Belarus keeps up strong momentum in inter-parliamentary ties with Serbia

MINSK, 19 March (BelTA) - Belarusian parliamentarians continue to maintain good momentum in inter-parliamentary contacts with Serbia, Sergei Aleinik, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, told the media on 19 March, BelTA has learned.

The Council of the Republic hosted a meeting between members of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives of the National Assembly with Ivan Karic, MP of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and a member of the parliamentary friendship group with Belarus.

“We continue to maintain good momentum in inter-parliamentary contacts with the Republic of Serbia. In recent years, meetings have taken place regularly at various levels. There have been delegations in our country. We have met at the level of vice speakers and on the platforms of international inter-parliamentary organizations,” said Sergei Aleinik, noting, in particular, a meeting on the platform of the Inter-Parliamentary Union last autumn in Geneva.

The chairman of the Standing Commission emphasized that inter-parliamentary contacts undoubtedly contribute to strengthening friendly relations with the Republic of Serbia at the interstate level. He noted that these relations are time-tested, have a good, kind, and long-standing history, which also includes pages of a heroic past. Special attention was paid to historical memory during today’s meeting.

The parliamentarian noted that Belarus and Serbia will be commemorating significant, sacred dates in the history of their countries this year. 6 April will mark 85 years since the attack of fascist Germany on Yugoslavia, and 22 June will mark 85 years since the attack of fascist Germany on Belarus.

“We endured and we won. Today we continue to defend our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and our national interests under conditions of unprecedented geopolitical pressure, and, of course, to promote a constructive agenda in our bilateral relations,” said Sergei Aleinik.

The parliamentarians also paid attention to the development of political dialogue between the countries, which has been successfully evolving for many years at various levels, including the level of heads of state, the chairman of the Standing Commission said. He recalled that in 2024, the heads of state of Belarus and Serbia met on the sidelines of the World Climate Summit in Baku and outlined specific plans for the development of bilateral cooperation. According to the chairman of the Standing Commission, these plans are in the process of implementation.

In particular, the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation held a meeting last year, during which a roadmap for interaction in various areas for the next three years was agreed upon and signed. This is a direct result of the agreement between the leaders of the states, Sergei Aleinik said.

“We are actively working in the trade and economic sector, despite the sanctions pressure that both Belarus and Serbia are experiencing. We are promoting cooperation in industrial cooperation and agriculture. Today, this was also a subject of discussion,” he said. “Our social and humanitarian ties, cooperation in education and culture are actively developing.”

According to the parliamentarian, in February Gleb Lapitsky, a member of the Council of the Republic and Director of the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk festival, visited Serbia, where specific plans to intensify cultural cooperation between the countries were outlined. Meanwhile, Serbian performers have already become regular participants in Slavianski Bazaar.

Activating cooperation in the healthcare sector is on the agenda today, and the possibility of signing a relevant agreement is being worked out, the chairman of the Standing Commission said. He drew attention to the mutual interest arising from the visit of the Serbian minister of health to Belarus last year.

During today’s meeting, the parties paid special attention to the development of interregional cooperation between the countries. “All regions of Belarus and the city of Minsk have twinning relationships with cities and regions of Serbia. A total of 17 partnership and cooperation agreements have been signed at the regional level. There is very serious potential for deepening both economic, social, humanitarian, and tourism cooperation between our countries,” said Sergei Aleinik.

Attention was also paid to advancing the youth agenda, establishing contacts, and developing cooperation between the youth organizations of the countries. The parties also focused particularly, considering the guest’s expertise, on issues related to ecology, environmental protection, natural resource management, and urban cleanliness and order.

Inter-parliamentary cooperation between Belarus and Serbia is developing on many levels, the chairman of the Standing Commission added. Meetings are held regularly at the level of parliamentary leadership and at the level of friendship groups, which have been established both in the National Assembly of Belarus and in the National Assembly of Serbia. In Serbia, this group numbers 35 people, which indicates great interest in inter-parliamentary cooperation with Belarus. On Belarus’ part, the friendship group comprises 19 members of the Council of the Republic and the House of Representatives. Cooperation is actively developing, the parliamentarian concluded.