Russia Day Celebrated In Belgrade, June 10 2024 (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)
The Russian ambassador to Serbia, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, said on June 10 that the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serb People, adopted in Belgrade at the Pan-Serbian Assembly, showed that Serbia and Russia shared many fundamental values on which they "have built, are building, and will continue to build" bilateral cooperation.
"We have waited so long for this important event to happen. If we compare what we have heard at the Pan-Serbian Assembly with what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has highlighted as essential for Russia's development, the words coincide, if not overlap," he said at the reception hosted by the Russian embassy to mark Russia Day in the Serbian capital.
The ambassador said that over the past several years the two countries had been given a particular opportunity to strengthen their ties, as Serbia had decided not to support international sanctions against Russia.
Having underlined the importance of protecting traditional and religious values, as well as spiritual ties between the two countries and stronger energy security, Botsan-Kharchenko said that Russian gas would flow to Serbia through the TurkStream pipeline "if they don’t destroy it."
The Russian diplomat reiterated that Russia was "forced" to attack Ukraine because, as he put it, a political peaceful resolution had not been reached for years. He explained that Russia had turned to Asia, and that national economy continued to grow.
Attending the celebration were Prime Minister Miloš Vucevic, the Serbian speaker, Ana Brnabic, Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic, Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasic, Minister of Labor and Veterans' Affairs Nemanja Starovic, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic-Handanovic, Minister of Education Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic, Minister of Sports Zoran Gajic, and Minister of Information Dejan Ristic.
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