Vucic: Serbia open to Swiss-proposed dialogue on human rights

“I said that we are always ready to listen to those who want to discuss, in a professional and impartial manner, how to improve the lives of all those who are different, from political to national minorities. We are very open to any kind of cooperation on this matter,” Vucic told a press conference.

Following a meeting with his Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Vucic assessed that both Serbia and Switzerland stand to benefit immensely from the Swiss-Serbian innovation program agreement signed by the two sides on Tuesday.

“We are immensely grateful to Switzerland, they are allocating 93 million euros for this purpose through various forms of cooperation, ranging from support for democratic institutions to the programs I have already mentioned. The future of our cooperation lies in the IT sector, artificial intelligence, and innovation, as well as transport, pharmaceuticals, and the defense industry,” he said.

Vucic noted that the Serbian diaspora in Switzerland, which numbers around 130,000, serves as a vital bridge between the two countries.

Parmelin, who is paying a two-day official visit to Belgrade, was welcomed Tuesday morning with full military honors. Following the meeting between the two presidents, the two countries’ delegations also held talks.