Brnabic: Discussions at Bundestag extremely open, sincere

BERLIN - Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic said on Thursday she had had very open discussions with representatives of German authorities in Berlin in the past 48 hours and noted that maintaining permanent communication with Germany was important for Serbia as Germany was its top external trade partner as well as one of the most significant European countries.

Brnabic, who is heading a Serbian parliamentary delegation on a two-day visit to Germany, noted that all meetings she had had in Berlin had been extremely open and sincere.

"We really discussed difficult topics, things where our opinions differ, topics we disagree on. Always open and sincere discussions, and that is a big thing," Brnabic noted.

She said the discussion topics included Serbia's EU integration, the enlargement agenda, the Serbian parliament's priorities in terms of rule-of-law reforms, implementation of ODIHR recommendations for better electoral conditions, dialogue with the opposition as well as the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the All-Serbian Assembly and a declaration adopted by the governments of Serbia and Republika Srpska, as well as whether it was possible for Serbia, the region's largest country, to additionally help peace, stability and better connectivity.

She said her hosts had wanted to know why Serbia had not imposed sanctions on Russia and whether it would do so, and that they had inquired about Serbia's attitude towards Russia and Ukraine as well as about the dialogue with Pristina.

Brnabic said it was good to have had good and open meetings at the Bundestag practically at the very of beginning of her term as parliament speaker.

"Because it is important for us as a country to have better communication and better understanding and dialogue, permanent dialogue with FR Germany, which is one of our most significant partners economically. And politically, because it is one of the most important EU countries and a country that is one of the countries also deciding about the enlargement agenda and the growth plan and all other things that concern Serbia and our people and all our citizens," she explained.

"The exchange of views was very good, very constructive and a good start, it seems. Still, it is a process and we will have to work a lot more in the future," said Brnabic, whose visit to Berlin ends on Thursday.

Speaking about Germany's position on the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo-Metohija, she said Germany had made it clear the Community must be formed.

"Germany's position is that the Brussels Agreement must be implemented, that we have had enough of delays and that the Community of Serb Municipalities must always top the agenda. I hope this will be demonstrated in practice in the foreseeable future, even though it is over 11 years overdue," Brnabic told reporters in Berlin.