In an interview with Kurir, Serbia’s Ambassador to the US, Marko Đurić, expressed expectations for a strategic partnership between Serbia and the US, which could potentially lead to visa liberalization between the two countries. Đurić recently met with Derek Schole, the special adviser at the State Department, and described the bilateral communication as extremely positive.
Đurić highlighted the contribution of the Serbian president in stabilizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina, and discussed possible dates for initiating strategic dialogue between Serbia and the US, which he sees as a significant step forward in institutional cooperation. The goal is to connect various Serbian and US institutions to achieve visa liberalization in the future, as well as an agreement on double taxation, which would facilitate business exchanges between the two countries.
Đurić emphasized that the talks on visa liberalization are a positive signal, not only for citizens but also for the business community. Serbia aims to deepen its relations with the US, particularly in the areas of economic exchange, high technologies, and security cooperation. Đurić acknowledged the challenge of changing Americans’ perception of Serbia, given the negative news in the past, but he is actively working to inform them about Serbia’s current focus on improving institutions, building standards and values that are in line with European and American norms.
Furthermore, Đurić highlighted that the US is Serbia’s most important foreign trade partner in services, including intellectual property. Overall, Serbia is committed to intensifying its relations with the US and looks forward to a new chapter in Serbian-American relations.