Serbia "does not want to be part of any military bloc"

BELGRADE Ivica Dacic says Serbia does not want to join any military bloc while citizens would decide in a referendum if the issue of its NATO membership ever came up. "Serbia has the principle of military neutrality. Citizens will voice their opinion on that in a referendum, if this question is ever raised, but that is not a requirement for EU entry,” Dacic said Serbia "does not want to be part of any military bloc" He spoke during a joint press conference with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout on Thursday. Dacic was replying to a reporter's question as to the possibility of Serbia "joining the NATO before the EU," as the Czech Republic and Croatia did. The prime minister underscored that Serbia does not want to be part of any military bloc as it had a bad experience with them, but that does not mean that the country does not want good relations with NATO and to find common interests such as the maintenance of peace, stability and security in Kosovo. Kohout underlined that the Czech Republic always backs the will of the Serbian people, and that if Serbia decides to join NATO, his country will support that decision. “We have very good military cooperation, there is Serbia's interest in the Visegrad Agreement, there is the Partnership for Peace, and as regards the NATO membership, that is an entirely different question and there are two separate paths,” Kohout said. Jan Kohout and Ivica Dacic in Belgrade on Thursday (Tanjug) "Enhance relations" Ivica Dacic stated on Thursday that Serbia wishes to enhance the relations with the Czech Republic in all aspects, and Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout underscored that his country is willing to contribute to the Serbian government's priority goals through economic cooperation and investments. When it comes to the Serbian government's priority goals, comprising the IT sector, agriculture, automobile industry and infrastructure, Czech companies can contribute to their achievement, Kohout said at the joint press conference with Dacic and added that the Czech Republic can invest its funds and ensure new jobs. Kohout said that Czech companies are willing to take part in the construction of the thermal power plant Stavalj and transport Corridor 10. He also said that the Czech Republic would continue supporting Serbia's EU path. Dacic said that Serbia is grateful to the Czech Republic for the support it gave to the efforts Serbia invested at the beginning of its EU path. According to him, the two countries' economic cooperation is good and it can still improve. Last year, the exchange totalled over EUR 400 million and in the first seven months of the year, it increased by a third relative to the previous year. Many companies from the Czech Republic are interested in doing business in Serbia, for example in the drafting of the project for the Stavalj thermal power plant and railway and road corridors, Dacic said. Tanjug

Serbia "does not want to be part of any military bloc"

He spoke during a joint press conference with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout on Thursday.

Dačić was replying to a reporter's question as to the possibility of Serbia "joining the NATO before the EU," as the Czech Republic and Croatia did.

The prime minister underscored that Serbia does not want to be part of any military bloc as it had a bad experience with them, but that does not mean that the country does not want good relations with NATO and to find common interests such as the maintenance of peace, stability and security in Kosovo.

Kohout underlined that the Czech Republic always backs the will of the Serbian people, and that if Serbia decides to join NATO, his country will support that decision.

“We have very good military cooperation, there is Serbia's interest in the Visegrad Agreement, there is the Partnership for Peace, and as regards the NATO membership, that is an entirely different question and there are two separate paths,” Kohout said.

"Enhance relations"

Ivica Dačić stated on Thursday that Serbia wishes to enhance the relations with the Czech Republic in all aspects, and Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout underscored that his country is willing to contribute to the Serbian government's priority goals through economic cooperation and investments.

When it comes to the Serbian government's priority goals, comprising the IT sector, agriculture, automobile industry and infrastructure, Czech companies can contribute to their achievement, Kohout said at the joint press conference with Dačić and added that the Czech Republic can invest its funds and ensure new jobs.

Kohout said that Czech companies are willing to take part in the construction of the thermal power plant Stavalj and transport Corridor 10.

He also said that the Czech Republic would continue supporting Serbia's EU path.

Dačić said that Serbia is grateful to the Czech Republic for the support it gave to the efforts Serbia invested at the beginning of its EU path.

According to him, the two countries' economic cooperation is good and it can still improve.

Last year, the exchange totalled over EUR 400 million and in the first seven months of the year, it increased by a third relative to the previous year.

Many companies from the Czech Republic are interested in doing business in Serbia, for example in the drafting of the project for the Stavalj thermal power plant and railway and road corridors, Dačić said.