BLED (Slovenia) (Sputnik) — Belgrade aims for integration with the European Union but at the same time has close ties with Russia in several areas, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said Monday.
"Our road leads to the European Union, we are focused strategically toward the European Union," Brnabic said at the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) in Slovenia.
At the same time, the Serbian prime minister noted Belgrade's "close ties" with Russia in such areas as culture, religion and trade.
3 September 2017, 14:30 GMT
Serbia was granted a status of the EU candidate in 2012. In September 2013, the Stabilization and Association Agreement between Belgrade and Brussels entered into force. In December of the same year, the European Council adopted the negotiating framework for Serbia's accession to the bloc's membership. In 2014, the talks formally started.
At the same time, the Serbian prime minister noted Belgrade's "close ties" with Russia in such areas as culture, religion and trade. Belgade has repeatedly reiterated that it won't join anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU.
