PM: We'll do best to be reliable partner to Germany

PM: We'll do best to be reliable partner to Germany

Vučić pointed out he and Merkel had discussed many important regional issues, underscoring that Serbia wanted even more German investments in the Balkans and in Serbia.

Of course, Serbia wants as many German companies as possible to come to the country and is working on reforms and the necessary laws at an accelerated pace, he noted.

Serbia will be a symbol of stability and Germany should expect no problems from Serbia, he told a news conference, adding that his country "would foster good relations with all its neighbors."

Germany is the largest and most important country to Serbia in the entire EU, and while Serbia is too small to be a partner to Germany, it does wish to be its ally, Vučić remarked.

He thanked Merkel for the help Germany provided during the recent floods in Serbia.

Merkel stated she was pleased Vučić had come to Berlin, adding that they had discussed the situation in Serbia and the country's prospects.

The relations between the two nations are good, she affirmed, adding that around 400,000 Serbs lived in Germany and that Germany was one of Serbia's most important trade partners, making economic cooperation an important topic of the meeting.

Merkel says Vučić informed her of his intentions to implement important reforms and listed battle against corruption and transparency as priorities.

Merkel on her part informed Vučić that an increase in German economic presence in Serbia depended on the quality of the legislation, and that the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) was a good partner to Serbia regarding the issue.

"There has been significant improvement in the relations between Belgrade and Priština, which led to the start of the accession talks between the EU and Serbia back in January," she said.

It is now time to open the first chapters of the accession talks and Germany is willing to help with that, Merkel noted.

Serbia, just like any other country involved in the talks, has to go through the whole process, to open and close all of the chapters, she stated, adding that the requirements for it would be defined in the process.

"The talks will involve the rule of law, economic adjustment and relations with Kosovo," she listed.

"It is encouraging that Vučić said the countries of the region with European future should create a free trade zone and adjust their standards to improve their talks with the EU," she remarked.

The accession talks with the EU can be used to stimulate economic cooperation in the region, she believes.

The German government will organize a conference on the Western Balkans in Berlin on August 28 and invite the prime ministers and ministers of those countries to the event with the goal of reviving the economy of the entire region, with particular focus on infrastructure projects, said Merkel.

The intention is to have a different EU country organize such a conference each year, and Austria will be the host after Germany, she explained.

The point of those conferences is to inform EU members about the situation in the region, she added.

A large number of German journalists attended the news conference at Merkel's office.

Vučić told reporters in Berlin that the future of the South Stream pipeline project did not depend on Serbia, but rather on a deal between Russia and the EU.

Asked "if Serbia wanted to continue the construction of the pipeline," Vučić said that "future would show if the project would be realized or not."

“It does not depend on us, but rather on an agreement between Russia and the EU. We have an agreement and a pre-contract signed. Gazprom is the majority owner of NIS, and Serbia is in a specific position. We will look to protect Serbian interests, but it also depends on the interests of Europe. You cannot skip EU countries to reach Serbia,” he said.

Vučić also stated that "Serbia is a democratic country that wants to guarantee the absolute freedom of the media."

"My intention was, and that is a part of the election program, that the media should be privatized, but that is met with disapproval from minority communities because of regional channels. Our wish is to guarantee the full and absolute freedom of the media," Vučić said at the joint news conference with the German chancellor.

Replying to the remark by a journalist with German news agency DPA who said that the majority of the media in Serbia is state-owned, Vučić said that the majority of the media in Serbia is in private hands.

Asked about the current discussion on the media freedom in Serbia, Vučić said that "key reform laws will be passed in the next few weeks, including the media laws that will leave less room for problems in the field."

Vučić continued his visit to Germany by meeting with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.