French President Emanuel Macron arrived yesterday for a two-day visit to Belgrade.
Yesterday, Macron and Vucic had laid wreaths at the Monument of Belgrade’s Defenders and the grave of Milunka Savic, a Serbian highly decorated war heroine who fought in the Balkan Wars and in World War I (holder of Order of chivalry of St Michael and St George).
After that, they headed to the Monument of Gratitude to France at the Belgrade’s central Kalemegdan Park, where the French President greeted gathered people in Serbian, saying that France would never forget what Serbia did for it during the First World War.
“Thank you for coming here in this great number, for what we are, you have to believe us, deeply grateful. You show that the inscription on this monument ‘Love France as it loved us’ is still alive a hundred years later,” Macron addressed a gathered mass.
He added that it was his turn to say “Serbia is in our hearts.”
After the speeches held on Kalemegdan, presidents headed towards Knez Mihailova Street.
On the eve of the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, President Vucic said that this visit presents a confirmation that Serbia and France are on the right path to reach higher levels of political and economic cooperation, deserved for their continued and firm friendship and proclaimed strategic partnership.
President of France Emmanuel Macron continues today his visit to Serbia, meeting with the students from the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).
Accompanied by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Macron will talk to the representatives of Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), the project within Berlin Process.
Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) is an independently functioning institutional mechanism, founded by the Western Balkans 6 participants (WB 6): Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, aiming to promote the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation between the youth in the region through youth exchange programs.
Official meetings within Macron’s two-day visit were held yesterday, when Macron and Vucic had laid wreaths at the Monument of Belgrade’s Defenders and the grave of Milunka Savic, a Serbian highly decorated war heroine who fought in the Balkan Wars and in World War I (holder of Order of chivalry of St Michael and St George).
After that, they headed to the Monument of Gratitude to France at the Belgrade’s central Kalemegdan Park, where the French President greeted gathered people in Serbian, saying that France would never forget what Serbia did for it during the First World War.
Kosovo related issues
French President promised to engage into the process of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue resumption, with the aim of reaching permanent compromising agreement, and with that in mind, Macron said that he would organize a special Belgrade – Pristina meeting with the participation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
He added that he has no ready made solution for the Kosovo problem, that the magic solution does not exist, that he is for reaching compromise, which calls for softening strong positions that both sides in the dialogue currently hold.
Macron underlined that EU has to go through the process of reform in order to be ready to accept Serbia in its membership, that Serbia is a great European state, a nation that has its place in Europe, but that it also needs to continue with the reforms on its EU path.
Source: b92
