Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritisinterview with the Serbian newspaper “Politika” and journalist Tanja Vujić (12.06.2026)

JOURNALIST: Your Excellency, how would you describe the current format of the strategic partnership between Greece and Serbia?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece and Serbia are not only close geographically, but also historically. We maintain long-standing historical, cultural and religious relations, forged over time. Our peoples are connected by exceptional bonds of friendship and solidarity. Our bilateral common path has acquired a strategic character, with the Joint Declaration signed in Athens in December 2019, within the framework of the 3^rd High Level Cooperation Council between Greece and Serbia.

At the same time, we emphasize our will to continuously cultivate and further expand and deepen our cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Greece and Serbia that I signed with my counterpart, dear friend Marko Đurić, in December 2024 in Athens, is precisely an indication of this mutual commitment, in all fields.

Furthermore, Greece is a member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2025-2026 term. Our commitment to International Law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter is our compass. And it is with these principles in mind that we cooperate with Serbia.

Finally, we must emphasize that Greece is one of the five Member States of the European Union that does not recognize the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo. We support the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, in accordance with the established Greek policy for the European integration of the Western Balkans.

In conclusion, I would like to refer in particular on our economic and trade relations, which we are working on developing even further. Greece congratulates Serbia for hosting the exceptionally important International Exhibition EXPO 2027, which will be held for the first time in Southeastern Europe, here in Belgrade. A candidacy that Athens wholeheartedly supported and which we are willing to assist in any way requested and we warmly wish you every success.

JOURNALIST: Your Excellency, Greece is rapidly establishing itself as a key energy hub for the South Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. Your Excellency, how would you describe the current phase of energy cooperation between Greece and Serbia?

G. GERAPETRITIS: The cooperation between Greece and Serbia certainly extends to energy security and diversification of energy sources. Greece is the main southern energy gateway and supply hub for the Western Balkans and the wider South-Eastern Europe, contributing to the diversification of energy supply sources of the countries of our broader region, including Serbia, and reducing dependence on individual suppliers. Serbia's role is equally pivotal in the interconnection of the energy systems of our region with Central and Northern Europe, along the South-North axis.

Regarding regional natural gas corridors, the Alexandroupolis Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), in which Serbia has already secured natural gas supply quantities, as well as the Revithoussa LNG terminal, provide natural gas diversification for the Balkans. This is achieved through the Vertical Corridor, which, through the construction of the Greece-North Macedonia and North Macedonia-Serbia pipelines, will also be extended to Serbia.

Serbia's energy diversification policies provide an opportunity to create a solid basis for stronger cooperation in the natural gas sector with Greece, in particular through natural gas interconnections with Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Looking ahead, cooperation could expand beyond natural gas to include renewable energy sources, electricity market integration and future-oriented technologies such as hydrogen.

The cooperation between our countries in the energy sector, at bilateral and regional levels, is at its highest point, which is also demonstrated by the quadrilateral meeting between Energy Ministers, officials and energy system operators from Serbia, Greece, North Macedonia and Bulgaria, which took place in Athens on May 15.

JOURNALIST: Western Balkans are "an integral part of Greece's regional identity", while "Europe has failed to offer a clear vision for the enlargement", as you stated recently at the Delphi Forum. Your Excellency, could that "failure" be cured in the near future?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece, as you know, pioneered the Thessaloniki Agenda of 2003 for the accession of the Western Balkans to the European Union, as the only path towards consolidating stability and enhancing security in the region. We reaffirmed this policy more recently through the Delphi Declaration, which I co-signed with our partners from the Western Balkans in April. We believe that the present moment offers the most favorable circumstances to inject new momentum into this process.

Greece has taken a leading role in this direction, as this is a matter that concerns stability, prosperity, and peace in Europe. We must reverse any sense of disappointment or fatigue that may have emerged among the countries of the Western Balkans and their citizens.

The Western Balkans lie at the heart of Europe, and Serbia at the center of the Western Balkans. We cannot envision a Europe without Serbia and the Western Balkans. This is also a matter that concerns Europe's credibility.

My ambition, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in view of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second semester of 2027, is to welcome one or more of our Western Balkan partners into the European family. I have already discussed with my colleagues and friends, ways in which Greece could make a meaningful contribution to their European accession path - whether with regard to the fundamentals and the rule of law, interconnectivity across all sectors - transport, energy, data - as well as the fight against irregular migration.

In this context, I would recall that Greece and Serbia signed, in September 2025, a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at accelerating Serbia's accession process to the European Union, which envisages the provision of expertise by Greece regarding the EU acquis.

The process which is based on the principle of own merits, will continue. We must, however, approach it from a broader ideological and historical perspective, so that the value of the Western Balkans' integration into Europe is understood. This is not only about the present generation; it is about future European generations. Europe will become stronger and more resilient in an evolving broader geopolitical environment, if our neighbors become full members of the European Union.

JOURNALIST: The Western Balkans are at the heart of Europe, such is an official standing of Greece. Your Excellency, how would you depict Serbia's current chances to start "pulsing" within the Europe's heart?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece's position is absolutely clear. As I noted earlier, the accession of Serbia, the largest country in the Western Balkans, to the European Union is a geopolitical necessity. My visit to Belgrade, the first stop of my tour of the region, provides me with an opportunity to reiterate Greece's full support for Serbia's European accession path.

We should acknowledge the efforts that you have made and actively contribute to the renewed momentum of the country's accession process. We urge the country to step up its efforts to fully align with the European acquis while, at the same time, sending a very powerful positive message to the Serbian people about their European aspirations. By accelerating domestic reforms, Serbia will also accelerate the processes that will bring it closer to Europe. Greece stands by Serbia and remains a supporter of its unwavering course towards the European Union.

JOURNALIST: Your Excellency, the escalation of hostilities across the Middle East has elevated Greece's strategic importance in regional security. How does Athens assess the current security situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the South Eastern Europe?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece sits at the crossroads of three continents and from ancient times has served as a meeting point between cultures and civilizations. We are fully committed to upholding the rules based international order and have developed a coherent foreign affairs strategy, with building bridges as our fundamental diplomatic motto.

In recent years, we have made significant efforts to strengthen our relations with all neighboring countries. We chose to build a structured and organized relationship with Türkiye, and we see concrete results. The same approach applies to Libya, where we have maintained a functional relationship with both sides of the country.

In the Middle East, we maintain a strategic relationship with Israel. At the same time, we have very close ties with the Arab world: Greece is not only their gateway into Europe but, most importantly, their most reliable ally in the broader region. On the other hand, we have not run away from responsibility: We are leading the operation "EUNAVFOR ASPIDES" for the freedom of navigation through the Red Sea.

We have taken a series of initiatives, in order to signal the importance of Greece as a very honest interlocutor, but also as a leading power in the region. For example, the recently adopted Delphi Declaration reflects our commitment to the European path and gives new impetus and vision to the peoples of the Western Balkans. We have upgraded Greece into an energy hub in Southeastern Europe and are currently working not only on interconnection of energy, but also of trade, of data, of people, of communication.

As an elected member of the United Nations Security Council at this turbulent time, I think Greece has a tremendous opportunity to actually further increase its diplomatic footprint as a pillar of peace and stability in the region.

JOURNALIST: Your Excellency, growing migration routes from the South are causing renewed concern of Athens. In your opinion, could a new and massive wave of migrants to the southern flanks of Europe be expected again in the near future?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece, by its location in the Mediterranean shares a disproportionate weight of global migratory pressures and at the same time is called upon to effectively protect Europe's external borders, including addressing hybrid threats deriving from human trafficking networks, organized crime, and attempts to instrumentalize migration for political purposes.

The current geopolitical instability in our wider region is obviously a cause for further concern in terms of a possible increase in migration flows. However, we must bear in mind that illegal migration is a European as well as an international challenge and cannot be managed solely by a single country.

Greece has been dealing with this issue by implementing a fair migration policy, in strict adherence to national and European law, but it should be clear that a fair migration policy does not mean open or non-existent borders. To this end, Greece has been working to lower migration flows from Libya by fostering cooperation with both parts of the country.

In addition, the EU has adopted the New Pact on Migration and Asylum that seeks to effectively manage the reception and relocation of asylum seekers, and anticipates enhanced cooperation with third countries of origin, transit, and hosting of migrants and refugees.

Because one must not forget that in this volatile environment, it is of utmost importance to address the underlying causes that produce the current migration flows to Europe: regional instability and the ongoing armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa and the broader Middle East. Establishing a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with countries of origin is a key parameter in this undertaking. At the same time, global efforts are required to promote peace, security and economic development, and address the challenges of climate change, poverty, and food insecurity.

June 14, 2026