Press release
Minister of State Burke to visit Serbia and North Macedonia
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Peter Burke, will visit Serbia and North Macedonia from 13-16 June 2023.
In Belgrade, Minister Burke will hold bilateral consultations with his Serbian counterpart, Tanya Miščević, Minister for European Integration, and meet Borko Stefanović, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Serbian National Assembly.
Both meetings will cover a range of issues, including Serbia’s EU perspective, the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and the need to de-escalate tensions in northern Kosovo. In addition, Minister Burke will have an opportunity to meet leading members of Serbia’s small, but vibrant Irish community.
The Minister will travel to North Macedonia on 14 June, to attend the Prespa Forum Dialogue, which brings together regional and international leaders, think-tanks and organisations, to discuss key challenges facing the Western Balkans.
Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s EU accession, Minister Burke will address a panel on “EU Enlargement in the Transforming Geopolitical Dynamics”, which will be moderated by Bojan Marichikj, North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs. He will also hold bilateral meetings with a range of leading political figures from across the Western Balkans and South East Europe.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Burke said:
"I am delighted to visit Serbia and North Macedonia, on my first visit to the Western Balkans region as Minister for European Affairs and Defence. Ireland has been clear that the future of the Western Balkans lies at the heart of the European Union. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of our own accession, this visit is an opportunity to reaffirm that message to our partners.
"Of course, candidate countries’ accession to the EU depends on their meeting all necessary criteria for membership, not least full commitment to core EU values – democracy, human rights and the rule of law. I will be using my appearance at the Prespa Forum Dialogue to encourage political leaders from across the Western Balkans region to accelerate the implementation of EU-related reforms. And I will underline that Ireland stands ready to support them in these efforts, as we work to grow our bilateral relations with the countries of the region."
Minister Burke’s visit comes after Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabić visited Ireland in April, and North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister, Bujar Osmani, visited Ireland in May.