Vucic and Merkel speak via conference call: These were the topics of their conversation

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke today via video link. They exchanged views on close bilateral and economic ties, Serbia's EU accession process and related reforms, as well as the situation in the region.

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During the conversation, President Vucic and Chancellor Merkel considered in detail the challenges of suppressing the infectious disease COVID-19. They also discussed the issue of the dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and in this context, the introduction of taxes in 2018 by the provisional institutions in Pristina, affecting goods from central Serbia and from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The federal chancellor welcomed the readiness of the president of Serbia to open a dialogue on trade and non-tariff barriers between, as she said, "Serbia and Kosovo" - with the mediation of the European Union.

She also welcomed Serbia's readiness to implement the Brussels agreement on integrated management of the administrative line, the first step of which will be the commissioning of the Merdare station, with President Vucic insisting on full respect and implementation of all provisions of the Brussels agreement.

President Vucic and Chancellor Merkel are in favor of a rapid resumption of the dialogue in order to reach a comprehensive agreement on full normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

"I am grateful for German and your personal attention and concern for Serbia and the countries of the Western Balkans," said President Vucic.

President Vucic also said that he would take all necessary steps to successfully continue this dialogue and avoid those steps that would damage relations between Belgrade and Pristina, in order to create a constructive and open atmosphere for negotiations.

Their meeting, which was supposed to be held in Berlin, was canceled due to the situation with coronavirus, after which they decided that it was best to hold it as a conference call.

(Telegraf.rs)