Relations between Russia and Serbia reach highest level: Serbian minister signs memorandum for major infrastructure project in St. Petersburg

Russia and Serbia have agreed to develop a joint infrastructure for oil transport on the territory of Serbia, Russian Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov told reporters after signing a joint memorandum on cooperation between oil and gas companies of the two countries. during a meeting of the Russia-Serbia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in St. Petersburg, TASS reports.

It will be recalled that a 70-member delegation from Serbia is in St Petersburg, which, according to the Minister without Portfolio in the Serbian Government, Nenad Popovic, who is leading the delegation, is “showing openness and desire for cooperation” ahead of the trip. .

“We want to cooperate as much as possible and this is an opportunity to once again use the exclusive mechanism of the IGC, for both sides to cooperate as actively as possible, to reach the historic maximum in 2022, when our trade will be 4.3 billion dollars, and we will strive for this in the coming period,” said the Serbian minister, expressing his pleasure that the IGC meeting will be held “for the first time in three years”.

Russian Minister Reshetnikov explained that a Memorandum of Cooperation had been signed between the two largest oil and gas companies in Russia and Serbia, “which will become the basis for the construction and maintenance of oil transport infrastructure in Serbia”.

He stressed that this memorandum “lays the foundations for a major infrastructure project on the territory of this Balkan country”.

The new agreement provides not only for the construction but also for the subsequent maintenance of a complex of oil transport facilities, he said. The project is expected to strengthen Serbia’s energy security and expand Russian oil supplies.

The development of the oil-transport system will be the next step in strengthening trade, economic, scientific and technical ties between Moscow and Belgrade. The initiative shows the desire of both countries for long-term mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy sector, the Russian minister said.

He added that the implementation of the project will create “a reliable route for the supply of energy resources, which is particularly important in the changing geopolitical situation.”

Popovic said Serbia is proud of its historical and political brotherhood with Russia.

“Serbia is proud of its historical and political brotherhood with Russia. Serbia is proud of its political relations with Russia, which today have reached their highest level thanks to our Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin. I would like to underline our excellent mutual understanding at political and diplomatic level,” the Minister said.

According to Popovic, the Russian Federation is adhering to its strategy of supporting the Republic of Serbia in the name of its territorial integrity and independence, and on the issue of Kosovo. Serbia is grateful to Russia for not voting in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution on the Srebrenica genocide. Russia and Belarus are the only countries in Europe that did not support this resolution.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cancelled her meeting with the Serbian Prime Minister because of Russian Minister Reshetnikov’s recent meeting with Milos Vucevic in Belgrade.

In February 2022, Reshetnikov was placed on the European Union’s sanctions list for being “responsible for providing financial and material support and benefits to Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine”.

He was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in March, by New Zealand in April and by the US Treasury Department in June 2022 as a member of the Russian Government under Executive Order 14024.

/The Geopost