BELGRADE, December 8. /TASS/. The relations between Russia and Serbia are the best in history, the bilateral trade turnover is constantly growing, Serbian Minister of Innovation and Technological Development Nenad Popovic said during a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov. The ministers act as co-chairs of the Russian-Serbian intergovernmental committee on cooperation.
"The relations between Serbia in Russia are the best in history due to the close personal relations of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and no one can ruin them. Serbia and Russia are two friendly countries that develop the best political and economic ties, that mutually support each other on all important issues for both countries. The level of trade turnover between both countries is growing constantly," the minister’s press service quotes him as saying. Popovic also noted that "Serbia and the Serbian people are grateful to Russia and its president for their principal support of maintaining its territorial integrity when it comes to Kosovo."
According to the Serbian minister, the turnover between both states reached $3.6 bln in 2019, and in January-October 2020, it was reported at $2.05 bln. The trade turnover dropped in 2020 due to the pandemic by 21.4% compared to last year. From January to October 2020, the Serbian export reaches $750 mln, and its import hit $1.3 bln. "We aim to raise our export to Russia to $1.5 bln," Popovic said, reminding that Serbia is the only country in Europe that has a free trade agreement with Russia.
The Serbian official reminded that within the Turkish Stream project, Serbia "has finished construction of the linear part of the pipeline" on its territory from Bulgaria to Hungary, and "it is expected that the pipeline will begin to function starting early 2021." The Serbian politician has noted successful cooperation in the high-tech sphere with Russia’s Rosatom on the creation "of the most modern research center in Europe for the needs of medicine, agriculture, various spheres of science and technology."
For his part, Borisov welcomed Popovic’s appointment as Serbia’s co-chair of the committee, noting that this would give a push to the development of relations between both states. He noted that Russia and Serbia are tied by "historic and spiritual closeness," and that the countries "are developing the traditionally good-natured and friendly cooperation." According to Borisov, the countries’ governments are developing "active political and economic dialogue through the mechanism of the intergovernmental committee."
During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Serbia on January 17, 2019, the sides signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy. The sides also adopted a joint statement on the strategic partnership between the countries for the construction of a center of nuclear science, technology and innovation.
On October 19, 2019, Russia’s Rosatom state nuclear corporation and Serbia’s ministry of innovations and technological development signed an agreement on cooperation on the construction of a center of nuclear science, technologies and innovations.