Video: https://youtu.be/c5ueNzVexjw
Dear All,
I am very pleased to be here with you today because we are at the start of another milestone in our cooperation and historical partnership with Serbia, and thereby also with the wider region.
I would like also to express my thanks to my good friend the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Serbia Mr Nebojša Stefanović for his commitment and the excellent cooperation we had in order to reach this day. He is not only a prominent Serbia statesman but also a great European.
The last few years have increasingly brought the European Union and our Western Balkans partners closer together, deepening longstanding ties and relationships across the European continent.
The Western Balkans Strategy, the Sofia Summit, and the upcoming Justice and Home Affairs ministerial in Tirana are important building blocks for our work in the areas of security and migration.
So the reason we are here in Belgrade today is a direct result of all the hard work and joint efforts of a promise and commitment that we have made some time ago.
Today we initialled the status agreement between the EU and Serbia on actions carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
This agreement will allow for the deployment of European Border and Coast Guard teams in Serbia and for the performance of border checks at border crossing points together with the national border guards.
Moreover, it will contribute to enhancing security at the EU’s external borders and ensuring a better management of irregular migration.
Let me already be very clear by emphasising that the European Border and Coast Guard is there to support Serbian national border guards, and operate in joint actions, together.
It is not there to replace or take over their duties and competences.
Moreover this is not only something for Serbia.
As I mentioned earlier, this is part of our general approach towards bringing the entire Western Balkan region closer to us, and cooperation on border management is an essential part of that.
Today’s agreement with Serbia is not the only one, as we have concluded and are negotiating with others in the Western Balkan region.
We need to forge close links with our friends from the Western Balkan neighbourhood.
They are our partners in our efforts towards enhancing cooperation in addressing irregular migration in order to ensure an effective and well-managed migration policy in a coordinated and comprehensive manner on the basis of our EU values.
Working together and cooperating with the government of Serbia, we have an important political momentum with Serbia which is greatly supported and enabled by the EU.
Let us use this momentum to the fullest.
Building on the Western Balkans Strategy we need to continue working together and enhance and deepen more our cooperation, in particular on addressing irregular migration, on tackling organised crime, countering terrorism, and trafficking of illicit arms.
Serbia has an important stabilizing factor on the whole region and can play a leading role on that.
We must also continue all efforts to ensure and safeguard visa-free mobility – this is something that I have also mentioned to my friend Minister Stefanović.
Since I was always a great supporter for Serbians to travel freely in Europe, I know how important visa free travel is for Serbian citizens, and I would not want to see it jeopardised.
It is essential that we remain vigilant and proactive in all our efforts towards an effective response to the ongoing migration and security challenges.
I count on Serbia’s support to further strengthen our cooperation and build on this momentum.
Serbia is a great European Nation with great people and great history. I hope and wish that very soon the door will be open for Serbia to become a member of the European family. The leadership of the country and my good friend Minister Stefanovic know very well.
I will continue to fully support the efforts of this great country, Serbia, and continue delivering on our ambitious shared agenda and on Serbia’s European path – we are partners, friends and allies in this.
Dear Serbian friends lets walk this European path together.
Thank you very much for your attention.