Serbian and Bosnian governments to hold first joint session

Serbian and Bosnian governments to hold first joint session

Vucic was speaking during a reception in Sarajevo on the eve of today's joint session of the two governments, and added Serbs and Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) "must live together," stressing that "no matter how many hotheads there are and those who think otherwise, we cannot do without each other."

"The sooner we realize this, it will be easier," said Vucic, adding that he believes that after the session of the Serbian Government and the Bosnian Council of Ministers "it will be possible to solve problem after problem, and work together faster and more efficiently."

According to Vucic, such meetings are "much more important because of citizens themselves than because of the EU, which currently has bigger problems."

Vucic said that the EU "can sometimes even undeservedly commend both countries, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, or to criticize without grounds - but it is important for us that citizens of Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina feel better and to develop their own businesses," describing the joint session as "a precondition to enable them to do that."

Vucic said that trade exchange between the two countries is growing from year to year, and that Serbia is currently second in the list of Bosnia-Herzegovina's trade partners, "and strives to be in the first place."

The prime minister said that in the first six months of this year exports from Bosnia-Herzegovina to Serbia grew 9.6 percent compared to the year before, and pointed out that Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will work to establish better economic and trade relations.

Commenting on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's warning of the danger of a new war in the Balkans in case her country closes its borders to refugees, Vucic, speaking before the start of a working dinner, said that the region's countries are "fed up" with wars.

"I understand the concern of Merkel, she has always shown this concern, we have understood it, but we are all fed up with going to war in this region and we will do our best not only to maintain peace and stability in the region but also for our economic and overall relations to progress and be much better," said Vucic.

Chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic said at the reception late on Tuesday that Serbia is always among the top three trading partners, and that further strengthening of cooperation between the two countries will make them more competitive in the region and enable greater inflow of domestic and foreign investment.

"The economy is a good base for relaxation of political relations," said Zvizdic, adding that the region needs to send a positive message to Europe, "and is, among other things, doing that by this joint session."

Zvizdic also said that in this regard this visit was not only institutionally and symbolically important. The reception was attended by Serbian government ministers and officials of Bosnia-Herzegovina