Former OSCE Chair Serbia remains key partner in the region says OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Lajčák during visit to Belgrade

BELGRADE, 4 June 2019 – Visiting Serbia today as part of his commitment to visit all OSCE field missions, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák, together with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dačić and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Andrea Orizio, opened the High-Level Discussion on Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R) in South-Eastern Europe in Belgrade.

 “The OSCE has been supporting its participating States, including Serbia, for years in areas that touch upon SSG/R. It has trained police officers. It has promoted the participation of women in the security sector. It has built capacity in border management and security. It has brought partners together, to share best practices related to counter-terrorism. And, it has worked with national authorities on stamping out corruption and strengthening justice systems. But, there is still more to be done, more lessons to be learned, and more areas for co-operation to be found,” the Minister said addressing government officials, technical experts and civil society representatives gathered in Belgrade. Today’s discussion was the first of a series of three regional OSCE Chairmanship events on SSG/R.

In his address on SSG/R, but also in his meetings with the Serbian authorities, including President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, Minister Ivica Dačić, and Speaker of the National Assembly Maja Gojković, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomed continuity and overlap in the two countries’ Chairmanship agendas in many areas. Serbia chaired the OSCE in 2015.

Lajčák stressed that even after passing on the torch of the Chairmanship, Serbia has remained active at the OSCE and a key partner in the region.

He commended his Serbian partners on progress made in implementing the country’s strategic reform agenda, including in strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law and media freedom, while stressing that “there is always room for more.”

“I encourage Serbia to continue on this successful reform path including with the support of the OSCE,” he added.

Speaking about the trusted and reliable partnership between Serbia and the OSCE, Lajčák acknowledged that “in the past 18 years on the ground, the OSCE has supported Serbia in achieving important milestones such as judicial independence and the separation of powers through constitutional reform; fostering a healthier media environment; building institutional capacities to fight corruption; investing in security sector reform, strengthening an accountable and inclusive democratic system with effective oversight mechanisms; empowering women; and fostering regional youth connectivity.” The OSCE Mission is ready to further assist the country on its reform path, the Chair continued.

To learn more about the OSCE’s important work on the ground, Lajčák used his visit to hear from and talk to OSCE staff in Serbia. And to witness effective multilateralism in action, he complemented his visit with a meeting with representatives of international organizations and with civil society in Belgrade.