libertyville, a suburb of Chicago with the presence of several hundred faithful and guests. At the same time, it was also the celebration of the Holy Mardarije, the first Serbian bishop in the United States.

The holy liturgy was served by Midwest and New Gracanica Bishop Longin, Bishop Irinej of Eastern and Bishop Maksim of Western America, with the participation and presence of priests from the majority of Serbian churches in the United States. After the liturgy in the pavilion on the monastery grounds, a special program was held with the participation of choirs, folkloric ensembles and amateur actors from Chicago. Special guests of the program were Bojana Peković, guslar from Serbia, Katarina Radivojević, actress and Jonathan Jackson, an American actor and musician.

The celebration was attended by prelates from the Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, Abbot of the monastery Hilandar and Mayor of the town of Libertyville.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the celebration in the name of the Consulate General.

Eight centuries of Serbian Orthodox Church will also be marked on the West Coast at the temple of Saint Sava in San Gabriel, Los Angeles, August 31 - September 1, 2019.

Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora announced results of the competition for co-financing of projects that contribute to strengthening of ties between the homeland and the Diaspora. Co-financing is aimed at projects studying, preserving and fostering Serbian language and Cyrillic script, preserving and fostering Serbian cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity, as well as the promotion of economic cooperation of the Republic of Serbia and the Diaspora.

In the open call for co-financing of projects which contribute to preserving and strengthening the ties of the homeland and Diaspora a total of 184 projects was approved with a total amount of 50,201,000.00 (more than $484,000).

Results of the open call can be found here.

HRH Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine visited Chicago on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the local office of Lifeline Humanitarian Organization which is under the patronage of Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic.

During their Chicago stay, Crown Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katherine visited the American elementary school "Oscar Mayer". Students of the fourth and fifth grade warmly welcomed them and on this occasion sang in Serbian song "March of King Peter's guard" rehearsed especially for this occasion. Video can be viewed here.

Crown Prince Aleksandar and Princess Katherine visited the Serbian Orthodox Church St. Archangel Michael in Lansing, Illinois as well as church and parochial school of the Old Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Resurrection of Christ in Chicago. They were warmly welcomed by parishioners who organized festive receptions in their honor.

The theater play "Balkan Spy" by Dušan Kovačević, the greatest Serbian contemporary playwright, was presented at the Cultural Center Cervantes in Chicago. The organizer of the presentation of this Serbian play is International Voices Project in collaboration with the American theater group "Vitalist Theater" and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

The roles from the play were read by 'Vitalist Theater" actors. The text of the play was translated from Serbian to English language by Dennis Barnett, professor of dramaturgy at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

A play was introduced within the scope of the Tenth Festival of International Voices Project in Chicago, which this time presented theater plays from Great Britain, Italy, France, Norway, Romania, Chile, Egypt and South Korea.

Following the reading the play, viewers 'questions were answered by Professor Barnett and actors of the "Vitalist Theater ".

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the American Jewish Committee AJC - Regional Office in Chicago and on this occasion had a meeting with representatives of the organization headed by Director Laurence Boloton.

AJS representatives presented the work of this organization which was founded in 1906 and the actions taken to protect the rights of Jews throughout the world, combating anti-semitism and intolerance, the protection of human rights and democratic principles.

Acting Consul General Radulovic introduced the representatives of AJC with the Serbian bilateral relations with Israel, the friendly ties between the Serbian and Jewish people and the Jewish community in Serbia. They exchanged views and information on a number of issues of importance to both sides. Also during the exchange they expressed an interest in establishing cooperation with the Serbian community in Chicago.

On April 18th, 2019 in Chicago visually impaired marathon runner Goran Nikolic from Kragujevac began a new unique athletic endeavor in which for 77 consecutive days he will run 77 full marathons. This is expected to break his previous Guinness World record from 2016, when he ran 55 marathons in 55 days.

The track which he ran is near the Serbian monastery of New Gracanica in Third Lake. In addition to support from Serbia, Goran received the support of the Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Middle West, the local Serbian community and the football club Chicago Fire led by coach Veljko Paunovic. The patron of this endeavor and mission was Rotary International, and on this occasion marathoner Nikolic was received by the newly appointed President Mark Daniel Maloney at the global headquarters of this organization in Evanston.

This athletic endeavor is of a humanitarian character. All collected funds will be used to finance the completion of construction of sports hall in Kragujevac that will be used for sports training and paralympic athletes.

Upon their arrival in Chicago, Goran Nikolic and his team members visited the Consulate General. Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the start of the first marathon and wished marathon runner Nikolic a successful mission.

Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora has announced a open call for co-financing of projects that contribute to strengthening ties between the homeland and the Diaspora.

The competition provides for co-funding of projects aimed at studying, preserving and fostering the Serbian language and Cyrillic script, preservation and cultivation of Serbian cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity, as well as the promotion of economic cooperation between Serbia and the Diaspora.

The open call is open until April 01, 2019. More info about the details regarding the submission of proposals can be found here (only in Serbian).

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the Serbian community in Dallas to celebrate the patron saint of the church Holy Three Hierarchs and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the parish.
The celebration was attended by over three hundred parishioners and guests. After the liturgy and the cutting of the Slava bread, participants were addressed by Bishop Longin, Father Ljubinko Savic - the priest of the church, Obrad Kesic from the Office of the Republic of Srpska in Washington and Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic.
As part of the celebration there was a poetic-musical program entitled "There, over there ... Far Away" performed by Ivana Zigon, drama artist from Belgrade.  Members of the Folkloric ensemble "Rastko" from also participated in the program.
In his speech Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic thanked the church and school communities on their efforts in preserving the identity of the Serbian community in North Texas. He also stressed the importance of cooperation with the church and its special role in the history of Serbian Diaspora.
The Consulate General is grateful to the parish in Dallas for the assistance and support during the visit.

The first folkloric festival "Over seven mountains" was held in Chicago. On the stage of the monastery hall of New Gracanica Serbian folklore presented several ensembles from North America, as well as visiting folklore ensembles from Serbia - "Abrašević" and "Karanovac", both from Kraljevo.
The festival began with the performance of the song "This is Serbia" by all participants. The festival was officially opened by Vice Consul Milinko Spica, who on this occasion gave thanks for the organization of the festival and stressed the importance of the nurturing and preservation of folk traditions among members of the Serbian community in the US.
The festival was organized by the folkloric ensemble "Kolo" from Chicago with the support of the Directorate for Diaspora of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.
During their stay in Chicago, members of folklore ensembles "Abrašević" and "Karanovac" from Kraljevo visited the Consulate General and on this occasion Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic welcomed them and wished them successful performances in the United States.

Acting Consul General of the Republic of Serbia, Dejan Radulović, held a reception on the occasion of February 15th - Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia.

The reception was attended by representatives of regional offices of the US Federal Authorities, the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, representatives of the Consular Corps, representatives of Serbian organizations and associations, representatives of the church and prominent individuals of the Serbian community, as well as other public representatives from Chicago.
The reception began with the intonation of the anthems of the Republic of Serbia and the USA which were sung by the members of singing group “Oko sokolovo”. Attending guests were addressed by the Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, who recalled the historical events related to the Statehood Day's date. He emphasized the importance that Serbia attaches to the development of bilateral relations with the United States as well as the appreciation for US support to Serbia in the process of European integration. He also emphasized the role of the Serbian community in the United States in the relationship of the two countries, its contribution to the development of the city of Chicago and conveyed readiness for further deepening of cooperation between the sister cities of Belgrade and Chicago.
Mayor of the City of Chicago Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sent letters of congratulation on the occasion of the Statehood Day of Serbia.
You can see the gallery of reception photos here.

Consulate General of Serbia wishes to inform you of change in the working hours with the public. Beginning Monday, February 11, 2019, the Consulate General will be open to public every working day, Monday through Friday, between 10:00am and 1:00pm.

Also, beginning February 11, 2019 it will be necessary to make an appointment in order to  apply for a new passport. Passport work will be done between hours of 10:00am and 3:00pm.  To make an appointment to apply for the passport please call us at 312-670-6707, extension 108.

The above-mentioned change in working time in working with public is due to a significant increase in the volume of work in the provision of consular services. In particular, there is a continuous increase in the requirements to issue passports. For these reasons, the Consulate General is forced to adjust working hours with public to realistic frameworks in order to provide the best possible service.
 

We wish to inform you that the representative of the Consulate General will attend the 20th anniversary of the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Three Hierarachs in Dallas, TX on February 17, 2019 (1810 South Story Rd Irving, TX 75061).

During his stay at the celebration, the representative of the Consulate General will be pleased to meet with interested parties who have questions regarding consular services. 

Please note that on this occasion it will be possible to sign and verify the authorizations, especially those related to the inheritance rights and real estate in Serbia. For the verification of the given authorizations in the prescribed form it is necessary that the text of the authorization be submitted in advance in Word format, written in Serbian, Cyrillic script, to e-mail of the Consulate General. At the same time it is necessary to provide a copy of the valid identification document (valid passport of the Republic of Serbia). If the authorization holder does not have a valid passport of the Republic of Serbia, it is necessary to provide a copy of the US valid identification document (passport, green card or driver's license). Upon receipt of an e-mail with the specified documents, the Consulate General will provide instructions regarding the payment of consular fees. We emphasize that authentication of documents will not be possible on site if they have not been previously delivered in the manner described above. Additional information regarding the verification of documents can be found here.

We invite citizens of the Republic of Serbia in Texas to use this opportunity and verify the necessary documents or meet with Consul.

Please share this information about the Consular Day in Dallas with your relatives and friends.

On the occasion of New Year's and Christmas Holidays, the Consulate General held a traditional reception for representatives of the Diaspora and the Serbian community.

The reception was attended by representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Adventist Church, Serbian organizations, associations, Serbian cultural institutions, representatives of the diaspora media and prominent individuals from the Serbian community.

The reception was realized in cooperation with Air Serbia, and the reception was attended by representatives of the national airlines, as well as travel agents from Chicago.
The attendees were addressed by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic, and on that occasion he thanked everyone for the cooperation in the past year and wished everyone happy forthcoming holidays. He emphasized the importance that the Republic of Serbia pays to its cooperation with the Diaspora, and especially thanked the contribution of the Serbian community to the United States marking the 100th anniversary of the Great War and the Serbian-American alliance during the First World War.

The Consulate General is using this opportunity to wish all citizens of the Republic of Serbia and members of the Serbian community in the United States happy upcoming holidays.

Photo gallery from the holiday reception can be seen here.

Serbian Film Festival 2018 was held at the movie theater "AMC Rosemont" in Chicago from 7 to 9 December. It was the Sixth Serbian Film Festival in Chicago.

Within the Festival the following films were screened: "South Wind", "The Dwarves From the Front Pages," "Flesh" and "Who is That Singing Over There". Due to the great interest of the audience movie "South Wind" was shown twice at the Festival. Also, a documentary film "With Open Eyes" by Marko Novaković, and the film by the Yugoslav Cinema "Little Movie for the Great Milena" in memory of the actress Milena Dravić. Part of the Festival was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War and the Serbian-American alliance in the First World War. On this occasion, the documentary "Dragutin Matić - Eye of the Falcon" by Miodrag Miljković was screened and a special exhibition "There Far Away 1918 - 2018" was organized.

The guests of the Festival were Tihomir Arsić, actor, in the capacity of the representative of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia; Slobodan Šijan, director of the film "Who is That Singing Over There" and Miodrag Miljković, the author of the documentary film "Dragutin Matić - Eye of the Falcon". After screening of the re-mastered digitized version of the film "Who is That Singing Over There", director Slobodan Šijan was introduced to the audience and answered their questions.

At the opening ceremony of the Festival, the audience was addressed by Festival Director Slavica Petrović, by Tihomir Arsić, Slobodan Šijan and Rev. Deacon Jovan Aničić. Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović also addressed the audience and read the welcome letter of the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the USA, Mr. Djerdj Matković. On this occasion Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, sent a letter which was read at the opening ceremony of the Serbian Film Festival.

The festival was closed with the performance of the folklore ensemble "Oko sokolovo (Hawkeye)" from Chicago and the opera singer Sladjana Sarić sang the song "Tamo daleko (There far away)".

The founder and organizer of the Festival is the newspaper of the Serbian diaspora "Serbian Mirror". The help and support in organizing the Festival was provided by the Embassy in Washington and the Consulate General in Chicago.

Photo gallery can be seen here.

A presentation of RTS Planet, multimedia Internet platform of Radio-Television of Serbia was held at the Consulate General of Serbia.
At the beginning of the presentation, the representatives of the RTS were welcomed by the Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulović, who emphasized the role of RTS as a public media service, and especially the importance that a new multimedia internet platform can have in the mission of connecting the Serbian Diaspora to the motherland; in that context, the method additionally contributes to the efforts to preserve the language, culture, tradition and identity of Serbian Diaspora.
The contents and capabilities of RTS Planet were presented by Dr. Tatjana Ćitić, Assistant Director for Development of RTS and Editor-in-Chief of RTS Planet, as well as Žikica Živković, technical coordinator and web-master. The participants were able to ask questions and get acquainted with the contents of RTS Planet in an interactive presentation.
In addition to members of the Serbian community in Chicago, the representatives of all major media of the Serbian Diaspora were also present at the Consulate General.
This was the first presentation of RTS Planet at one of the diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Serbia.
Within the RTS Planet Week in Chicago, presentations were also held at several other locations within the city and its surroundings.

On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Armistice Day and Serbian-American Alliance the exhibit "Album of remembrance of our ancestors from the First World War," was held on November 10, 2018 at the Consulate General.
The exhibit is recognized by the United States World War One Centennial Commission and on this occasion they issued an appropriate certificate.
The exhibit was organized in collaboration with the Association of Descendants of Serbian Warriors 1912-1920. The exhibit presents photographs, war diaries, military letters, postcards, memorials and other historical material on participants of the First World War collected by the Association of Descendants.
Program was opened with a showing of the commemorative video which eloquently told on the contribution of Serbia and the Serbian army in the First World War, as well as heartfelt thanks of US President Wilson to Serbian people. In their addresses Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic and Aleksandar Vasilic from the Association of Descendants of Serbian Warriors expressed the respect and paid homage to the brave Serbian soldiers and all Serbian victims of the First World War.  On this occasion, special honor and memory was paid to thousands of Serbian volunteers from America who were participants in the First World War. Following that, Milenko Sisarica from the Serbian Theater in Chicago recited the poem "Blue Tomb" by Milutin Bojic.

During the exhibit, a video was shown prepared by the Association of Descendants of Serbian Warriors. A student in the Serbian folk costume handed the lapel pins of Natalie’s Ramonda to all guests.
The opening of the exhibit was attended by representatives of American institutions, members of Chicago Consular Corps, as well as representatives of Serbian organizations and members of the community.
The exhibit will be open at the Consulate General until November 21, 2018 every working day from 11 am to 3 pm. If interested in visiting the exhibit it is necessary to notice the visit via e-mail of the Consulate General.
In honor of the Armistice Day on November 11, 2018 in Chicago a performance of "Serbian Ramonda" was presented at the Irish-American Center, was performed. Participants of the show are actors of the Serbian Theater in Chicago and members of the folklore ensemble "Oko Sokolovo" from Chicago. The performance was written and directed by Milan Andrijanić from Chicago. Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, was present on behalf of the Consulate General.

Photo gallery can be seen here.
 

Consular Day was held on November 3rd, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona, and that was the first visit of the representative of the Consulate General to the Serbian community in that state.

Considering that the Consular Day was held in the framework of the 16th Serbian Festival in Phoenix, Consulate General had a booth where the visitors had the opportunity to talk with the representatives of the Consulate General, and get answers to questions regarding consular services. On this occasion certain consular services that were possible were provided to the citizens of the Republic of Serbia, not only to those residing in Arizona but also to those citizens of Serbia who for this occasion arrived in Phoenix from California, Nevada and New Mexico. At the stand visitors had the opportunity to obtain tourist promotional material as well as answers to questions about investing in Serbia.

Folklore and singing groups from Phoenix, as well as visiting folklore groups from California and Vancouver, Canada performed as part of the Festival.

According to estimates of the organizers, the festival was visited by over five thousand guests. In addition to guests of Serbian origin, guests of the Festival were also American citizens, members of other ethnic communities residing in the general vicinity of Phoenix. The festival was visited by Mr. Mark Brnovich, Arizona Attorney General who on this occasion met the Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic.

Assistance and support in organizing the Consular day has been provided by priest Dragomir Tuba and the representatives of the church and school municipality "Saint Sava" in Phoenix for which the Consulate General is especially grateful.
Photo gallery can be seen here.

Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, visited the Serbian community in Austin, the state of Texas, on the occasion of the celebration of the Feast of the Church of St. Luka and the 10th anniversary of the parish founding.

The celebration was attended by more than three hundred parishioners and guests. After the liturgy and the ceremony of cutting the Feast-cake, as well as the program, the attendees were addressed by Bishop Longin, Father Dragoljub Popović, priest of the church and Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović. On that occasion, the Acting Consul General expressed his thanks to the representatives of the municipal parochial school for the cooperation with the Consulate General, as well as on the efforts made to preserve the identity of the Serbian community in Texas. The program was performed by attendees of the municipal parochial school's Sunday School in Austin, as well as by the visiting folklore ensembles "Homeland" from Houston and "Rastko" from Dallas.

The presence of a Consul at the celebration was utilized to simultaneously hold the Consular Day. Certain consular services that could be performed were provided to citizens of the Republic of Serbia who reside in Texas, as well as a number of interviews related to consular services and other issues within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General. Also, the Acting Consul General met with representatives of associations and with prominent individuals, where the opportunities for realization of initiatives and projects in cooperation with the Consulate General were considered and discussed.

It was the first visit of the representatives of the Consulate General to the Serbian community in Austin.

The Consulate General is grateful to St. Luka's Church and municipal parochial school in Austin for providing assistance and support during the visit.

On the occasion of the Centennial of World War I Armistice Day and Serbian-American Alliance the exhibit “Album of Remembrance of our Ancestors from the World War I” will be open at the Consulate General on November 10, 2018 at 5pm (201 E Ohio St. Suite 200 Chicago). The invitation can be found here.

The organizers of the exhibit are Serbian Association of Descendants of the Warriors 1912-1920 and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.    

The exhibit of photographs of the project "Album of Remembrance of Our Ancestors from the World War I" presents photographs, war diaries, military letters, correspondence cards, memorials and other historical material of the participants of the World War I. These are unique testimonies of the war adventures and sufferings of the Serbian soldiers in the war years which were suppressed from the pages of world history. The exhibit "Album of Remembrance of Our Ancestors from the World War I" is a result of the desire, a hundred years later, to pay due honor to this little man from the Great War for Civilization and to save from the oblivion his great sacrifice for justice, truth, freedom and humanity, and turn it into a cultural heritage.

The program is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia - the Directorate for Cooperation with Diaspora and Serbs in the Region and the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia.

The Consulate General is organizing the Consular Day on Saturday, November 3, 2018 during the Serbian Festival at the Serbian Orthodox Church St. Sava in Phoenix (4436 East McKinley Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008).

The representatives of the Consulate General will be present in the said church on November 3 and will be able to receive all possible consular requests and answer questions regarding consular services. This does not apply to the application for a passport, because these requests can only be submitted at the premises of the Consulate General.
Please note that on this occasion it will be possible to sign and verify the authorizations, especially those related to the inheritance rights and real estate in Serbia. For the verification of the given authorizations in the prescribed form it is necessary that the text of the authorization be submitted in advance in Word format, written in Serbian, Cyrillic script, to e-mail of the Consulate General. At the same time it is necessary to provide a copy of the valid identification document (valid passport of the Republic of Serbia). If the authorization holder does not have a valid passport of the Republic of Serbia, it is necessary to provide a copy of the US valid identification document (passport, green card or driver's license). Upon receipt of an e-mail with the specified documents, the Consulate General will provide instructions regarding the payment of consular fees.

We emphasize that authentication of documents will not be possible on site if they have not been previously delivered in the manner described above. Additional information regarding the verification of documents can be found here.

We invite citizens of the Republic of Serbia in Arizona to use this opportunity and verify the necessary documents or meet with the representatives of the Consulate General for issues of consular services.

Please share this information about the Consular Day in Phoenix with your relatives and friends.

 

Consular Day was held on September 29 in San Marcos, North County of San Diego, California. That was the first visit of the representatives of the Consulate General to the Serbian community in that part of California.

Considering that the Consular Day was held within the traditional Serbian festival in San Marcos, the largest festival of the Serbian community in Southern California, the Consulate General had its own stand at which visitors had the opportunity to talk with the representatives of the Consulate General and receive answers to questions regarding consular services. On this occasion, certain consular services were provided to the citizens of the Republic of Serbia. At the stand visitors had the opportunity to get tourist promotional material as well as answers to questions related to investing in Serbia.

The festival was visited by more than two thousand guests. Apart from the persons of Serbian origin, the guests of the Festival were American citizens as well as members of other ethnic communities living in the vast area of San Marcos. The event was attended by Jim Desmond, Mayor of San Marcos and Rebecca Jones, Deputy Mayor of San Marcos, who was also met by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic. The festival was also attended by priests of Serbian Orthodox churches in Southern California.

The assistance and support in organizing the Consular Day was provided by priest Milovan Katanić and representatives of the St. Petka church-school municipality in San Marcos, to whom the Consulate General is especially grateful.

You can see the photo gallery here.

The best Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic was in Chicago to participate in the exhibition tournament Laver Cup.

During his stay in Chicago, Novak Djokovic Foundation has organized a practice and socializing with over 60 Chicago children who play tennis.  More than half of the children who participated were from the local Serbian community, including students of Serbian elementary schools "Sveti Sava" from Chicago and Milwaukee.  Also, the Foundation has made it possible for over 40 children from the Serbian community to be present for one day at the tennis tournament.  The assistance with the attendance of the children was provided by the Consulate General in cooperation with children's parents and Serbian schools.

At the invitation of the Novak Djokovic Foundation representatives of the Consulate General attended fundraiser conference titled "Breakfast with champions", which was held at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago with the participation of tennis players Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as his guest.

Photo gallery can be seen here.

On Peace Day, which was established in 1978, for the forty time a message of peace was sent from Daley Plaza Square in Chicago. The event was attended by representatives of the city, the state of Illinois, the consular corps, representatives of ethnic communities, cultural and educational institutions, and others.

During the World Peace Flag ceremony, the flags of all the world countries,  members of the United Nations, are being carried. A prayer for peace is sent to every single country. The flag of the Republic of Serbia was carried by Nataša Pupovac, an eighth grade student of the Serbian Orthodox School "St. Sava" in Milwaukee.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic participated in the manifestation on behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia.

Photos can be found here.
 

Consular days in Cleveland were held on September 1 and 2 during the "Srbijada 2018" event. The event was held at the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Sava.
The Consulate General had its own stand at which the "Srbijada" visitors had the opportunity to talk to the representatives of the Consulate General and receive answers to questions pertaining to consular services. The most frequent issues were related to the provision of consular services - issuance of passports, admission to citizenship, birth registration, marriage registration, customs privileges, and more.
At the stand visitors had the opportunity to get tourist promotional material, brochures about investing in Serbia and others. Hundreds of people visited the Consulate General stand.
"Srbijada" is a traditional event that has been held since 1993 and which brings together the Serbian community from the entire North American continent. It holds a tournament of Serbian football clubs from the territory of the USA and Canada. Over 50 Serbian football clubs participated in this year's "Srbijada". The host of "Srbijada 2018" was the club "Karadjordje" from Cleveland.

In the period from July 25 to July 28, 2018, several manifestations were held in Washington, D.C. marking the 100th anniversary of the alliance between Serbia and the United States. On July 28, 1918, the  US President Wilson issued a Proclamation when, as a sign of gratitude to the Serbian people and their Army for the contribution in the First World War the flag of Serbia flew over the White House and other institutions in Washington. The organizers of the anniversary are the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Washington, the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and representatives of Serbian organizations and the Serbian community in the United States.

On the occasion of this meaningful anniversary, a reception was held at the US Congress, attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Ivica Dačić as well as the President of the Government of the Republic of Srpska, Željka Cvijanović.  The attendees were addressed by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, Serbian Caucus Co-Chair Ted Po, Sen. Ron Johnson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Lora Cooper and Bishop Irinej of Eastern-America. The significance of this anniversary celebration, as well as readiness for further improvement of the bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States, was emphasized on this occasion. President of the Government Ana Brnabić handed the medal from the President of the Republic, Aleksandar Vučić to Congressman Ted Po which was awarded him in gratitude for his contribution in strengthening ties between Serbia and the United States.

Bishop Irinej of Eastern-America held a prayer at the US Congress, after which members of the Serbian-American community in the United States were able to meet with their representatives in the Congress. A symposium was held at the National Press Club in Washington with the participation of several lecturers who spoke about the alliance between the American and Serbian people during the First World War, as well as the contribution of the Serbian army and the Serbian people - especially the participation and contribution of Serbs from America  - in achieving the great victory. The exhibition "There, Far Away: 1918 - 2018" was presented.

Following the reception organized by the Republika Srpska Office and with the participation of the President of the Government of the Republic of Srpska Željka Cvijanović, a concert of the String Quartet of the School for Music Talents from Ćuprija, Serbia was performed at the Karnegi Science Institute in Washington,  as well as the Serbian Singing Society "Lira" from the St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church from Washington DC. The All-Orthodox liturgy and memorial to the victims of the war were held at the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Washington. The final event was a gala dinner held at the National Press Club in Washington.

Photo gallery can be viewed here.
 

The Consulate General is organizing the Consular Day on Suturday, September 29, 2018 during the Serbian Festival at the Serbian Orthodox Church St. Petka in San Marcos (1854 Knob Hill Road, San Marcos, CA 92069).

The representatives of the Consulate General will be present in the said church on September 29 and will be able to receive all possible consular requests and answer questions regarding consular services. This does not apply to the application for a passport, because these requests can only be submitted at the premises of the Consulate General.

Please note that on this occasion it will be possible to sign and verify the authorizations, especially those related to the inheritance rights and real estate in Serbia. For the verification of the given authorizations in the prescribed form it is necessary that the text of the authorization be submitted in advance in WORD format, written in Serbian, Cyrillic script, to e-mail: info@scgchicago.org. At the same time it is necessary to provide a copy of the valid identification document (valid passport of the Republic of Serbia). If the authorization holder does not have a valid passport of the Republic of Serbia, it is necessary to provide a copy of the US valid identification document (passport, green card or driver's license). Upon receipt of an e-mail with the specified documents, the Consulate General will provide instructions regarding the payment of consular fees.

We emphasize that authentication of documents will not be possible on site if they have not been previously delivered in the manner described above. Additional information regarding the verification of documents can be found here.

We invite citizens of the Republic of Serbia in California and the neighboring states to use this opportunity and verify the necessary documents or meet with the representatives of the Consulate General for issues of consular services.

The national baseball team of Serbia participated in the International Baseball Challenge in Whiting, Indiana, and won the first place. The national teams of Croatia, Slovakia and the Team North America participated in the tournament, which consisted of prospective players currently playing for US colleges.

Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, visited Whiting and met with the organizers of the tournament, greeted the members of the team and wished them success in the competition. He also met representatives of the professional staff of the national team and president of the Baseball Federation of Serbia. They talked about the significance of the participation in the US tournament in representing the future development of baseball in Serbia, as well as for the preparation of representations for upcoming competitions in Europe.

The International Baseball Challenge tournament was established to promote the representation of countries in which baseball is not considered a popular sport.

Photo gallery can be viewed here.

At the Serbian monastery of St. Sava in Libertyville, suburb of Chicago, the Saint Mardarije's Days were held in honor of the first Serbian bishop of America and Canada. Liturgy was held by Bishop Mitrophan of Canada and Midwestern Bishop Longin. During the celebration a suitable program was held at the organized banquet, and the guests were addressed by Vladimir Božović, the envoy of Aleksandar Vučić, the President of the Republic of Serbia, who on that occasion read the letter from the President. Vladimir Božović emphasized the importance and role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Serbian Diaspora. He also pointed out the significance of Saint Mardarije, pointing out that he should be an example to every American citizen of Serbian origin on how to preserve the Serbian people, religion, language, culture and customs. "The Republic of Serbia is doing and will do a lot for her Diaspora, takes care of anyone who feels as a member of the Serbian people and invests efforts to preserve the Serbian identity. Our strength lies in unity, in help to each other with high awareness and responsibility for the preservation of Serbian identity ", related Mr. Božović from the letter.
 
During his stay in Chicago, Vladimir Božović met with the representatives of the Diaspora and Serbian organizations. He was also a guest of the local Serbian Radio Chicago.

The photo gallery can be found here.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the alliance between Serbia and the United States, since the US President Wilson's Proclamation of July 28, 1918, when the flag of Serbia fluttered at the White House and other institutions Washington in recognition of the gratitude to the Serbian people and their army for the contribution in the First World War.
In the period from July 25 to July 28, 2018, a series of events will be held in Washington DC on this occasion to celebrate this significant anniversary in a solemn ceremony.
The organizers of the anniversary celebration  are the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Washington, the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and representatives of Serbian organizations and the Serbian community in the United States.
Within the celebration there will be a reception which the senior officials of the Republic of Serbia and the United States are expected to attend.
Bishop Irinej of Eastern America will hold a prayer at the US Congress, after which members of the Serbian-American community in the United States will be able to meet with their representatives in the Congress.
A symposium at the National Press Club in Washington is planned, with the participation of several lecturers who would speak about the alliance between the American and Serbian people during the First World War, as well as the contribution of the Serbian army and the Serbian people to the great victory.
On that occasion the exhibition "Over There, Far Away: 1918 - 2018" will be presented. A concert by the String Quartet of the School for Musical Talents from Ćuprija, Serbia will be given at the Carnegie Science Institute in Washington, and the Serbian Singing Society "Lira" will perform at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St Luke in Washington. Also, the Eastern Orthodox liturgy will take place in memory of the victims of the war at the Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas in Washington. The final event would be a gala dinner that will be held at the National Press Club in Washington.
The Consulate General is inviting members of the Serbian community in the United States to contribute through their presence in marking this significant anniversary.
Program manifestations and other details can be found here.

During the tour in the Midwest, "Kosovo Peonies" (Kosovski Bozuri), the musical ethnic ensemble from Serbia, performed ten concerts at Serbian Orthodox churches in Chicago and other cities in the state of Illinois and Indiana, including the city of Indianapolis. Alongside the members of the "Kosovo Peonies", led by an actress Ivana Žigon, concerts include Bojana Peković, gusle, and Predrag Radisavljević, accordion. At the concerts they perform and recite songs inspired by Kosovo and Metohija. The attendance at the concerts was extremely good and the audience's reactions were very emotional.

On behalf of the Consulate General, the Actong Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the first concert held at St. Stephen of Decani Church in Chicago. During their stay in Chicago, members of the musical ensemble "Kosovo Peonies" also visited Consulate General.

Photo gallery can be viewed here.

The festival "Days of Dušan Kovačević" was held under the organization of the Serbian Theater "Mira Sremčević" in Chicago. On that occasion, "Stardust" was shown in interpretation of the members of the Serbian Theater in Chicago and "Marathoners Running the Honorary Circle" was played by members of the Serbian Theater from Toronto. The third performance, "Gathering Center" was to be performed by the Serbian Theater "Mira Sremčević" but had to be cancelled due to illness.

At the Festival audience was addressed by Slavica Petrović from the Serbian Theater "Mira Sremčević" and Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović, who expressed his thanks to the organizers of the Festival and for the enthusiasm of the members of Serbian theaters which was affirmed in previous years and thus took a special place in the cultural life of the Serbian communities in Chicago and Toronto.

A message of greetings from Dušan Kovačević which he sent for the occasion of the Chicago Festival was also read.
After the performance of the Serbian Theater from Toronto, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović met with the actors of the performance and thanked them for their participation in the Festival in Chicago.

Photo gallery can be viewed here.

The volleyball men's national team of Serbia will play in Chicago, and on that occasion will play matches with the national teams of the United States, Poland and Iran from 15th to 17th of June 2018. Matches are being played within the League of Nations.

The matches will be played at Sears Center Arena (5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy, Hoffman Estates, IL 60192).

The Consulate General invites volleyball enthusiasts and all interested parties to support the volleyball team of Serbia on this occasion.

For more information click here.
 

A new Law on Supplementing the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia has been adopted In Serbia, which allows for the citizen of the SFRY, or a citizen of another republic of the former SFRY, or a citizen of another state originating in the territory of SFRY, who on December 31, 2016 and on the day of filing the application has a registered residence in the Republic of Serbia. An application on the basis this legality may be filed within one year and no later than April 3, 2019. (Article 3 of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Citizenship of the Republic of Serbia).

The cited legal basis encompasses the category of individuals who have registered residence in the territory of the Republic of Serbia on December 31, 2016, as well as on the day of submitting the application, while at the same time being the citizens of some of the countries which were established within the territory of the SFRY. With the application for admission to the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, proof of residence in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, as well as a birth certificate and proof of citizenship of the country established in the territory of the former Yugoslavia must be submitted.

Details can be found here.

The play "Hypnotized by Love" by Dusan Kovacevic, the greatest Serbian contemporary drama writer, was presented at the Cervantes Cultural Center in Chicago. The organizers of the presentation of the Serbian play were International Voices Project in cooperation with the American theater "Vitalist" and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.
The roles from the play were read by the actors from the "Vitalist Theater". Dennis Barnett, a professor of dramaturgy from Iowa, translated the play from Serbian into English. This was the first presentation of the play "Hypnotized by Love" in English.
The play was featured within the 9th International Voices Project in Chicago, which also presented theater plays from Spain, Poland, Syria, Canada, Finland, Germany, India and Canada.
Prior to the program the audience was addressed by Patricia Lombardi Acerra, Executive Director of the International Voices Project and Vesna Zafirovski, a representative of the Consulate General, who thanked the organizers for choosing a Serbian playwright for the Festival, and emphasized the role and significance of Dusan Kovacevic in Serbian theater and film art.
Following the reading of the play Professor Barnett and actors of the "Vitalist Theater" answered the questions from the audience.
The photo gallery (by Scott Dray) can be found here.

Documentary film "Second Meeting" was screened at the Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago.

The film shows an encounter of the American pilot of the F117A plane who was shot down over Serbia during the NATO bombing and officer of the then Yugoslav Army. The film won awards in the USA, as well as at several international festivals. It was also shown at the UN headquarters, as well as at the US Congress.

Following the screening of the film, the Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic introduced Zeljko Mirkovic, honored guest and author of the film, who spoke about the film and answered questions from the audience.

A cocktail reception was held following the screening of the film and conversation with the author.

Photo gallery can be seen here.

On April 22, 2018 Consulate General organized  а Consular Day in Los Angeles.
On that occasion Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the church-school parish of St. Sava in San Gabriel, suburb of Los Angeles. He attended the liturgy of the morning and then met representatives of the church-school parish who introduced him to the work and activities of the Serbian community.
Acting Consul General had meetings and spoke with the citizens of the Republic of Serbia on matters of consular services. On this occasion, all citizens, who have previously contacted the Consulate General, were allowed to sign and authenticate the documents in a legally prescribed form.
Acting Consul General visited the Orthodox church in Arcadia, suburb of Los Angeles, where a Serbian festival was held on that same day. On that occasion he addressed the attendees and informed them about the responsibilities of the Consulate General, as well as informed them about the opening of the Consulate of the Republic of Serbia in Los Angeles headed by Honorary Consul Dr. Ryan Osborne. He also responded to interested parties to their questions on consular services.
Consulate General is grateful to St. Sava's Church and School in San Gabriel for their assistance and support in organizing the visit and the Consular Day.
Photo gallery can be seen here.

The Consulate of the Republic of Serbia led by Honorary Consul Dr. Ryan Osborne has opened in Los Angeles. Honorary Consulate was officially opened with the ribbon cutting ceremony by Mr. Nemanja Stevanovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and Dr. Ryan Osborne, Honorary Consul. The opening ceremony was attended by Novak Nedić, Secretary General of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Dejan Radulović, Acting Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

Following the opening ceremony, a reception was held at where the State Secretary Nemanja Stevanovic and the Honorary Consul, Dr. Ryan Osborne, addressed the guests. On that occasion, State Secretary Stevanovic emphasized the importance that the Republic of Serbia attaches to the improvement of bilateral relations with the United States and expressed the hope that the Honorary Consul will further contribute to the affirmation of the Republic of Serbia and to the establishment of stronger ties with the US and the state of California, which is the jurisdiction of the Honorary Consulate in Los Angeles. Honorary Consul Dr. Ryan Osborne said that he was honored to represent the Republic of Serbia, and that with his engagement he would endeavor to improve the ties between Serbia and California.

Dr. Ryan Osborne is a respected American physician and owner of the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles.

Photo gallery from the opening of the Honorary Consulate can be seen here.
 

Consular Day will be held in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 22, 2018 and not on April 29th as previously announced .

Representative of the Consulate General will be at the Serbian Orthodox Church St. Sava (1640 South San Gabriel Boulevard, San Garbiel, CA 91776) between the hours of 12:00 pm (noon) till 2:00 pm.

We wish to inform citizens of Serbia who have already contacted the Consulate General regarding the verification of the documents that they need to come at the specified time and bring with them the identification document. Only that way will the procedure for verification of documents be finalized and immediately available.

We invite citizens of the Republic of Serbia to use this opportunity to meet with the representative of the Consulate General for consular issues.

Please share this information about the Consular Day in Los Angeles with your relatives and friends.

Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora has announced a open call for co-financing of projects that contribute to strengthening ties between the homeland and the Diaspora.

The competition provides for co-funding of projects aimed at studying, preserving and fostering the Serbian language and Cyrillic script, preservation and cultivation of Serbian cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity, as well as the promotion of economic cooperation between Serbia and the Diaspora.

The open call is open until March 30, 2018. More info about the details regarding the submission of proposals can be found here (only in Serbian).

Economic opportunities and business in the Republic of Serbia were presented at the business forum "Doing Business in Eastern Europe". The Forum was organized by the College of Business at the Governors State University campus near Chicago.

Three countries - Poland, Bulgaria and Serbia - were presented at the Forum. Participants were the
representatives of the organizing Governors State University, from Boston's Northeastern University,
representatives of the US Department of Commerce, the US Small Business Agency, the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago and others.

Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, held a presentation on the benefits of doing business and investing in Serbia. He introduced the participants to the current economic situation in Serbia, the undertaken macroeconomic measures, to the created business environment which makes Serbia one of the more attractive locations for investments.  He pointed out all the advantages of doing business in Serbia, and especially the incentives for the financial support to investors. A five minute film "Why Invest in Serbia" by the Development Agency of Serbia was shown after the presentation.

The business attendees from the private and banking sectors had the opportunity to ask questions following the presentation by all three countries.

Photo gallery can be found here.

Treasurer of Cook County Maria Pappas hosted a reception for representatives of Serbian organizations, media and prominent individuals from the Serbian community in Chicago.

On that occasion, Treasurer Pappas introduced the attendees with the responsibilities of the Cook  County Treasurer’s Office and the measures taken in the modernization of work such as provision of electronic service. In particular, she highlighted the efforts which were made in order to obtain information and practical instructions from the Treasury's competence in Serbian language. At the same time, Treasurer Pappas thanked the Serbian community for the development of the city of Chicago, and gave seventeen certificates of thanks to Serbian organizations, media and individuals who contributed to the progress of the Serbian-American community in Chicago through their activities.

The reception was attended by the Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, to whom the Treasurer Pappas presented a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia.

American premiere of documentary film "Kosovo - a Moment in Civilization" by Boris Malagurski was held in Chicago.

The documentary is a film that talks about the importance of protecting Serbian monasteries and churches in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the need for the world public to get to know the truth about the threat to Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija.

The film was screened at the crowded hall of St. Stephen of Decani Church in Chicago. Prior to the screening, the audience was addressed by the church priest, Aleksandar Petrovic, followed by that of Boris Malagurski, who greeted by audience's ovation. Malagurski pointed out that the film was financially supported by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After the screening, Malagurski responded to questions from the audience.

The screening of the film was attended by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic on behalf of the Consulate General of Serbia. The screening was also attended by Vice-Consul Darija Bugarin from the Consulate General of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Chicago.

After Chicago screening the film will also be shown in other American cities: Miami, Washington, New York and Boston.

You can see the photo gallery here.

Acting Consul General of the Republic of Serbia, Dejan Radulović, held a reception on the occasion of February 15th - Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia.

The reception was attended by representatives of the State of Illinois, the City of Chicago, representatives of the consular corps, representatives of Serbian organizations and associations, representatives of the church and prominent individuals of the Serbian community, as well as other public representatives from Chicago.

The reception began with the intonation of the anthems of the Republic of Serbia and the USA, which were sung by opera singer Sladjana Sarić.

Attending guests were addressed by the Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, who recalled the historical events related to the Statehood Day's date. He emphasized the importance that Serbia attaches to the development of bilateral relations with the United States, the appreciation for US support to Serbia in the process of European integration, especially highlighting the intensification of further enhancement of economic cooperation. In this context, Consul Radulovic recalled the alliance of Serbia and the US during the First World War, as well as the centenary of July 28, 1918, when, by the order of President Wilson, the flag of Serbia was displayed on the White House and other state institutions in Washington in recognition of the gratefulness of the United States to the Serbian people and the Serbian army for their contribution to the Great War. He also emphasized the role of the Serbian community in the United States in the relations of the two countries, its contribution to the development of the city of Chicago and conveyed readiness for further deepening of cooperation between the sister cities of Belgrade and Chicago.

Governor of the State of Illinois, Bruce Rauner and the Mayor of the City of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel sent letters of congratulation on the occasion of the Statehood Day of Serbia.

You can see the gallery of reception photos here.

St. Sava was ceremonially marked at several events in Chicago and Milwaukee. The celebrations were held at the church-school municipalities and Serbian schools. The ceremonial academies with a special cultural and artistic program was held at the Serbian Elementary School "St. Sava Academy" in Chicago and at the Orthodox Primary School "St. Sava" in Milwaukee.

Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, attended the celebration in Milwaukee and on this occasion congratulated the school on their saint's day and the saint's day of the St. Sava Church, where he emphasized the importance which the Serbian elementary school has in preserving the language, religion, culture and tradition of the Serbian people, that is say in preserving the Serbian community in this city.

At the same time, Acting Consul General presented the gifts of books to students of the school, Ana Juric and Nastasia Radulovic, whose essays were awarded at the competition of elementary and high school students in the State of Wisconsin. He emphasized the importance of the achieved success and the affirmation of the Serbian school in Milwaukee.

Acting Consul General Radulovic also sent a letter to the "St. Sava Academy" in Chicago with congratulations on school's saint's day.

Sudents of Sunday School in all ecclesiastical and school districts have also formally marked the school saint's day with the appropriate program.

A photo gallery from the St. Sava celebrations can be seen here.

On the occasion of New Year's and Christmas holidays, the Consulate General held a traditional reception for representatives of the Diaspora. At the same time, the reception was dedicated to the Serbian Film Festival, which was held in Chicago from November 29th  through  December 3rd.

The reception was attended by representatives of Serbian organizations, church-school municipalities, associations, Serbian cultural institutions, representatives of Diaspora media and individuals from the Serbian community. Also, the guests of the Film Festival - actress Hristina Popović and Maša Dakić - attended the reception.

The attendees were addressed by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic, and on that occasion he thanked them for the cooperation in the past year and expressed  his best wishes for the forthcoming holidays. He also emphasized the importance of the Film Festival in Chicago for the community and conveyed support to the organizer - "Serbian Mirror", the monthly newspaper of the Serbian Diaspora in the US.

On this occasion Slavica Petrovic from Chicago, founder of the Serbian Film Festival and the owner and chief editor of the "Serbian Mirror" newspaper, received the gratitude of the Consulate General for the many years of contribution in preserving the identity, language and culture of the Serbian community in the United States, its media information, strengthening the ties with and the affirmation of Serbian culture, especially in the field of film and theater arts.

Photo gallery from the reception can be seen here.
 

The Serbian Film Festival 2017 was held in Chicago from November 29 to December 3. This fifth edition of the Festival was dedicated to the great Serbian actor Ljubisa Samardzic. The guests of the Festival had the opportunity to sign the book of condolences that will be delivered to the Samardzic family. The documentary  film "Panta Rei", which is the autobiographical story of Ljubisa Samardzic's acting career, was also shown at the festival.

"On the Milky Way", a film by famous Emir Kusturica, opened the film festival at the "Pickwick" cinema theater. Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the opening ceremony and addressed the audience emphasizing  the importance and support of the Festival. The opening of the Festival and screening of Emir Kusturica's film was also attended by the representatives of the Consular Corps in Chicago, that is, the Consul Generals of several countries.

The festival also presented the following feature films: "A Blind Passenger on a Ship of Lunatics", "Requiem for Mrs. J", "Military Academy 3" and "Autumn Samurai". Documentary films "Promise" and "Wandering hearts".

The guests of the Festival were actresses Hristina Popovic, Masha Dakic and Maria Karan. At the closing ceremony, the actresses were presented with plaques for participation in the Festival. Also, on the third evening of the Festival, fans of the Serbian film were addressed by Rastko Jankovic, Acting Assistant to the Director of the Directorate for Diaspora at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, who at that time expressed support for the Festival.

The founder and organizer of the Festival is "Serbian Mirror", the newspaper of the Serbian Diaspora.

Photo Gallery from the Festival can be viewed here.
 

Armistice Day was marked by a commemorative gathering held on November 11 at the Consulate General. The event was organized in cooperation with the Serbian National Defense, one of the oldest Serbian organizations in the US.

In their speeches speakers paid the respect and honored brave Serbian soldiers and all the Serbian victims of the First World War were expressed. The special honor and praise was paid to the memory of thousands of Serbian volunteers from America who participated in the First World War. The descendants of several Serbian volunteers from the United States attended the event.

Following the opening address by the Acting Consul General, the president of the Serbian National Defense, Mr. Nebojsa Zivkovic, spoke about the significant role of this Serbian organization and its first president, Mihajlo Pupin, who organized assistance and gathered Serbian volunteers in the United States.

Krinka Vidakovic Petrov, a professor and writer, former ambassador of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia in Israel, was the special guest on the occasion of the Armistice Day. A significant part of her creative and research work is summarized in several books dedicated to Serbian Diaspora in America. Krinka Vidakovic Petrov spoke about Serbian volunteers from America, their organizing, the collecting of financial assistance, of the role of women in collecting aid, and the overall engagement of Serbian Diaspora in America in the period before and during the First World War.

After a short presentation, a documentary about the most decorated woman "Milunka Savić - heroine of the First World War" was shown. Also, the Consulate General presented exhibit of documents and photographs from the records of the SND about the organization of Serbian volunteers, as well as stories about the decorated Serbs, members of the US Army during the First World War.

All attendees received the badges of Natalia Ramonda - symbol of the Day of Armistice in Serbia.

Photo gallery from this event can be seen here.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United States Đerđ Matković presented the possibilities and advantages of business and investment in Serbia from the stand of the Global Real Estate Theater at the NAR Conference & Expo Realtors in Chicago. Representatives of NAR, participants of the conference and fair, representatives of NAR's partner organizations from several countries, as well as representatives of the Serbian Real Estate Cluster, attended the presentation. Ms. Alicia Matheson, a representative from the American association announced the presentation and spoke very affirmatively about Serbia.

"The presentation of Serbia at such events as this one is very important and useful. Our participation and established contacts contribute to cooperation, in attracting potential partners to invest in Serbia, to education, as well as to getting acquainted with foreign experience and regulations in the area of real estate, otherwise significant economic branches of each country," stated Nenad Djodjevic, President of the Managing Board of the Cluster Real Estate of Serbia.

This is the largest annual conference and real estate fair in the United States which brings together business people in real estate, development and investment. More than 20 thousand business people participated in the conference and fair, including the representatives of partner organizations from over 60 countries.

The Real Estate Cluster of Serbia is a partner organization of the US National Association of Realtors. Representatives of the Cluster of Serbia had numerous meetings with representatives of the NAR and partner organizations from all over the world.

You can see the photo gallery here.

This year Belgrade Marathon was again the guest of the Marathon in Chicago (Bank of America Chicago Marathon). The Belgrade Marathon stand was opened at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago. Representatives of the Belgrade Marathon and the Tourist Organization of Belgrade were present at the stand.

The Chicago Sister Cities International organization arranged the presentation of the marathon by the Chicago's nine sister cities (Athens, Belgrade, Birmingham, Hamburg, Mexico City, Osaka, Paris, Shanghai and Toronto).

Dejan Nikolic, Director of the Belgrade Marathon, participated in the ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of consulates general of marathoners from the sister cities. Representing Belgrade were Andreja Mladenovic, Deputy Mayor of Belgrade, Desko Nikitovic, Co-Chair of the Committee for Cooperation with Belgrade at the Chicago Sister Cities International and the Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović.

Director Dejan Nikolić expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with the Chicago Marathon, and its importance for the Belgrade Marathon.

Photo gallery can be viewed here.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic offered his condolences to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson following the Las Vegas shooting, taking a death toll of at least 58 and injuring more than 500 persons.

"May I offer you and the citizens of the United States of America, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and in my own name, heartfelt condolences following the horrific shooting in Las Vegas.

The brutality of this crime, taking a toll on the lives of innocent citizens, is shocking.

The Republic of Serbia stands together with the American people, united in shock and mourning.

Please convey our profound sympathies to the bereaved families and friends of victims, along with our good wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured", says the message of condolences from Minister Dacic.

On Peace Day, which was established in 1978, for the thirty-ninth time a message of peace was sent from Daley Plaza Square in Chicago. A message of peace was sent from Daley Plaza Square. The event was attended by representatives of the city, the state of Illinois, the consular corps, representatives of ethnic communities, cultural and educational institutions, and others.

During the World Peace Flag ceremony, the flags of all the world countries,  members of the United Nations, are being carried. A prayer for peace is sent to every single country. The flag of the Republic of Serbia was carried by Zora Goljić, an eighth grade student of the "St. Sava" Academy in Chicago.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic participated in the manifestation on behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia.

Photos can be found here.

The Association of Krajina Serbs "Prelo" marked the fifteenth anniversary of the founding at a special celebration held in Chicago.

On behalf of the "Krajiško prelo", the president Duško Čučković addressed the guests and reminded them of the activities of the Association in the previous fifteen years. On that occasion, acknowledgements were given to individuals and organizations that supported the work of the Association. The acknowledgement  was also given to the Consulate General for which Vice-Consul Milinko Spica gave thanks.

The association exists since 2002 and gathers persons who were expelled during the war of the 1990s from the territory of the Republic of Croatia. The activities of the association are directed towards the preservation and cultivation of the faith, language, culture and customs of the Serbian people.

Consulate General had a booth at the event "SRBIJADA 2017" which was held September 1 - 3, 2017 in Chicago.

At the booth visitors of "Srbijada" had an opportunity to speak with the representatives of the Consulate General and to obtain answers to various questions regarding consular services: issuance of passports, obtaining the citizenship, registry of child's birth, registry of marriage, customs benefits etc.

At the booth visitors were also able to receive promotional tourist material, brochures about investments in Serbia and other printed material.  All interested parties were welcome to add their names to the consular guest e-mail list.

"Srbijada" is the traditional event which began in 1993 and which assembles Serbian community from the whole North-American continent.  It is a tournament of Serbian soccer clubs from the territories of US and Canada.  Over 50 Serbian soccer clubs participated in this year's "Srbijada".

Host of "Srbijada 2017" was soccer club United Serbs from Chicago.  Event was held at the property of the Humanitarian Organization Serbian Brothers' Help in Chicago vicinity. Over 10,000 guests attended this event.

You can access the photo gallery here.

The bust of Milutin Milanković, a Serbian scientist, was unveiled at the Serbian Cultural Garden within Rockefeller Park in Cleveland, Ohio.

The launching initiative for the placing of the bust was initiated by Aleks Maceski, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia in Ohio in cooperation with the Directorate for Diaspora of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. The bust of Milutin Milanković was done by academic sculptor Ivan Felker from Niš.

The Serbian Cultural Garden in Cleveland, which exists since 2008, contains memorials of St. Sava, Petar Petrović Njegoš, King Peter  I Karađorđević, Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, Stevan Mokranjac, Mihajlo Pupin, Nikola Tesla and Mileva Marić Einstein.

On August 17th, Belgrade, as the sister city of Chicago, was part of the event "UNIFEST on the River" at the city center at Chicago's promenade. In addition to Belgrade, the following Chicago's sister cities were represented: Paris, Milan, Lucerne, Delhi, Petach Tikva (Israel) and Galway (Ireland).

Within the program of "UNIFEST on the River" between July 13th and August 17th, all 28 Chicago sister cities were represented. The cities represented themselves through the promotion of food, drink and music. Belgrade was represented through the promotion of Serbian beer donated by the company "LAV Imports" from Chicago.

On behalf of the Consulate General event was attended by Dejan Radulovic, Acting Consul General and Leroy Allala, Executive Director of the Chicago Sister Cities International, who expressed his thanks for the support and assistance of the Consulate General.

Please see more here.

The fundraiser to help hospitals and health care institutions in Serbia was held at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. The organizer of the fundraising evening was the Humanitarian Organization Project C.U.R.E. (Commission on Urgent Relief and Equipment) from Denver, Colorado. It is an American humanitarian organization founded in 1987, one of the leaders in the collection of medical assistance for developing countries. This is the first time that Project C.U.R.E. organized a fundraiser for aid in Serbia.

Special guests of the evening were Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic and Princess Katarina. Partner of this fundraiser was also Humanitarian Organization "Our Serbs - Наши Срби" from Chicago.

On behalf of the General Consulate, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the fundraising event and thanked the organizers and especially Mr. Douglas Jackson, President of Project C.U.R.E.

The photo gallery from the event you can see here.
 

The Memorial Day for the exiled and suffering Serbs takes place in Serbia every August 5th. On this occasion, the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of America, Djerdj Matkovic, said: "It is difficult to find a sadder day in the recent Serbian history than August 5th 1995, when one of the greatest crimes against the Serbian people was committed, which cruel statistics about the slain and expelled persons speak about... Because of our past and our future, August 5th is the day that should become part of the collective memory - when we pay our deep respect to the victims."  The text by Ambassador Matkovic, can be read in its entirety here (only in Serbian).

Memorial Day was also marked at commemorative gatherings in the United States. Such a gathering, organized by the Congress of Krajina Serbs, was held on Sunday, the 6th of August at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago. After the commemoration, appropriate program was held at the large church hall.  Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic spoke to the audience. Actors from the Serbian theater "Mira Sremcevic" in Chicago also participated in the program.

On the same day, commemoration for the slain Serbs was also held by the Association Krajiško Prelo at the Serbian Orthodox Church in Bellwood.

Between 14th and 17th of July, the canonization of St. Mardarije from Libertyville, the first Serbian Orthodox Bishop of America and Canada, was celebrated at the Serbian orthodox churches in Chicago and Libertyville,

A symposium dedicated to the life of Bishop Mardarije was held during the celebration. The Holy Archdiocese liturgy was held at the Monastery of St. Sava in Libertyville in the presence of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej, Metropolitan Amfilohije, the Bishop of New Gračanica and Midwestern America Longin and other bishops.

The event was also attended by Vladimir Božović, an envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia, who on this occasion read the letter from the President. A letter with a message from the President can be read (1. and 2.page).

Please see the photo gallery here.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia wishes to remind the citizens residing in the United States that when applying for a passport it is no longer necessary to enclose the birth certificate and the certificate of citizenship of the Republic of Serbia. This regulation entered into force in June 2016 and is being applied since then. Data from the registers will be obtained through official channels. When applying for a passport applicant is required to sign a statement that he/she agrees that the necessary data are obtained in this way. The legal deadline for the exchange of data from official records is fifteen days. Details about the request for passport application can be found here.

Regardless of the above, the applicant, if he/she so wishes, may submit the birth certificate and the certificate of citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, not older than one year. In this case, the processing of the request for a passport will be shorter by the time period needed to acquire the data through official channels.

To the Serbian nationals who apply for a passport and at that time declare that the data from the registers be obtained through official channels, Consulate General recommends that they bring with them the old documents if they have them. Data from these documents will be used to fill the application in more detail.

Consulate General notes that Serbian citizens who plan to travel to Serbia during the summer months and want to apply for a new passport at their place of residence there may do so through the  same fast-track procedure. In order to do so it is necessary to present proof of residence abroad which in this case is USA (Green Card or valid US visa).

Consulate General presented an evening of caricatures and animated films by Zoran Jovanovic, a well known cartoonist and animator from Belgrade, whose name appears in the Anthology of the best cartoonists and illustrators as selected by the New York Times.

The best caricatures by Zoran Jovanovic, awarded at the international festivals, were on display including "General with crosses", which marked his professional career. Also presented during the evening were his animated films "Marxians", "Flags", "Antidogmin", "Libertas" and "Crazy Ship".

Acting Consul General introduced the guest who then spoke about the creative process, inspiration, influence of new technologies on the development of cartoons, engagement and experiences during his work and residence in New York. Guests had an opportunity to engage in question and answer session.

Jovanovic's creative achievements were presented at the festivals in Oberhausen, Montreal, Cracow, Sydney, Belgrade, Zagreb, London, Aspen.  Retrospectives of his animated films were held at the cinema houses at Harvard, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa; at cultural centers of Bombay, New Delhi and the Walt Disney Studio.  His works are represented at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York.

Gallery of photos can be found here. 

Dusan Kovacevic's play "Kumovi / Godfathers" was presented at the cultural center Cervantes in Chicago. The organizers of the presentation of this Serbian play are International Voices Project in collaboration with the Vitalist Theatre and the Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago.

The roles in the play were read by the Vitalist Theatre actors. The play was translated  from Serbian into English language by Dennis Barnett, professor of dramaturgy from Iowa. This was the first presentation of the play "Kumovi/Godfathers" in English.

The play was presented at the Eighth Festival of the International Voices Project, which runs in Chicago from April 17 to May 18, 2017. This is the first time that the Festival has presented a Serbian playwright. In addition to Serbia theater plays presented as part of the Festival were from Spain, Ireland, Finland, Romania, Germany, India, Australia, Wales and Sweden.

Before the beginning of the program, present guests were addressed by Patrizia Lombardi Acerra, Executive Director of the International Voices Project and Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic, who expressed thanks for the selection of Serbian playwright for the Festival and stressed the role and importance of Dusan Kovacevic in Serbian theater and cinematic arts. After the reading of the play questions of the audience were answered by professor Barnett and actors of the Vitalist Theatre.

The gallery of photographs is available here.

During the visit to San Francisco, on the occasion of opening a voting place in California, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic had many meetings and conversations with the representatives and individuals from the Serbian community in San Francisco and surrounding area.  Acting Consul General Radulovic visited church school districts of the orthodox churches St. Archangel Michael in Saratoga and St. John the Baptist in San Francisco.  During those visits he spoke with the priests and representatives of those church school districts about the questions regarding the interest and importance of the activities pertaining to the preservation of Serbian community, as well as cooperation with the Consulate General. He also attended the morning liturgy at the church in San Francisco followed by a meeting at the church hall with our citizens where he responded to their questions.

Acting Consul General Radulovic attended the gathering of Club Tesla which works at the Serbian Orthodox church in Saratoga.  During the visit he addressed attendees and spoke about the role and activities of the Consulate General. He responded to the questions from the audience which mostly referred to the status of the citizens as well as to the support of the Consulate General in the educational and cultural activities of the club.
 

The Consulate General held a literary evening with Nikola Moravcevic, the greatest contemporary Serbian writer of historical novels.

In his guest introduction, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic expressed the pleasure of the Consulate General which in this way wanted to express the respect and recognition of professor and writer Nikola Moravcevic for his contribution to Serbian literature. Nikola Moravcevic’s literary opus includes fifteen books or novels, of which twelve are historical.

Nikola Moravcevic spoke about the development of the literary form of historical novel in the world as well as in Serbia.  Professor Moravcevic introduced the topics covered in his historical novels. He responded to the questions of the audience, relating mostly to the creative process and the system of collecting the material and information required for the writing of historical novels.

Member of the Serbian Theater in Chicago, Vesna Zafirovski, read the selected passages from the novels “Vitez u doba zla” (‘Knight in the time of evil’) and “Grof Sava Vladislavic” (‘Earl Sava Vladislavic’).

Nikola Moravcevic resides in the United States, in Chicago since 1955.  He is the founder of the Slavic Department at the University of Illinois, where he was a Professor, Vice-Chancellor of the University and the Director of Administration for the University development.  He is an honorary Doctor of the Wroclaw University in Poland; winner of many awards and recognitions, such as the award “Rastko Petrovic” for his lifetime achievement in 2010, and the award “Janko Veselinovic” for the best historical novel in 2016.

This evening the Consulate General also displayed graphics and painting from the art studio Bokiki ART from Chicago (Irena Vujanovic and Bojan Jovanovic). Among the displayed artwork was a graphic which the authors exhibited at the Autumn Art Salon in Paris, in October of 2016.

The gallery of photographs is available here.
 

Several manifestations celebrating St. Sava were held in Chicago and Milwaukee. Celebrations were held at Serbian schools as well as at church parishes.

Solemn academies with appropriate cultural and artistic program were held at Serbian elementary schools: St. Sava Academy in Chicago and School St. Sava in Milwaukee.

Also, the Academy St. Sava in Chicago organized special reception for the donors and all those who assist and support the work of this school.  Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic attended the reception in the name of Consulate General and on this occasion he expressed his congratulations to the representatives of the Chicago school on the occasion of the holiday and school feast day (slava), as well as to the representatives of the Serbian school in Milwaukee who were also in attendance at the reception.  Mr. Borislav Bujeva, Consul General of Bosnia and Herzegovina, also attended the reception.

Attendees of the weekly school curriculum from all parochial schools also marked the school feast day (slava) St. Sava with solemn and appropriate programs.

Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia has announced an open competition for financing or co-financing of projects in the field of cultural activities of Serbs abroad in 2017.  The aim of the competition is to encourage cultural creativity and presentation of the members of the Serbian communities abroad and the preservation of their cultural identity.

The contest will support projects in the following areas: visual arts, theater production, literature and publishing, artistic music, grass-roots, folk and amateur creativity, cultural activities for children and young people, and scientific research and educational activities in culture.

Deadline for the competition applications is February 28, 2017. Open competition and the details regarding participation can be found here (only in Serbian).
 

On the occasion of New Year and Božić holidays a reception was held for the representatives of Diaspora and local Serbian community at the Consulate General of Republic of Serbia.  Reception was attended by the representatives of Serbian organizations, associations, Serbian cultural institutions, representatives from Diaspora media and prominent personalities of the Serbian community.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic addressed the gathering and used this opportunity to thank them for the cooperation in the past year and to wish them happy upcoming holidays.

The reception was organized in cooperation with Air Serbia. On this occasion Djordje Petkovic, Regional Director of Air Serbia to North and South America addressed the audience.

Photo-gallery from the reception you can see here.

Consulate General wishes to take this opportunity to extend to all citizens of the Republic of Serbia and members of the Serbian community best wishes for happy upcoming New Year and Božić holidays.

Serbian Film Festival 2016 was held at the theater "Muvico 18" in Chicago, December 2-4, 2016. This is the fourth Serbian Film Festival in Chicago. The following films were presented within the festival: "Stinking Fairytale", "Diary of the train driver", "Burek" and "Brothers on grandmother’s side". Also presented were the documentary film "Radnički is the love of Nis", "General Mihailovic - hero and punishment" and "Such faith I haven’t found even in Israel”.

Festival guests were actor Žarko Laušević, who opened the Festival, Miodrag Miljković, producer and director of the documentary "Radnički is the love of Niš" and Radosav Jevrić, author of the documentary film "Such faith I haven’t found even in Israel”.

Speakers at the opening ceremony of the Festival were Slavica Petrovic, director of the Festival and Dejan Radulovic, Acting Consul General who on that occasion emphasized the importance of the Festival and expressed his thanks to all those who assist and support it. The opening ceremony and screening of "Stinking Fairytale" was attended by Consuls General of Croatia and Macedonia, as well as the Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

On the second day of the Festival a special addition “In Memoriam” was presented, paying tribute to the greats of the Serbian film and stage who passed on in 2016. During the final evening guests were given bronze plaques of “Serbian Mirror” (Ogledalo) for their participation in the Festival.

The founder and organizer of the Festival is the newspaper of the Serbian Diaspora "Serbian Mirror". Festival, as in previous years, was held in cooperation and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

Beside Chicago some of the films from the Serbian Film Festival were previously presented in Washington, New York and Dallas.

Gallery of photos can be found here

The Consulate General held an evening of art with renowned Serbian painter and poet Sava Rakocevic from Chicago.

In his guest introduction Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic expressed the pleasure of the Consulate General which wanted in this way to express respect and recognition of artist Sava Rakocevic for his contribution to Serbian painting and national culture, and its affirmation in the world, especially in the US.

Sava Rakocevic spoke about his approach to painting, about spiritual inspirations, perspective, color. He also demonstrated the technique of painting on canvas and also had an interactive communication with the audience. Vesna Zafirovski, member of the Serbian Theatre in Chicago, read verses of the poet Rakocevic. Artist’s paintings were also exhibited on the premises of the Consulate General.  All the seats were filled to capacity. Among those present were a significant number of admirers of Sava Rakocevic and his art. Bishop Longin was also among those present.

Sava Rakocevic resides in the United States, in Chicago since 1966. In addition to those in the US and Serbia the audiences in many other countries had the opportunity to see his works of art. He had many solo and group exhibitions including the Exhibition of American Painting at the Palace of Congress in Paris in 1975 on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of US statehood. Significant exhibitions in Belgrade were retrospective exhibition at the National Museum in 1992 and the exhibition of paintings and drawings by the Serbian Academy of  Sciences and Arts in 2009. He received numerous honors and awards including the Vuk Award for special contribution to the national culture of Serbia in 2007.

Gallery of photos can be found here.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the church and school municipality of "Holy Trinity" in St. Louis and on that occasion had a meeting with members of the Serbian community. He attended the morning liturgy at the "Holy Trinity" church followed by the celebration of the Slava of the Serbian Sisters Circle. On this occasion Mr. Radulovic addressed the audience, congratulated them on their Slava and informed them about the activities and responsibilities of the Consulate General. At the same time, he thanked the parish on their efforts and activities that help to preserve the identity, language, culture and tradition of the Serbian community in St. Louis.

In conversation with the Acting Consul General members of the Serbian community were interested in obtaining documents from Serbia, the issue of passports, registrations of birth of a child or a marriage, issues of citizenship and other consular issues.

Father Ljubomir Krstic, the parish priest, expressed his gratitude for the visit and stressed the importance of cooperation with the Consulate General. Also, he stressed that this was the first visit of the representative of the Consulate General to their parish in St. Louis.

A Business Forum was held at the Consulate General on the on the topic of "Serbian companies and Serbian products in the US - experience, challenges and mutual support." Forum was organized in cooperation with the Serbian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Key-note speakers at the Forum were Zachary Harris, Advisor at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Zoran Golubovich from the Serbian-American Chamber of Commerce who is the representative of the United States at the Business Council of Diaspora with the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Dejan Radulovic, Acting Consul General.

The prime focus was the importance which the Government of the Republic of Serbia attaches to attracting the investments and improving economic ties with the United States. In this context, they expressed the support for initiatives that contribute to the strengthening of economic cooperation, as well as the placement of Serbian products and services in the US market. The Consulate General reinstated readiness and openness on its part to help interested investors and business people in the realization of their initiatives.

It was an opportunity to meet business people, for presentations, exchange of experience in placing Serbian products and services in the US market. It was pointed out that there is an increasing presence of Serbian companies, especially small and medium-sized companies which open their representative offices in the US and expand their business in the US market. In this context, the companies that were presented were the ones operating in Chicago or that have increased the business cooperation between Serbia and the United States (JPS Chicago -JPC from Belgrade, DES doo from Subotica and Lav (Lion) Imports from Chicago).

After the program, the Forum held a cocktail reception for the participants and guests that was sponsored by companies that were presented and by the Serbian-American Chamber of Commerce.

Gallery of photos can be found here.

Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia Djerdj Matkovic was a guest of the Institute for Politics at the University of Chicago and delivered a lecture on Serbia, its integration path towards the European Union, as well as the bilateral relations between the Republic of Serbia and the United States.

Ambassador Matkovic pointed out that the full membership in the European Union is a strategic goal of Serbia and he expressed his appreciation for the United States’ significant support of Serbia on her European path. Ambassador Matkovic said that the bilateral relations with the United States are on an upward trajectory, that they are constantly improving, and that there are good prerequisites for their further improvement in the political, economic and other planes.

Following the lecture, Ambassador Matkovic answered questions from students and guests present.

Ambassador Matkovic’s lecture was organized by the Consulate General in cooperation with the Institute for Politics at the University of Chicago. Co-sponsors were the Center for Eastern European and Russian-Eurasian Studies, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and International House of the University of Chicago.

Serbian Academy "Sveti Sava" in Chicago celebrated the 15th anniversary since its founding.

On this occasion, a festive concert was held on October 1, 2016 at the Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston with the following participants: Maja Bogdanović, cellist from Paris; mezzo-soprano Olga Bojović and pianist Kristijan Civljak, Chicago; string quartet of the School for music talents from Cuprija, Serbia; chorus “Branko Radičević” and students of the "Saint Sava" Academy.

Celebration of the Academy’s anniversary continued on October 2, 2016 with the Liturgy at the Orthodox Cathedral "Holy Resurrection of Christ" in Chicago followed by a festive ceremony at the church hall. The audience was addressed by Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia Djerdj Matkovic who congratulated the 15th anniversary and spoke about the importance of the Serbian school in Chicago. Ambassador Matkovic also conveyed congratulations and support to the school of the Minister of Education of the Republic of Serbia Mladen Šarčević. 

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulović presented the Certificate of Appreciation from the Consulate General for the Academy’s significant contribution in education of younger generations, preservation of language, culture, history and religion of the Serbian people.

Within the festivities a cultural program was performed with the participation of students of the Academy "Saint Sava" and ethno-group "Trag" (Trace) from Banja Luka.

Gallery of photos can be found here.

The Day of Peace, established in 1978, was held in Chicago. The message of peace was sent from the city center’s Daley Plaza square. City representatives, representatives of the State of Illinois, Consular Corps, representatives of ethnic organizations, cultural and educational institutions and many others participated in the event.

The flags of all the UN member countries were carried during the World Peace Flag Ceremony. A prayer for peace was said for each individual country. Consuls General or the representatives of the consulates based in Chicago carried flags of their countries. Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic participated on behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia.

Serbian folklore ensemble "Bozur" from Chicago participated in the cultural-artistic program. This is the first time that the representatives of the Serbian community in Chicago participated in the artistic portion of this event.

The Day of Peace in Chicago was founded three years before the UN declared September 21st as the International Day of Peace.

Gallery of photos can be found here.

The most renowned Serbian violinist Stefan Milenkovic was the special guest at the concert of the Lake Forest Symphony, held on 10th and 11th of September 2016. Under the baton of American-Serbian conductor Vladimir Kulenovic, symphony performed the works of Beethoven. "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber was performed as the opening number in memory of the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Both concerts were performed before a packed concert hall primarily with American audience as well as with a large number from the Serbian community, who greeted music director Vladimir Kulenovic and special guest Stefan Milenkovic with standing ovation.
At the invitation of the Consulate General, and thanks to the cooperation with the Lake Forest Symphony, the concert was attended by members of the Consular Corps in Chicago. They were warmly welcomed to the concert by the music director Vladimir Kulenovic and CEO Susan Lape.
Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic met with the performers and representatives of the Lake Forest Symphony and extended warm wishes for a successful 59th music season.
A reception was held after the concert which was co-sponsored by the Consulate General.
 

Serbian Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic received the delegation of the National Guard headed by Commander Major General Mark Bartman thus marking the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the State Partnership Program between the Republic of Serbia and the Ohio National Guard.

They summarized results of ten years of partnership and expressed great satisfaction with the excellent cooperation between the Serbian Army and the Ohio National Guard. They agreed that the State Partnership Program is one of the best segments of the bilateral military cooperation between the two countries, and the modalities of further cooperation within the framework of the Program were discussed.

State Partnership Program of the Republic of Serbia and Ohio is being implemented on the basis of the signed Status of Forces Agreement - SOFA of September 7th, 2006.
 

US Vice President Joseph Biden made an official visit to the Republic of Serbia and on that occasion met the President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic and Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic.

"Our bilateral relations are developing wonderfully and we share common values. We were allies in two World Wars and share the world's greatest two scientists, Tesla and Pupin so that this is an important junction point, " President Nikolic said.

Vice President Joseph Biden stressed that the US has a strong interest that Serbia achieves political and economic success, adding that he will encourage new foreign investments in Serbia.

Prime Minister Vucic said that he discussed bilateral relations between the two countries with US Vice President, about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and possible progress in the future, as well as regional relations and Serbia's European path. Prime Minister Vucic said that the bilateral relations between the US and Serbia are on the upswing and expressed gratitude to the US for its support of Serbia's European path.

Vice President Biden stressed that Serbia is a key political and economic cornerstone for the whole region and that the Serbian leadership is extremely important for this part of Europe. Some moments of our common history were extremely painful, recalled the Vice President of the US and added that he was happy that a new chapter has opened in the relations between the two countries. Vice President Biden has paid condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in the NATO campaign.

During Vice President Biden’s visit to Belgrade a bilateral agreement on extradition was signed between Serbia and the United States.

Serbian diaspora newspaper "Serbian Mirror" published an article related to the implementation of the provisions of the new Law on Administrative Procedure. We present part of the text:

Since June of this year in Serbia legal provisions came into force, which allow citizens to submit fewer documents when submitting various applications than they had before. We approached the Consulate General in Chicago and in reference to this Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic said the following:

"This is a significant improvement for the citizens of the Republic of Serbia that during submission of a large number of requests they do not have to attach supporting documents with the data that the administrative bodies already have in their records. This was discussed and argued over a very long time, especially in the Diaspora, and with this law it finally became a reality. The law has forced the government authorities to mutually exchange information from the official records, thus relieving citizens from obtaining documents, as well as free the citizens and administration from excessive and unnecessary procedures.

In practice this means that the citizens of the Republic of Serbia while submitting an application for a passport no longer have to submit documents such as the proof of citizenship or excerpt from the registry of birth. This information will be officially obtained by the competent authority to satisfy requirements for the issuance of passports. An applicant for a new passport is required to possess an identity document such as previous passport or identity card. In addition, at that time an applicant needs to sign a statement agreeing that the above data should be obtained through official channels. In this way, the citizens, especially those residing abroad, will be greatly facilitated when applying for a passport, since they will no longer have to obtain required documents from the country and will thus save time and money since they will not have to pay a fee for the issuance of the above documents. The law estimates a period of fifteen days to obtain the documents through official channels, which would naturally reflect in the total time saved in the resolution of submitted request.

Very often we are contacted by our citizens who came to the United States several decades ago and do not have any of the documents issued by the Republic of Serbia. Often, many are not even sure whether they even are citizens of Serbia in general because they left the country at the time of the former Yugoslavia. The consulate will provide assistance to all citizens who turn to us in order to establish the facts, particularly those relating to citizenship. In such cases even old documents can help us so that our advice and recommendations to the citizens who have left Serbia long ago is that upon arrival at the consulate they still bring us the old documents which will help us in the identification of relevant data for submission and resolution of applications.

It is the right of every citizen to independently decide whether the documents will be obtained by him/her or will opt for the competent authorities to do that for him/her.

Obtaining the information through official channels also applies to other consular services such as registering birth of children, registering marriage and requirements regarding the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia. "

On June 23, 2016, after a break of nearly a quarter of a century, a new direct flight from Belgrade to New York City has been re-established. The Air Serbia flights to New York will be operated five times a week under the numbers YU500 and YU501, the same ones which Air Serbia’s predecessor JAT Yugoslav Airlines used when it had direct flights to NYC.

The Airbus A330 aircraft named after Nikola Tesla, the most famous Serbian-American, has capacity of 254 seats, economy and business class. The first wide-body aircraft for intercontinental regular traffic between the Balkans and the United States is currently the largest aircraft in the fleet of Air Serbia. The Serbian airline is now the only company in the region that has a direct flight to the United States.

At the opening ceremony in Belgrade Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and US Ambassador Kyle Scott stressed that the new line represents an important step that will encourage economic ties and growth, help develop tourist potential and provide additional impetus to positive development of overall relations between the two countries.

The bust of Mileva Maric, Serbian scientist, was unveiled in the Serbian Cultural Garden within the Rockefeller Park in Cleveland, Ohio. Mileva Maric was the first wife of Albert Einstein.

The initiative for the placing of the bust was initiated by Alex Machaskee, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia in Ohio in cooperation with the Diaspora Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. The bust of Mileva Maric was sculpted by sculptor-academic Ivan Felker.

The opening ceremony was attended by Djerdj Matkovic, Serbian Ambassador to the USA.

At the Serbian Cultural Garden in Cleveland are also memorials to Saint Sava, Petar Petrovic Njegos, King Peter Karadjordjevic, Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic, Stevan Mokranjac, Mihajlo Pupin and Nikola Tesla.

Serbian elementary school "Sveti Sava" in Milwaukee celebrated the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the first Serbian Orthodox School in the United States.

Following the liturgy at the Orthodox Church "Sveti Sava" a solemn academy was held on the occasion of this significant anniversary of the school.

The audience was addressed by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic, who congratulated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the school and on the occasion presented a letter of thanks by the Consulate General for a significant contribution to the education of younger generations, preservation of the language, culture, history and religion of the Serbian people.

The First Secretary of the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Washington, DC Marinko Avramovic and a representative of the city of Milwaukee Mark Borkowski also extended their congratulations in their address.

On the occasion of the parliamentary elections in the Republic of Serbia, the polling place at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago was opened on 23 April 2016. 48 percent of the total number of registered voters in the voter list for the consular district of the Consulate General in Chicago came out to vote.

In accordance with the regulations, the results of the voting at the Polling Place Committee is displayed at the Consulate General.

Film "I defended young Bosnia" was shown in Chicago at the "Muvico" theater. The screening was attended by film director and screenwriter Srdjan Koljevic and producer Zoran Janković. Following the screening, the filmmakers responded to questions from the audience. The greatest interest of the audience was regarding documents and other sources used in the writing of the script.

The film screening was organized by the Serbian Film Festival in Chicago and the editorial staff of "Ogledalo – Serbian Mirror" with the cooperation and assistance of the Consulate General. While announcing the guests and the film festival director and Editor Slavica Petrovic thanked the assistance provided by the Consulate General.

In addition to Chicago the film was screened in Dallas, Texas also with the presence of the filmmakers.

The 10th Anniversary Celebration of Chicago-Belgrade Sister Cities Partnership was held at the Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center.

The organizers of the celebration were Chicago Sister Cities International and Belgrade Committee.

Desko Nikitovic and Ljubisa Milicic, Co-Chairmen of the Belgrade Committee, addressed the audience. Co-Chair Nikitović recalled the signing of the Charter of the two sister cities, as well as the activities carried out in the past. He also announced the engagement of the Belgrade Committee on new projects, especially on those that will contribute to the intensification of economic cooperation between the two cities. On behalf of the City of Chicago Lisa Kohnke, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Global Affairs in the Office of the Mayor read a welcome letter from the Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel.

In his speech Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic stressed the importance of strengthening the sister cities relations between Belgrade and Chicago and also thanked the organization Chicago Sister Cities International and the Belgrade Committee for organizing the celebration. Acting Consul General then read a letter from Belgrade Mayor Siniša Mali which was sent on the occasion of the celebration.

Participating in the program were violinist Stefan Milenkovic, folk ensemble "Božur", Serbian choir "Branko Radičević" and Goran Ivanovic Trio. MC of the program was Tanja Babic, journalist and speaker of the morning TV program ABC7. Exhibited at the Preston Bradley Hall were artworks of painter Gordana Nenadović.

Gallery of photos from the celebration can be found here.

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Executive Director for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of Commerce Skip Jones pointed during the talks in Belgrade on April 6, 2016 to the importance of strengthening the Serbian-American partnership for the sake of maintaining stability and progress in the region.

The Prime Minister Vucic informed the US delegation about the good results of the fiscal consolidation and other economic measures which Serbia is taking in order to improve business environment in the country. He said that the opening of a direct flight between Belgrade and New York by “Air Serbia” will facilitate contacts of business people and thus significantly contribute to the strengthening of economic ties between Serbia and the United States. The Prime Minister said that he expects greater presence of US investors, which would mean the transfer of work habits and entrepreneurial spirit onto Serbian workers.

Jones gave the Prime Minister the "Roadmap" - a strategy of development of economic relations between Serbia and the United States. The "Roadmap" emphasizes that need for strengthening trade and other economic ties between the two countries due to the importance of the Serbian-American partnership for the stability and prosperity of the region.The American side believes that conditions for foreign investors have been significantly improved in Serbia and that is the reason why more and more companies from the United States are considering the possibility of investing. The United States is therefore ready to work together with the Serbian government to encourage mutual trade and investments in the fields of IT, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing of parts for the automotive industry, as well as health care. This also entails the expansion of operations of US companies that are already present on the Serbian market, Jones concluded.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with the Chicago gallery Eleven Eleven Jewelry organized a workshop on how to create art objects and jewelry made of glass.

At her studio the artist and designer Dobrila Pintar presented a workshop on production of art objects made of glass.
Workshop participants were members of the Ladies Club of the Consular Corps in Chicago (CCCLC). Members of the club are wives of career and honorary consuls general and consuls as well as ladies who themselves are Consuls General and Consuls of countries that have consulates general in Chicago.

Workshop participants had the opportunity to independently and with the help of the artist create objects made of glass.

The Consulate General held a literary evening with the writer and theater director Vida Ognjenović. On this occasion she presented her latest book of essays "High Voltage".

Nikola Moravčević, writer and former professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago spoke about the book. Vida Ognjenović spoke about her book and the actual moment of the written word in the context of the growing impact of modern technology. She also read parts of the essays from her book "High Voltage".

During this literary evening lovers of literature had the opportunity to ask questions and have conversations with the writer.

Gallery of photos from the literary evening can be found here.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited Global Jewish Advocacy (AJC) - Regional office in Chicago and on this occasion had a meeting with Amy Stoke, Regional Director and her associates.

Amy Stoken and AJC representatives presented the work of this organization founded in 1906 and the actions taken to protect the rights of Jews around the world, suppress anti-Semitism and intolerance, and protect human rights and democratic principles.

Acting Consul General Radulovic informed them about the bilateral relations between Serbia and the US, the friendly ties between the Serbian and Jewish people, Serbia's relations with Israel and the Jewish community in Serbia. He also informed AJC about the recently adopted Law on Restitution of Property, or the rectification of the consequences of seizure of property of Holocaust victims, who have no living legal heirs, in accordance with the 2009 Terezin Declaration. Acting Consul General pointed out that it is a historical and ethical act that Serbia has become the first European country to legally regulate this issue. Adoption of the law was welcomed by the US officials, Israel and the World Jewish Restitution Organization.

AJC representatives expressed their gratitude to Serbia on the adoption of the law as well as the care and help to the Jewish community. They expressed hope that Serbia’s example will be followed by other countries.
 

Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia has announced an open competition for financing or co-financing of projects in the field of cultural activities of Serbs abroad in 2016.  The aim of the competition is to encourage cultural creativity and presentation of the members of the Serbian communities abroad and the preservation of their cultural identity.

The contest will support projects in the following areas: visual arts, theater production, literature and publishing, artistic music, grass-roots, folk and amateur creativity, cultural activities for children and young people, and scientific research and educational activities in culture.

Deadline for the competition applications is March 28, 2016. Open competition and the details regarding participation can be found here.
 

The book of condolences will be open at the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago fallowing the tragic death of Sladjana Stankovic and Jovica Stepic, staff members of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Libya during air strikes against terrorist camp in Libyan town of Sabrata.

The book of condolences is opened on February 22 and 23, 2016 between the hours of 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.

Address of the Consulate General: 201 E Ohio ST. Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60611. 

National Day of the Republic of Serbia was celebrated February 16th at the Daley Center Plaza in Chicago. The celebration was organized by the Consulate General in cooperation with the city of Chicago, the Chicago Department of Cultural Events and the local Serbian community.

The celebration began with the singing of the National Anthems of the United States and Serbia. During the singing of the national anthem of Serbia the flag of the Republic of Serbia was officially raised on the mast in front of the Daley Center Plaza. Acting Consul General addressed the present guests among which were the representatives of the US authorities, the Consular Corps, representatives of Serbian organizations and associations.

In an hour long cultural-artistic program performers were: choir "Branko Radičević", students of the "St. Sava Academy" and folkloric ensembles "Soko" and "Dukati i Biseri". The celebration concluded with a joint performance of all participants in a rendition of the song "This is Serbia".

Photos from the celebration at the Daley Center Plaza can be found here.

Also, on the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia the Consulate General held a reception which was attended by representatives of the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, members of the Consular Corps, Serbian community and many other guests.

Following the playing of national anthems of the US and Serbia audience was addressed by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic. Representatives of the State of Illinois and City of Chicago also read the greetings of Governor Bruce Rauner, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State Attorney Lisa Madigan.

Gallery of photos from the reception can be found here.

On the occasion of the National Day of the Republic of Serbia the Consulate General was visited by the students of Serbian "St. Sava Academy" in Chicago. A group of students in lower grades, headed by Director Marko Bojovic and their teachers were received by the Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic.

Acting Consul General explained to the students the importance of celebrating the National Day and introduced them to the historical events related to this holiday. In addition, students were interested in talking about the role and mission of the Consulate.

School director Marko Bojović gave his thanks for the reception and expressed satisfaction with the cooperation of the school with the Consulate General.

Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of the City of Chicago, has officially proclaimed January 27, the feast day of the revered Serbian patron saint of education and culture, as Saint Sava Academy Day in Chicago in recognition of the school's work and for its contributions to the community.

The Mayor's proclamation also noted that Saint Sava Academy is "the only full-time elementary school in Chicago offering dual language education in both Serbian and Russian languages," "offers a safe community where students are able to express their culture and religious beliefs," and "sustains an Orthodox faith-based education that provides students a strong spiritual compass both inside and outside the classroom."

Founded in 2001, Saint Sava Academy is the dual language parochial school located at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia believes that the Proclamation is a significant affirmation of the Academy of "Saint Sava" in Chicago. It gives this Serbian school recognition and acknowledges the efforts of the Academy in education of the new generations. Consulate General values that, in addition to being significant to the school, the Proclamation further affirms and emphasizes the importance and contribution of the Serbian community in the development of Chicago.

The text of the Mayor's proclamation is here.

At the end of each year Chicago daily newspaper "Chicago Tribune" publishes a list of ten Chicagoans who were outstanding in the field of arts and culture in the outgoing year.

According to the latest list, Serbian symphony conductor Vladimir Kulenovic was declared Chicagoan of 2015 in the field of classical music. On this occasion, "Chicago Tribune" published an article about Vladimir Kulenovic which you can read here.

In 2014 Vladimir Kulenovic was elected as the music director of the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra among the 150 candidates from around the world. In addition, Vladimir Kulenovic is the Resident Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and an Associate Conductor of the Utah Symphony.

On the occasion of New Year and Božić holidays a reception was held for the representatives of Diaspora and local Serbian community at the Consulate General of Republic of Serbia.  Reception was attended by the representatives or Serbian organizations, associations, Serbian cultural institutions, representatives from Diaspora media and respected personalities of the Serbian community.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic addressed the gathering and used this opportunity to thank them for the cooperation in the past year and to wish them happy upcoming holidays.

Photo-gallery from the reception you can see here.

Consulate General wishes to take this opportunity to extend to all citizens of the Republic of Serbia and members of the Serbian community best wishes for happy upcoming New Year and Božić holidays.

Serbian Film Festival 2015 was held at the prestigious cinema theater "Muvico" in Chicago from December 4 – 6, 2015.  This is the third Festival of Serbian film in Chicago. The following films were screened during the Festival: "For King and Fatherland", "No one's Child", "Stairless", "Enclave", "We Will be the World Champions", "As They Flew to the Moon" and "Legacy".

Guests of the Festival were Radoš Bajić, director of the film "For King and Fatherland", whose film opened the festival. Other guests were Vuk Ršumović, director of the film "No one's Child" and Goran Radovanović, director of the film "Enclave". After the screening of their films, guests were introduced to the audience for a question and answer session. During the final evening for their participation in the Festival guests were presented with bronze plaques of the "Mirror".

On the occasion of the Festival a letter with a message of welcome was sent by Mayor Ram Emanuel of Chicago.

The founder and organizer of the Festival is Serbian Diaspora newspaper "Mirror". As in previous years, the festival was made possible with support of Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

On the occasion of Armistice Day, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the main Chicago Public Library and the Library of the University of Chicago. During those visits, book "Serbia in the Great War 1914-1918" by authors Mira Radojevic and Ljubomir Dimic, printed in English language and published in 2014 in Belgrade was given as a gift to each library.

In conversation with representatives of both libraries Acting Consul General expressed his satisfaction that this book will now be found among millions of other books at two most important Libraries in Chicago, as well as that the readers and researchers will now have the opportunity to learn more about the significant contribution of the Serbian people in the Great War.

At both libraries gifted book will contain annotation that it was donated by the Consulate General.

Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora has announced a competition for co-financing of projects that contribute to strengthening ties between the homeland and the Diaspora.

The competition provides for co-funding of projects aimed at studying, preserving and fostering the Serbian language and Cyrillic script, preservation and cultivation of Serbian cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity, as well as the promotion of economic cooperation between Serbia and the Diaspora. The rights to participate in the contest have the organizations in Diaspora and non-governmental organizations based in the Republic of Serbia.

The competition is open until November 26, 2015. More info about the details regarding the submission of proposals can be found here.
 

Serbian Film Festival will be held in Chicago from December 4 – 6, 2015.  This is the third Serbian Film Festival in Chicago. As in previous years, the festival will be held at the "Muvico" cinema theater in Rosemont, IL.  The festival will screen the following films: "Nobody's Child", "For King and Fatherland", "Enclave", "Stair-less", “We will be world champions" and "Testament ". Directors Rados Bajic, Vuk Ršumović and Goran Radovanovic are the guests of the Festival.

More details about the program and the guests can find here.

This year in addition to Chicago the Serbian Film Festival will be held in Washington, DC on December 8 and 9, and early next year in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia invites all film enthusiasts to come and enjoy the screenings at this year’s Serbian Film Festival.
 

Group of students from the University of Illinois, led by Bridget Hockenberry, program President of the International Business Club, visited the Consulate General. On that occasion there was a presentation about Serbia's political system, foreign policy, bilateral relations with the United States, the culture of the Serbian people and Serbian famous scientists, as well as other affirmative amenities such as customs, diet and success in sports.

Considering the special interest for the business climate in Serbia, a simultaneous presentation was given on the economic situation and investment opportunities in Serbia. Through the presentation of "Invest in Serbia" by the Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency advantages for foreign investors in terms of tax incentives, competitive tax environment, low operating costs, free trade agreements, educational staff and others were presented.

Lifeline Humanitarian Organization-Chicago, sponsored by Princess Katherine Karadjordjevic, organized a fundraising event at the Cultural Center of Chicago to help cardio-pediatric ward of the University’s Children Hospital Tiršova in Belgrade. On this occasion they presented the activities of Lifeline and needs of the above clinic.

The event was attended by Crown Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine. Mrs. Kathy Fanslow, President of Lifeline-Chicago, welcomed the guests and thanked everyone who responded to the call for action and collecting donations for the Children's Hospital in Belgrade. In an emotional speech Princess Katherine introduced those present with the previous actions, primarily addressed to orphanages and hospitals in Serbia, as well as with the needs for humanitarian assistance. Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic spoke on behalf of the Consulate General, and thanked Lifeline-Chicago for their humanitarian work.

A few days prior to the fundraising event, Lifeline-Chicago has shipped a container with Christmas gifts intended for the children in Serbia.

Milorad Veljovic, Director of Serbian Police, visited Chicago from October 23-28, to participate in the Annual Conference of the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police). Topics that were represented at the conference dealt with the challenges which police services face in order to meet global and local levels. Conference participants were also addressed by President Barack Obama.

During his stay in Chicago, Police Director Milorad Veljovic visited the Consulate General and on that occasion he met with Milan Vujic, President of the Serbian-American Association of Police Officers. The two parties exchanged their views on the possibility of cooperation with the Association.
 

• Because the request for its membership is a serious breach of the international law, the Constitution of UNESCO' The legally binding UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999) and the Charter of the UN whose Article 25 says that "The Members of the UN agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present Charter".

• Because according to the UN Security Council resolution 1244, which reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia), Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of the Republic of Serbia, under the administration of the UN. Since Kosovo cannot be considered a State, it does not fulfill the basic requirement for membership set out by the UNESCO Constitution.

• Because unilateral attempts such as this one seriously harm and disrupt the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, under the auspices of the European Union in which mutually acceptable solutions for many complex issues  have been devised so far. The issue of the Serbian cultural heritage and the property of the Serbia Orthodox Church has not yet been discussed within the dialogue where it belongs.

Serbian Radio in Chicago celebrated its twentieth anniversary. The celebration was held at the great hall of the Monastery of New Gracanica. Advisor to the President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Vladimir Bozovic, Very Reverend Milos Vesin and painter Sava Rakocevic spoke about the radio program, its importance and work over the past twenty years. Within his speech Vladimir Boživić read the letter of congratulation which Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia sent to Serbian Radio in Chicago. The congratulatory message, among other things, says: "Your work for the benefit and well-being of the Serbian people in America represent a jubilee for respect and praise. You were and are the voice of the Serbian people, the state and the church, and for that you and your colleagues and listeners should be proud ". On behalf of Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Very Reverend Milos Vesin presented Milorad Ravasi, founder and owner of the Serbian Radio, the Medal of Despot Stefan Lazarevic. On behalf of the Consulate General, congratulations on the occasion of the Jubilee and support for the radio was conveyed by Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic.

Documentary film about Nikola Tesla titled “Tower to the people – Tesla’s Dream at Wardenclyffe Continues” will have its premiere in Los Angeles on October 23, 2015 at the Creast.  Film speaks of Tesla’s laboratory and tower at the Long Island through which Tesla wanted to provide wireless energy to the whole world. For the making of the film American director Joseph Sikorski used archived documents of the Museum of Nikola Tesla in Belgrade. Following the premiere film will be shown at the same theater from October 24 – 29, 2015.

Тhe film had its premiere in April of this year in Belgrade. Also, last October it was shown at the hotel “New Yorker” in New York, where Tesla died in 1943.  More details about the film premiere in Los Angeles you can find here.
 

Conference of Diaspora journalists and media with Serbian organizations will be held on October 23, 2015 in Belgrade.

The conference is organized by the Diaspora Directory with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Association of Journalists of Serbia. The conference will be dedicated to the project of co-financing of the Diaspora and their adaptation to the digital environment.

Applications for participation in the Conference will be accepted until October 15, 2015. More information about the conference and application for participation can be found here.

Peace Day, a traditional event established in 1978, was held in Chicago. The Message of Peace was sent from the Daley Plaza. The event was attended by representatives of the City, the State of Illinois, consular corps, representatives of ethnic communities, members of cultural and educational institutions and others.

During the ceremony of World Peace Flag the flags of all world countries - members of the UN – were carried. A prayer for peace was sent for each individual country.

Consuls General and representatives of consulates based in Chicago carried flags of their own countries. On behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia Acting Consul  General Dejan Radulovic participated in the event.

The event Peace Day was established in Chicago three years before the UN declared September 21st the International Day of Peace.
 

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic paid an official visit to the United States from 15 to 17 September 2015 and on that occasion he met with Vice-President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry. Bilateral relations, Serbia's European path, migrant crisis, regional stability, investments of US companies in Serbia were the main topics of talks with US officials.

Prime Minister Vucic said that Serbia has received support from the United States for economic and political reforms and the path towards the EU.

During his visit to Washington Prime Minister Vucic met with several Congressmen: Chris Smith, Bob Corker, Edward Royce, Eliot Angel and David Sislen.

At the Brookings Institute in Washington, Prime Minister Vučić gave a lecture on the topic “The Future of Serbia: Challenges and Opportunities for regional stability, reconciliation and integration”.
 

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej visited the United States between 3-12 of September 2015. During his stay in the United States, the Patriarch visited Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York.

The central event during the visit of Patriarch Irinej to the US was a celebration of the canonizations of Bishop Mardarije and Archimandrite Sebastian, which was held on September 5, 2015 at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Stevan in Alhambra.

Following the visit to the US, Patriarch Irinej traveled to Canada.
 

Serbian theater festival titled "Moving Stories" will be held in Chicago in between the 5th and 20th September 2015. Three plays will be presented within the Festival. The comedy "Art", show of the Belgrade Drama Theatre, starring actors Milan Gutović, Nebojsa Dugalić and Miljan Prljeta will be performed on September 18 at the Irish-American Center in Chicago. Performances "Usual evening" with Milan Gutović and "The Confessions of Dimitri Karamazov" with Nebojsa Dugalić will be played at the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava on 11th and 12th of  September. Opening Ceremony will be held on September 5th, 2015 at the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago is pleased to invite lovers of theater arts to the first Serbian theater festival in Chicago. More about the theater festival and schedule of performances can be found here.

After the Festival in Chicago, the actors from Belgrade will be performing in several cities in Canada.

Yet another opportunity for tennis fans courtesy of Sports Management and Promotions that through organization of tennis matches seeks to promote this wonderful sport in Chicago. Following Jelena Jankovic and Dusan Lajovic, Viktor Troicki will be next Serbian tennis player to be a guest in Chicago. A match between Serbian tennis player Viktor Troicki and Italian tennis player Simone Bolelli will take place in Chicago, on August 22, 2015. Tennis match will be played in Hinsdale. Details regarding the match can be found here.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia invites fans of tennis to come and enjoy this match.

Representatives of Serbia will participate in the World Special Olympics to be held from July 25th to August 2nd, 2015 in Los Angeles. Team Serbia consists of 83 competitors who will compete in water sports, track and field, basketball, volleyball, football, table-tennis and other sports.

Special Olympics were founded in 1968 in America as a program that promotes sports activities in various Olympic sports for people with intellectual deficiency. Since then, more than 150 countries have joined in this program, and the program now has over 4 million athletes. Since 1988, Special Olympics are an associate member of the International Olympic Committee.

Special Olympics of Serbia were founded in 2002 and since then enable people with special needs to a better integration in society through sports and sports activities. Since 2003 until today, Serbian representatives have participated in several Special Olympics and other competitions and have achieved significant results in them.

Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago wishes our Serbian athletes success in the forthcoming competitions in Los Angeles. More about Special Olympics in Los Angeles can be found here.

Serbian Cultural and Artistic Society "Stevan Mokranjac" from Vienna performed four concerts called "There, far Away...a Nostalgic Trip Through Serbia" as part of the American tour, from June 27 to July 6, 2015. Concerts were held in Milwaukee and Madison (Wisconsin), Chicago (Illinois) and Merrillville (Indiana).

The concert was held in Chicago at the prestigious Harris Theater. The concert in Chicago was performed by more than 40 members of the ensemble in folk dances from different parts of Serbia, and they performed several original Serbian folk songs.

Cultural and Artistic Society "Stevan Mokranjac" was founded in 1998 and for three years in a row is the winner of the Festival of folklore among ensembles of Serbian Diaspora in Europe. The tour in the US was organized in cooperation with Cultural and Artistic Society "Sumadija" from Milwaukee.

During their stay in Chicago ensemble members visited the Consulate General and the Acting Consul General welcomed them and wished them successful performances in the United States.
 

Serbian water polo team visited the US from June 1 - 10, 2015 and on that occasion had four friendly matches with the US national team (three in California and one in Chicago). It was the first visit of the Serbian water polo team to Chicago.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia through collaboration with the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in Chicago and its parochial school held a reception at the church hall and met with members of the local Serbian community.

Members of the team were welcome by church Priest Fr. Darko Spasojevic and by the Acting Consul General. Serbian Water Polo Association President Milorad Krivokapic and captain of the national team Zivko Gocić expressed their thanks for their welcome.

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited the primary school "Hellenic American Academy Socrates" in Deerfield, a suburb of Chicago. The reason for the visit to the school is that since it’s founding in 2004 by the local Greek Orthodox Church, the school has had a program of teaching the Serbian language. In fact, this school has worked before, that is as part of the Serbian parochial school at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Resurrection in Chicago.

The school director Voula Sellountos and Serbian language teacher Vlada Rokvić introduced Acting Consul General with the history of the school, learning development and teaching program, especially that of the Serbian language.

Acting Consul General expressed his gratitude and support stressing the importance of the existence of a school program for Serbian, not only for the study of the language, and also for the good cooperation and friendly relations between the local Greek and Serbian communities.

Film "We will be world champions," premiered in Chicago on June 6, 2015. It was the American premiere of this movie. The film was screened at the cinema hall "Patio Theater" in Chicago.

"We will be world champions," directed by Darko Bajic, is a film about the birth and rise of the Yugoslav basketball. The central event of the film is 1970 crucial World Cup between Yugoslavia and the United States.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia is grateful to the company "The GM Films," which enabled and organized the US premiere of the film in Chicago.

Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia in USA Đerđ Matkovic visited Chicago on 14 and 15 May 2015 and on that occasion had several meetings with representatives of the Serbian community. Ambassador Matkovic visited the Academy of "Sveti Sava" and became familiar with the work of the only accredited school in Chicago which has classes in Serbian language. Also, Ambassador Matkovic visited the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral, and Serbian-American Museum St. Sava.

During the visit special attention was given to the possibilities for improvement of economic ties between the Diaspora and the motherland. Within this context, Ambassador Matkovic visited company PMI Cartoning in Elk Grove Village, which has shown interest to invest in Serbia. In addition, in collaboration with the Serbian-American Chamber of Commerce, Consulate General has organized the meeting between the ambassador and business people and representatives of the Diaspora with the theme "The importance of the Diaspora in the economic cooperation with Serbia - Possibilities and Challenges". Ambassador Matkovic conveyed the readiness of the Embassy and the Consulates General of Serbia in the United States in assisting all members of the Diaspora who have plans to invest in Serbia or do business with Serbian companies.

During his stay in Chicago, Ambassador Matkovic had meetings with the Deputy Governor of the State of Illinois Evelyn Sanguinetti and Deputy Mayor Steve Koch. In their talks they exchanged opinions on further cooperation between Serbia and Illinois, and on further cooperation between Sister Cities Belgrade and Chicago.

See more in photo gallery here
 

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic and US Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby signed the Agreement on Air Transport between the governments of Serbia and the United States.

Mihajlovic said after the signing of the agreement that all technical requirements for direct flights between Serbia and the United States have been met, and expressed hope that they will start as soon as possible. She said that the US Federal Aviation Administration ranked Serbia in the category of the first order, which in aviation means that the country is safe and that it can apply for direct flights. The establishment of direct flights after 23 years will have great significance for the further economic development of Serbia, Mihajlovic assessed and reiterated that our country is ready as far as technical conditions are concerned.

The next step are talks between air authorities which will decide when to establish direct flights.

Ambassador Kirby expressed the hope that this will be done in the near future, probably in a few months, noting that it largely depends on the companies that are to operate flights.

Men's National Water Polo Team of Serbia will be a guest of the American Water Polo Team in June of this year. The two national teams will play four friendly matches: three matches in California (June 2nd in San Diego, June 4th in Riverside, and June 7th in Lake Forest) and one in Chicago on June 9th, starting at 7:45 pm at the University of Illinois.

More on visiting Serbian Water Polo Team in the US and the match schedule can be found here.

Consulate General invites fans of water polo and all interested parties to take this opportunity to support Serbian National Water Polo Team. 
 

Film "We will be world champions" will premier in Chicago on June 6, 2015. This will also be the American premiere of this film. The film will be shown at the Patio Theater, 6008 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60634, beginning at 7:30pm.

"We will be world champions," directed by Darko Bajic, is a film about the birth and rise of the Yugoslav basketball. The central event of the film is the crucial World Cup match in 1970 between Yugoslavia and the United States.

Consulate General invites all film lovers to take advantage of this opportunity and see the latest film of the Serbian cinematography.

More about the screening of this film in Chicago can be found here.

On behalf of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic sent a letter of congratulations to Mayor Rahm Emanuel on the occasion of victory in the elections for the mayor of the city of Chicago.

Among other, the greeting says that the new term as mayor will be an additional incentive for the further development of Chicago as a global and multi-ethnic city.It also states that the significant Serbian community in Chicago will provide its selfless contribution to the progress of the city as it did in the past, and that it will be a bridge of cooperation between the two nations.

"We are very proud that Chicago and Belgrade, the sister cities, this year celebrate ten years since the signing of Sister Cities Agreement. I am certain this will further enhance mutual cooperation and thus firmly consolidate the traditional friendship between the people of these two cities,” states the congratulatory message addressed to Mayor Emanuel.

Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and Management in cooperation with the Department of Diaspora and Serbs in the region of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will conduct an online survey in the next thirty days, which represents the beginning of a series of activities in the process of improving the study of the Serbian language and the Cyrillic alphabet abroad.

Two questionnaires are designed, which will be available by the end of April 2015. One questionnaire was designed for schools, organizations, associations, informal groups and individuals who organize any form of Serbian language study abroad. The second questionnaire is intended for citizens of Serbian origin who live abroad and want their children to learn Serbian language in the context of additional classes organized by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the questionnaire is to review the need for the development of such a type of education, improvement of school work abroad and arranging a network of schools in which classes would be implemented.

More on this subject, as well as the questionnaires, can be found here:

The Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure announced that the Government of Serbia adopted the present text of the Agreement on Air Transport between the governments of Serbia and the United States on direct flights between the two countries.

The signing of the agreement is expected soon in Belgrade. On behalf of the Government of Serbia, the document will be signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic.

This agreement will govern the conditions for the conduct of air traffic between the two countries. After nearly 16 years, Air Serbia will be the first airline in the region of the former Yugoslavia to have direct overseas flights.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia wishes to remind citizens of the Republic of Serbia that it is no longer possible to travel using a passport of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), the so-called “blue passport”, regardless of the expiration date entered in the passport. Passports of the FR of Yugoslavia ceased to be valid on December 31, 2011.

Bearing in mind that the holiday and travel seasons are approaching, Consulate General wishes to remind citizens of the Republic of Serbia to check their travel documents in order to avoid eventual unpleasantness at the onset of their trip.

Consulate General suggests to the holders of the FRY passport to file a timely request for the issuance of biometric passports of the Republic of Serbia. Details regarding the issuance of passports can be found here.

Serbian Amateur Theatre "Mira Sremčević" celebrated the 10th anniversary since its founding, at the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava in Chicago.

On this occasion, on the museum’s stage, they performed the comedy "Vlast” (Power) by Branislav Nušić. This play was the first one performed by the theater and it was staged in February of 2005.

In a sold-out theater, before the play began, the audience was addressed by the art director, Mrs. Ankica Ratarac, one of the founders of the Serbian Theatre in Chicago.

In the past ten years, the theatre repertory performed twenty plays, including "Žanka", "Тhe Professional", "Immigrants", "Mrs. Minister," "Larry Thompson - Tragedy of a Youth", "Canary soup", "Small Serbian comedy", "Stardust", "Koštana", " Seducer" and others.

Amateur Theatrе "Mira Sremčević" is the only Serbian theatre in the US. The theatre bears the name of late Mira Sremčević, founder of the Serbian Theatre in Chicago, former member of amateur theatres in Serbia.
 

On the occasion of National Day of the Republic of Serbia, on February 15, 2015 Serbian flag was waving in front City Hall administration of Chicago, on the flagpole at the Daley Plaza.

This is the first time that the Serbian flag was raised in Chicago on the occasion of the national holiday of Serbia. Posting of the flag was organized by the Consulate General in cooperation with the City Hall administration.

You can read more here (in Serbian).

Chicago premiere of the film "Love Hunter - How Rock ‘n’ Roll Survived in a Yellow Cab" was held on February 14, 2015. The premiere took place at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

“Love Hunter”, directed by Nemanja and Branislav Bala, is a musical comedy about love and New York adventures of Milan Mumin, the legendary frontman of one of Serbia’s cult bands.

Film’s director Nemanja Bala and actress Jelena Stupljanin attended the sold-out premiere and had a conversation with the audience following film’s presentation.

The funds raised from ticket sales will be donated to the Serbian Academy "St. Sava" in Chicago, which is located at the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral.

Following the premieres in New York and Chicago the film has forthcoming   presentations in other American cities.

The film will be screened in San Francisco on March 5, 2015 at Roxie Theatre and also in Los Angeles from March 13 to 19, 2015 at Laemmle Theatre.

Students of the Wayland Academy from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin visited the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

Students had the opportunity to learn more about Serbia through the presentation and discussion with the representatives of the Consulate General, about Serbia’s relations with other countries and activities on the international level.

Visit was organized on the occasion of students’ participation in the Model UN program.

Chicago City Council adopted the Resolution commemorating the tenth anniversary of the sister cities relationship between Chicago and Belgrade. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel awarded the Resolution to Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic with a request that it be submitted to Sinisa Mali, the Mayor of Belgrade.

The Resolution expresses the willingness of the city of Chicago to further develop and strengthen fraternal relations with Belgrade. City of Chicago is proud of the partnership with the city of Belgrade, as well as the long history of friendship and cooperation with the people of Serbia, says in the Resolution. Particularly noteworthy is the long-standing presence of the Serbian community in Chicago and its contribution to the cultural and economic development of the city. The context expressed an appreciation for Nikola Tesla, a son of Serbian Orthodox priest, whose inventions enabled illumination of the Chicago’s historic World Exhibition in 1893.

Read more here (in Serbian).

On December 13, 2014 Serbian community in Los Angeles marked the 100th anniversary of the First World War and the 100th anniversary of the death of Serbian composer Stevan Mokranjac. Milena Kitic, famous opera singer, Gorjana Zekić pianist, Mirjana Joković and Zeljka Gortinski, actors and Orthodox Choir "Source" participated in the program with other artists from Serbian and other ethnic communities. They performed Mokranjac, Handel and Weber. The concert took place at the Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach. The ceremony was attended by prominent representatives of the Serbian community and church, American friends, Gregory Karahalios, Consul General of Greece in Los Angeles and Vice-Consul Milinko Spica.

An exhibition tennis match was held in Chicago on December 14th, 2014 between Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic and an American tennis player Taylor Townsend. This was Jelena Jankovic’s first visit to Chicago, as well as the first such visit to Chicago by the top Serbian tennis player, which was met with an good reception by the Serbian Diaspora here.  Taylor Townsend is from Chicago and represents one of the more prospective American female tennis players.  Match organizer was Chicago company Sports Management & Promotions.

On the occasion of the tennis match Consulate General of Serbia in Chicago held a reception attended by both tennis players and their trainers.  That was a unique chance for the players to meet fans of tennis in Chicago, especially among the Serbian members of the community.  Press conference was held at the same time where both Jelena Jankovic and Taylor Townsend responded to questions of the media representatives.

Serbian Film Festival 2014 took place at the prestigious Muvico 18 film theater in Chicago between 5 – 7 December of this year. Three feature films were presented within the framework of the Festival: "Love isn’t always on time", "So hot was the canon" and "Little Buddo"; also three documentaries: "When your dad buys you an elephant", "Toward the light" and "Lauš".

Festival guests were Mary Žižović, author of the documentary "When your dad buys an elephant" and actress Brankica Sebastijanović who plays a main role in the feature film ""Love isn’t always on time." Following screening of their films, guests were presented to the audience and responded to their questions.

On the occasion of the festival greeting messages were sent by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Leroy Allala, Executive Director of the Chicago Sister Cities International.

Founder and organizer of the Festival is Slavica Petrovic, publisher of the newspaper "Serbian Mirror" from Chicago. The festival was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for Diaspora and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago wishes to inform all Serbian citizens that Consular Days will be held in Los Angeles on December 13th and 14th, 2014.

On December 13th, a concert organized by the Serbian Church will be held in St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, 18361 Chapel Ln, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. Following the concert the representative of the Consulate General will be available to meet with Serbian citizens and all interested parties.

On December 14th, the representative of the Consulate General will attend the liturgy at St. Sava Church in Los Angeles and following the services will have the opportunity to meet with members of the Serbian community in Los Angeles.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago wishes to invite all members of the Serbian community in Los Angeles and the surrounding area to come to the Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church on December 13th or to the St. Sava Church on December 14th, 2014 and get an opportunity to make a direct contact with the representative of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia. They can find out more information about travel documents, acquisition of citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, how to certify documents, customs regulations and other issues within the jurisdiction of Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago. The representative of the Consulate General will be happy to answer all the questions within the responsibility of the diplomatic-consular mission of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.

Tennis exhibition match between Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic and American tennis player Taylor Townsend will be held in Chicago on December 14, 2014, starting at 3:00 pm. The match will be played at Chicago State University (9501 S. King Dr, Chicago, IL). Details regarding the match can be found here.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia invites fans of the best in the sport of   tennis to come and enjoy this exhibition match in Chicago.
 

Serbian Film Festival will be held in Chicago December 5-7, 2014. This is the second Serbian Film Festival in Chicago. More details about the program, guests, and tickets can be found here.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago invites movie lovers to enjoy the screenings of the latest in Serbian cinematography.

The best Serbian racecar driver, Dusan Borković visited the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia during his business visit to Chicago. On this occasion, representatives of the Consulate General congratulated Mr. Borkovic on his recent success and winning of Second place in the race of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) at the famous Suzuka in Japan. This represents the best results in the history of Serbian motoring.

Dusan Borković informed us that he will be more present in Chicago in the future and discussed the possibilities of cooperation with the Consulate General.

Roundtable on the First World War, titled "An unsolved Business: The Legacy of the Great War" was held on November 4, 2014 at Indiana University in Bloomington. In addition to the hosts and Michael McRobbie, the president of the University, the participants at the round table were ambassadors of Australia, Austria, and Bulgaria to the United States, Consuls General of France, Great Britain and Belgium, representatives of the embassies of Germany and Italy in Washington, DC, former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar and former Congressman Lee H. Hamilton of Indiana, currently a professor at the University. The representative of the Republic of Serbia at the round table was Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic. Members of the round table spoke about the participation of their countries in the First World War as well as about the legacy and consequences of the Great War.

Milica Jocic Knezevic, an artist from Belgrade is participant of the prestigious contemporary art fair SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design) in Chicago, which takes place at the Navy Pier Festival Hall this November 7 – 9, 2014. “Analytic Concept of Breaking up the Game into Larger or Smaller Operations” is the title of the graphic composition with which the artist from Belgrade is represented at the expo. This artwork was awarded in 2013 in Italy. During her stay in Chicago, Milica Jocic Knezevic also visited the Consulate General.

Foreign nationals who have a valid US visa or lawful residence in the United States (green card) may enter the Republic of Serbia without visas and stay longer than 90 days within six month period. Visa must be valid for the whole duration of stay in the Republic of Serbia. Also, foreign nationals who have a valid Schengen visa, UK visa or other European Union member-states visa may enter the Republic of Serbia without a visa and stay longer than 90 days within six month period. The possibility of entering the Republic of Serbia without a visa is valid beginning November 8th, 2014.  Above does not apply to foreign nationals who are holders of emergency travel documents or travel documents for refugees and aliens.

160th anniversary of the birth of Mihajlo Pupin was celebrated at the University of Chicago. The anniversary celebrations are under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Serbia. 

The program began with the performance of the national anthems of Serbia and the United States by "Branko Radičević", the oldest Serbian choir in the United States, Professor Milan Mrksic from the Northwestern University in Chicago spoke about the life and work of the Serbian scientist. In his lecture Professor Mrksic stressed the importance and achievements of Mihajlo Pupin in the world of science, particularly emphasizing his attachment to the homeland, his assistance to Serbia, as well as his activities related to the Serbian community in the US and development of good relations with the United States. In addition to Professor Mrksic, attendees were welcomed by Bishop Longin, Obrad Kesic from Washington and Alexander Vlajković from Belgrade, who emphasized the importance of this great Serbian and world scientist. Documentary Film “Mihajlo Pupin – the Serb who connected the world” was shown.

Business delegation from Leskovac stayed in Chicago and on this occasion had business discussions and meetings with the representatives of local companies engaged in the importation, distribution and sale of food products from South East Europe. The delegation was led by Goran Cvetanović, the Mayor of Leskovac and Goran Jovic, President of the Leskovac Regional Chamber of Commerce. The delegation also visited the Consulate General at which time they had a conversation with the representatives of the Serbian-American Chamber of Commerce.

The first American tour of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra in its long 91 year history began with a concert at the Symphony Center in Chicago. Introduction of the Serbian Symphony Orchestra to the American cultural scene is the crown of the development of this institution and it opens a new page in the history of Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra.

Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra was presented along Zeljko Lucic, celebrated Serbian baritone and star of the Metropolitan Opera. Together they performed the excerpts from Verdi's "Macbeth" and "Rigoletto." Concert opened to the powerful music of "Slavic march" by Tchaikovsky, while in the second half Sibelius' “Symphony no. 2 ", demonstrated the technical mastery and breadth of musical expression of the Serbian National Symphony Orchestra.

In Cleveland, at the beginning of the concert at the Severance Hall, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and Military Band of the Ohio National Guard played together the anthems of the USA and Serbia.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia held a welcome reception for the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra. The reception was attended by Ivan Tasovac, Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, Maestro Muhai Tang, Chief Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Weiping Zhao, Consul General of the People's Republic of China and Brane Pećanac, Consul General of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the reception Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic stated: "The tour of the Belgrade Philharmonic has the historical significance and represents the strongest promotion of Serbia and Serbian culture. This is a historic event for the Belgrade Philharmonic as well as for all of us in Chicago."

See the video about the Chicago concert here.

Ivan Tasovac, Minister of Culture and Information, visited the Serbian American Museum St. Sava - Tesla in Chicago.

Zivojin Pavlovic, president of the museum and his associates acquainted the Minister with the history of the museum. The Minister also visited the museum exhibits on Tesla, Serbian emigration and the Royal family, the Orthodox Religion and Serbian athletes in the United States. Minister Tasovac and representatives of the museum exchanged views on the possibilities of cooperation with the cultural institutions in Serbia.

Serbian community in Chicago marked the centenary of the death of Serbian composer Stevan Mokranjac. "The Sky Was Filled with Stars" is the name of a series of events marking the anniversary. At the Symposium that was organized Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, Professor Danica Petrovic, retired (University of Novi Sad) and other presenters spoke about the life and work of composer Mokranjac. The concert of “Branko Radicevic”, the oldest Serbian choral ensemble in North America, was held at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago. They performed the sacred and secular music.    

This October Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra will perform for the first time in the USA. Concerts will be held in Chicago (October 6), Cleveland (October 7), Washington, D.C. (October 8) and New York (October 9).

Chicago concert will be held on October 6th, 2014 at the Orchestra Hall (220 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60604) at 7:30 pm.

The concert in Cleveland will be held on October 7th, 2014 at the Severance Hall (11001 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106) at 7:30 pm.

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago invites lovers of classical music to take advantage of this unique opportunity to welcome members of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and enjoy the concerts in Chicago and Cleveland.

More information about the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra and their tour in the US may be found here.

Information on tickets for the concert in Chicago may be found here.

Information on tickets for the concert in Cleveland may be found here.
 

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic visited St. Sava Serbian School in Milwaukee and the Serbian Academy of St. Sava in Chicago. During the visit he presented them with textbooks in Serbian language which were obtained by the Consulate General of Serbia in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Serbia. Textbooks were donated by the publishing company Eduka from Belgrade.

Consulate General highly appreciates the mission of these schools to preserve the identity of the Serbian community, Serbian culture and language. There is an expectation that the donated books will further assist and facilitate teachers and students in learning the Serbian language. Representatives of schools and priests of the Church of Saint Sava in Milwaukee and Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Chicago expressed their gratitude for the donated books.

Serbian music conductor Vladimir Kulenović was recently appointed to the position of Music Director of the Lake Forest Symphony Orchestra, which is in existence over fifty years. He was chosen over 150 candidates from all over the world.

Under the guidance of maestro Vladimir Kulenović, this year's music season opened with the gala concerts held on September 6th and 7th, with the performance of works by Haydn, Beethoven, Glazunov, and the "Fantasia on Serbian Themes" by Korsakov. Special performing guest at the concert was violinist Stefan Milenkovic.

Acting Consul General met with maestro Kulenović and congratulated him on his election wishing him a successful musical season.

Both concerts were held to a packed concert-hall of primarily American audience whose standing ovations greeted the performers, the new Music Director as well as the special guest.

For more information about the concert and the maestro Kulenović click here.
 

Literary evening was held at the Consulate General of the Republic Serbia with the author and theater director Mrs. Vida Ognjenovic. Mrs. Jelena Bankovic Moravcevic, Professor of English language and literature at the Oakton University in Chicago, gave an introduction and spoke of Mrs. Ognjenovic’s literary work.  Mrs. Ognjenovic read selections from her books “Poisonous Milk of the Dandelion” and “The Birdwatcher”, as well as from her new book of essays “Steadfastness of the Riddle” which is yet to be published. Attending guests had an opportunity to pose questions and have conversations with Mrs. Ognjenovic.

Read more here.

The U.S. Department of State’s magazine, State Magazine, is featuring Chicago’s sister city Belgrade in its current issue as the “Post of the Month”. Read the article in the magazine’s digital edition from pages 16-21 here. 

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that Serbia received permission for direct flights from Belgrade to the United States, beginning the second half of 2015 adding that "Air Serbia" will fly direct from Belgrade to Chicago.

At the joint press conference with U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby, Prime Minister Vucic pointed out that our country, after several decades, again received permission to operate domestic airline in America.

Prime Minister said that in addition to the flight from Belgrade to Chicago, the goal is for "Air Serbia" to be allowed to fly to New York. He said that the most difficult requests of the U.S. aviation authorities had been met and that there are still some conditions that need to be met; he expressed belief that Serbia will meet all the requirements related to the safety of flights.

Ambassador Kirby pointed out that the U.S. aviation authorities made a decision that Serbia has secured status "category one", which allows direct flights from Belgrade to the United States.

In an event called "Cer and Kolubara: In honor of the warrior" Serbian community of Chicago marked the 100th anniversary of the First World War. Bishop Longin and Consul Dejan Radulovic spoke about the Great War and the contributions of the famous Serbian army.

Actors of the Serbian Theatre group “Mira Sremcevic” from Chicago, Choir "Branko Radičević" and the folk ensemble "Soko" performed in the program.The celebration was held at the main hall of the Amundsen High School in Chicago.

The event was organized by the church Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection of Christ and their parochial school, in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago.
 

Serbian men’s volleyball team visited Chicago from June 11-15, 2014. The team played two games against the U.S. team at the World Volleyball League for 2014. Chicago Sports Commission announced that one dollar from every ticket sold for the match will be donated toward the flood relief in Serbia.

Volleyball team delegation visited the Consulate General of Serbia. They also visited the New Gracanica Monastery, where the national team was welcomed by large number of members from the Chicago Serbian community.
 

TRH Crown Prince Aleksandar and Crown Princess Katherine visited Chicago. On this occasion, the Humanitarian Organization "Lifeline", under the auspices of Crown Princess Katherine Karadjordjević, organized a fundraising dinner at the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava - Tesla in Chicago.

The event was attended by over one hundred guests. In her address to those present, Crown Princess Katherine related her visit to the flooded areas and appealed for help. Acting Consul General also spoke to the audience on behalf of the Consulate General.

Within the campaign “Together for the Children” additional fundraising dinner was organized and attended by representatives of the Greek and Serbian community in Chicago. The friendship between the two peoples and the importance of mutual aid and solidarity was highlighted in all of the speeches of this evening.
 

Serbian National Volleyball Team will play two games with the USA National Team on 13th and 14th of June, 2014 in Chicago. Games are being played within the World Volleyball League for 2014.

Games will take place June 13 and 14 beginning at 7:00 pm at the UIC Pavilion (525 South Racine, Chicago, IL 60607).

Consulate General invites volleyball fans and all interested parties to take this opportunity and support the Serbian National Volleyball Team.

More information about the participation of the Serbian National Team at the World Volleyball League read here.

For information on tickets please visit www.ticketmaster.com
 

The performance commemorating the 100 year Anniversary of Serbian Involvement in World War I titled “Cer and Kolubara: Honoring The Warrior” will be held on June 14, 2014 at 7:00 pm at the Amundsen High School (5110 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60625). Participating in the program will be Folklore Ensemble Soko, Choir Branko Radicevic, and the Serbian Theater of Chicago. Admission is free.

The performance was organized by the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago in collaboration with the Midwestern Orthodox Diocese and the General Consulate of Serbia in Chicago. 

Acting Consul General, Dejan Radulovic, visited PMI Cartoning Inc. Company from Elk Grove Village which donated $10,000.00 dollars to the flood relief fund for affected areas of Serbia. Acting Consul General spoke with the company’s president Branko Tisma and thanked him for the company’s donation.  At that time Mr. Tisma informed him that the employees of his company started a drive themselves in order to collect funds. The company will match the sum which the employees collect and all the moneys will be deposited to the special relief fund with the Consulate General of Serbia.

PMI Cartoning Company in Elk Grove Village has been in business for 21 years and also has a branch in Kraljevo, Serbia.
 

Fundraiser concert of renowned violinist Stefan Milenkovic was held on June 6, 2014 in Chicago. In addition to the famous violinist, the concert was also attended by pianist Rohan De Silva. Music artists performed in front of a full Fulton Hall of the University of Chicago. After the concert the audience had the opportunity to meet the artists.

Collected donations at the concert will be utilized to aid the recovery of the flood affected regions in Serbia.  The concert was organized by the Serbian American Museum St. Sava - Tesla.
 

The USA Men’s National Water Polo Team will host the Serbian National Water Polo Team from June 4 through June 8, 2014 in San Francisco. Two national teams will play four games. Portion of the proceeds from the games will be designated toward the flooded areas in Serbia.

For game schedule click here. 

Consulate General is inviting all the fans of the Water Polo and all interested parties to support the Serbian National Team.
 

It is with great sadness that the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago received the news that Professor Miodrag Radulovački from Chicago passed away during his stay in Serbia. With the passing of Professor Radulovački, Consulate General and the Serbian community in the U.S. have lost a friend and a prominent member of the Serbian Diaspora. Consulate General wishes to express deep gratitude to Professor Radulovački for everything he has done for the Serbian people in the Diaspora and the homeland. His mission and selfless assistance which he provided will be forever remembered. As a major donor and benefactor he will remain an inspiration to all who knew him, especially the Serbian community in Chicago.

In view of the unprecedented floods in Serbia, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has opened accounts for donations to help affected regions to cope with this natural disaster. These accounts will provide funds only for the flooded regions.

Foreign currency accounts in dollars and euros can be found here.

Also, checks and Money Orders payable to the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago  can be sent to the Consulate at address: 201 E Ohio Street, unit 200, Chicago, IL 60611, with memo "Poplave - pomoc".

Donations can be made via PayPal here.

More information on the floods and aid can be found here (in Serbian).

Consulate General is grateful to all who have donated and offered to help. At the same time, the Consulate General invites all the interested parties which are able to help to make donations for the affected population and recovery from flood damage.

$ 78,905.09  was donated by August 8, 2014 to the account of the Consulate General.

Humanitarian aid drive in Chicago. Please watch video

Serbia floods - aerial video
 

Diplomatic and consular missions of the Republic of Serbia in the United States and Canada would like to thank all humanitarian and non-profit organizations registered in the U.S. and Canada for their work and activities in collecting humanitarian aid for the flooded areas in Serbia. The Government of the Republic of Serbia did not give the exclusive right to any Diaspora organization or association to collect and send humanitarian aid.

Diplomatic and consular missions of Serbia highly appreciate efforts of all organizations, associations, individuals, Serbian Diaspora clubs and the Serbian Orthodox Church to collect humanitarian aid. Assistance is provided to all interested organizations and/or individuals so that the humanitarian aid may reach the people in need.
 

In reference to the deaths and suffering of victims of the devastating flooding in the Republic of Serbia, Mayor of the City of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel forwarded a letter to Acting Consul General with the following message:

”As Mayor and on behalf of the City of Chicago, I would like to express my deepest condolences to you and the people of Serbia as your country  is suffering  from the devastation of mass flooding and landslides.

The people of Chicago stand together with the citizens of Serbia as we reflect on this disaster. The City of Chicago and the Republic of Serbia share a long history of friendship as evidenced by our Sister City relationship with Belgrade since 2005. This relationship remains unyielding in times of joy as well as sorrow. In this difficult time, know that our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those affected by the flooding and landslides.

I hope that you find some solace knowing that the people of Chicago`s  thoughts are with you and the Serbian people”.
 

Acting Consul General Dejan Radulovic had a meeting with Steve Koch, Deputy Mayor of Chicago, at which time he informed him of the devastating floods in Serbia. He expressed hope that Chicago, as Belgrade’s sister city, may provide appropriate support to Belgrade and Serbia. At the same time, the Mr. Radulovic informed the Deputy Mayor about the activities of the Consulate General and the efforts of Chicago Serbian community to collect funds for flood relief.

Deputy Mayor Steve Koch expressed his condolences for the victims and his regret for the devastation caused by the floods. He conveyed that he will inform Mayor Emanuel of the meeting and consider possibility of support.

During the meeting, Mr. Radulovic and Mr. Koch exchanged opinions on cooperation of the sister cities, Belgrade and Chicago, in the upcoming period.
 

Exhibition of eighteen replicated statues of Roman emperors, who were born in the territory of Serbia, was held on May 17 and 18, 2014 at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in San Francisco. On that occasion, the archaeological site of Viminacium was presented to over a hundred parishioners.

The exhibition will also be presented at the church of St. Sava in Los Angeles on May 24 and 25, 2014. 

At the same time, the church in San Francisco has organized collection of donations for the flood relief assistance in Serbia. 
 

Regarding  the soccer  match of the national teams of Serbia and Panama in Chicago the press conference was held at the Consulate General. Program of national team’s stay in Chicago was presented to media representatives.

This is the first time that the national soccer team of Serbia will play in the territory of the USA. National soccer team of Serbia will play a match with the national soccer team of Panama on May 31, 2014 at Toyota Park Stadium in Chicago. Prior to the match in Chicago, Serbian team will play against the national team of Jamaica in New York on April 26, 2014. At the invitation of the Brazilan team, Serbian players will travel from Chicago to Sao Paulo and then play a match against the World Cup hosts.

Soccer fans in Chicago are invited to attend the match and enjoy soccer spectacle. Large Serbian community is specially invited to provide support to the national soccer team. It will be opportunity to meet and see the Serbian top soccer players.

More information about the tour and tickets can be found here.
 

The group of professors from the engineering faculties of universities in Serbia were on a study tour in the United States organized by World Chicago and Library of Congress. On this occasion they stayed in Washington, DC and Chicago. During their stay in Chicago professors have visited the Consulate General.  They had opportunity to learn more about the work of this consular mission, especially on the possibilities in establishing cooperation with local universities, as well as the cooperation of the Consulate General with the Serbian Diaspora.

Fundraising Concert for Kolarаc Foundation was held on May 2 in Chicago. Renowned music artists Stefan Milenkovic - violin, Olga Bojovic - vocalist and pianist Kurt Wersterberg, Jasna Popovic, Renee Jakovčić, George Radosavljevic and Christian Civljak performed in front of a full hall of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Evanston,. The program, in addition to works by great artists of classical music, contained compositions by Natasha Bogojević, Serbian composer from Chicago.

After the concert, the audience had the opportunity to meet the musicians. The great interest of the audience was especially the performance and meeting with Stefan Milenkovic. Video from the concert can be found here.

Prior to the concert in Chicago, Kolarac Concerts were held in New York and Washington. It is expected that they will be organized in other cities of the United States (Boston, Miami, Los Angeles), as well as in European cities (London, Paris). The funds raised at the concerts will be used to purchase a new concert piano for Kolarac Concert Hall in Belgrade.

Concert in Chicago was organized by the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia, New Artists Management and Serbian-American Museum St. Sava. Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia wishes to thank the music artists, the audience and all those whose donations contributed to the success of this concert.

More on the concert can be found here

Thank you letter of Kolarac's Director please read here
 

National football team of Serbia will play a match with the national football team of Panama on May 31, 2014 at Toyota Park Stadium in Chicago. Prior to the match in Chicago, Serbian team will play against the national team of Jamaica in New York on May 26, 2014. At the invitation of the Brazilian team, Serbian players will travel from Chicago to Sao Paulo and then play a match against the World Cup hosts.

This is the first time that the National football team of Serbia will be a guest under this new name in the territory of the USA. This will be an opportunity for the large Serbian Diaspora in the US to collectively support the National football team.

For more information about the game in Chicago please visit www.ticketmaster.com
 

The oldest Serbian documentary film “Crowning of King Peter I” from 1904, and a first Serbian feature film “The Life and Deeds of the Immortal Supreme Leader Karadjordje” from 1911, were shown at the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava in Chicago.  Projection of these films began the Retrospective of the Serbian Film which will showcase about twenty realizations of Serbian Cinematography.

Projections of the films will take place each Sunday through July 1, 2014.  Retrospective of the Serbian Film was organized by the Serbian-American Museum St. Sava and the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature from the University of Chicago.

You may read more about the Retrospective of the Serbian Film here.
 

Fundraiser Concert for Kolarac Concert Hall in Belgrade will be held on May 2, 2014 in Evanston, IL at the Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, 1004 Greenwood St. Evanston, IL 60201 beginning at 7:30 pm. Admission is free – donations are gratefully accepted. Collected donations will be used to purchase a new grand piano for Kolarac Concert Hall in Belgrade.

Performing in concert will be renowned artists: Stefan Milenkovic - violin, Jasna Popovic - piano, Olga Bojovic - soprano, Dr . Kurt Wersterberg - piano, Renee Jakovcic - piano, George Radosavljevic - piano, Christian Civljak - piano and Natasha Bogojevic – composer.  The program will consist of classical music and jazz arrangements of Serbian music. 

Fundraiser Concerts for Kolarac Concert Hall are being held in several cities in the U.S. and Europe (Boston, Washington, New York, Miami, London, Paris and Belgrade).

Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago, New York Artists Management and Serbian American Museum St. Sava wish to invite all the classical music lovers to attend this concert and through their donations contribute to the success of the "Concerts for Kolarac".

Metalac Company from Gornji Milanovac presented their products at the International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago, between March 15 and 18, 2014. This is the tenth year that Metalac presents in the American market. The company distributes its products through retail chains, Ross and Kohl's, as well as through ethnic stores in the Midwest. Representatives of the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Chicago have visited Metalac booth at the fair.