The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, who is currently on an official visit to Serbia, announced today that his country provides consistent and long-term support for Serbia’s EU accession process. He emphasized that the countries of the Western Balkans should not be left behind and that Serbia is taking all the necessary steps toward EU membership.
“The Czech Republic will work to shorten Serbia’s path to the EU as much as possible and will support Serbia in becoming an EU member as soon as possible,” Fiala said at a press conference in the “Serbia” Palace following his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
He expressed satisfaction at the opportunity to meet with President Vucic and Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, noting that their discussions reinforced the strong friendship between the two nations.
Fiala also mentioned that Czech companies are well-regarded in Serbia and expressed hope for new business opportunities within the country.
He added that there are new areas for cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the fields of transport, telecommunications, defense, and security.
“I was pleased to hear that in 2023, the Czech Republic was Serbia’s fourth-largest investor, which confirms the positive relationship between our countries,” Fiala stated.
He pointed out that Serbia holds great potential for Czech businesses, noting that many Czech citizens have strong ties with Serbia, and there are ample opportunities for even greater cooperation.
Fiala emphasized that both countries face shared challenges and should use their resources to achieve strategic independence.
“The Czech Republic and Serbia have significant lithium reserves, and we intend to make the most of this resource. Changing our energy policy has been a major challenge for us. In just two to three years, we managed to end our dependence on Russia and ensure a stable, secure energy supply at affordable prices for our citizens,” Fiala said, adding that the Czech government has decided to develop nuclear energy.
He noted that Serbia faces similar challenges and suggested that Serbia should consider a comparable energy transition, highlighting that building a nuclear power plant could be a reasonable solution.
“This path requires courage, and the Czech Republic is a country within the EU that advocates for nuclear energy to achieve energy goals. We are ready to share our experiences in nuclear energy with our Serbian friends if they need it,” Fiala concluded.
