PM Vucic meets with British Foreign Secretary Johnson

PM Vucic meets with British Foreign Secretary Johnson

Vucic also said that he wants continued cooperation with Britain although it is leaving the EU, and that Serbia "needs that country as another pillar of stability."

"I am sure that we have plenty of chances to improve economic cooperation, cooperation on safety and security," Vucic said, when reporters asked "what complications" Brexit would cause in relations between Serbia and Britain.

According to the Serbian prime minister, "it is a fact Britain has been present in the Western Balkans for much longer than 50 or 100 years," that Serbia "needs it as a pillar of stability" - and as a country that will "always support the stability of the region."

"The stability of the region is crucial for all of us here, and I am extremely deeply grateful to Boris Johnson and Great Britain for supporting this policy," said Vucic.

Addressing the same news conference, Johnson said that Serbia has made great political progress and economic success.

"It is fascinating to see how the country has changed. I was here 17 years ago. Serbia has achieved great economic success and you have progressed politically," said he.

Johnson also described normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina as "important for everyone."

Britain will remain a friend to Serbia even though it is leaving the European Union, Johnson remarked.

"This is an old friendship that is always productive," said Johnson, who also, according to the Serbian government's website "expressed wish to intensify relations between Serbia and Great Britain at all levels."

Vucic spoke about the trade exchange between the two countries, which he said is "relatively small, given the potential and opportunities, especially of Great Britain."

"In Serbia, we do everything to create a better business climate and we want as many investors as possible," he said, and added that the visit of Johnson means that we are sending an invitation to investors to work here and make good profit, but also to employ citizens of Serbia.

Vucic said that he "exchanged views with the British Secretary of State on key political issues in these turbulent times and thanking for the support to Serbia on its European path and their desire to preserve stability in the entire region of the Western Balkans."

"We understand the policy of Great Britain, although we do not have the same stance on Kosovo and Metohija," Vucic said.