The President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine An. Tassoulas received the Prime Minister of Serbia Djuro Macut, who is visiting Greece on the occasion of his appointment as Honorary Doctor from the Department of Medicine of the School of Health Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Mr. Tassoulas referred to the strong historical, geographical, cultural and religious ties that link the two countries and form the basis for the development of bilateral strategic cooperation for the benefit of the prosperity of the two peoples.
Thereafter, the President of the Republic expressed his concern about the current geopolitical developments and the escalation of hostilities, especially in the Middle East, stressing the need to find diplomatic solutions to the problems of the region. He also condemned the horrific terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of Prophet Elias in Damascus, underlining the importance of protecting all religious communities in Syria, particularly Christians.
Lastly, he reiterated Greece’s support for Serbia’s European perspective, noting that, amidst increasing geopolitical volatility, the integration of the Western Balkan countries as a whole, into the European family will contribute decisively to the stability and prosperity of the region.
For his part, the Serbian Prime Minister expressed, among others, his appreciation for Greece’s contribution to Serbia’s European path, as well as its support for the territorial integrity of his country.
He expressed Serbia’s full understanding of Greece’s position on the need to protect the rights of Orthodox Christians, including the issue of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai.
In addition, he referred to the prospects for further development of bilateral cooperation in a number of areas of common interest, with emphasis on infrastructure, network connectivity, energy and the economy.
Finally, he conveyed the invitation of the President of the Republic of Serbia to his Greek counterpart for an official visit, which was accepted.
