Israel and Serbia have launched the first-ever strategic dialogue, reflecting the deepening trust and cooperation between the two countries, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric said Tuesday in Jerusalem.
During a joint press conference, they said they were negotiating a free-trade agreement, convening a Joint Economic Committee, launching an Israel-Serbia Chamber of Commerce, and sending permanent Israeli economic representation to Belgrade.
Djuric said his visit confirmed the continuous strengthening of bilateral relations and is a significant step in further political, economic, and strategic connectivity between the two countries.
“A free-trade agreement will be decided upon that will open the doors wide for Serbian and Israeli companies,” he said.
“When I speak of a free-trade agreement with one of the most developed economies in the world, with a country that has the highest number of scientists per capita, with a state that, like us Serbs, has a large and influential diaspora, that means when we join forces in different fields, we achieve better results.”
Djuric thanked Israel for planning to participate in Expo 2027 in Belgrade, which he said is very important to Serbia.
“I believe that in many other areas, our countries are increasingly standing shoulder to shoulder,” he said.
Serbia was the first state to recognize Israel’s right to exist in 1917, Djuric said.
Sa’ar thanked Serbia, and President Aleksandar Vucic, for its steadfast support of Israel since the October 7 massacre in 2023.
Sa'ar thanks Serbia's steadfast support of Israel
The economic negotiations mark a “huge step forward in our strategic relations,” he said.
Sa’ar said Serbia was a “strategically important actor in the Western Balkans and an important partner in Europe.”
Strengthening Israel’s ties with the Western Balkans was a goal of the Foreign Ministry, since it is a geographically close region and has “crucial importance,” he said.
Sa’ar cited the historical relations between the two countries.
“The Jewish community in Serbia is very old,” he said. “Unfortunately, it was brutally destroyed during the Holocaust... Jews and Serbs were victims of the Nazis.
"The partisans fought bravely against the Nazis. That showed the incredible Serbian spirit – proud and brave.”
Sa’ar intends to travel to Belgrade for the next round of strategic dialogue.