Serbia, Britain agree to intensify cooperation despite Brexit: British official

Serbia and Britain will develop their relations further despite Brexit, said Boris Johnson, visiting British secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs, here on Thursday.

Johnson arrived in Serbia on Thursday for a two-day visit during his regional tour.

Johnson said at a press conference here that Britain, despite its decision to leave EU, remains dedicated to friendly relations with European countries such as Serbia.

"We will continue to support Serbia on its European path," Johnson said, stressing the economic and political progress that Serbia achieved.

He expressed a wish for the intensification of relations between the two countries as "there is an increased interest among British investors for Serbia."

"We remain a friend of Serbia and I thank you because you said that we will strengthen and intensify our relations on all levels," Johnson told Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic at the conference.

Vucic said that Serbia wishes to continue cooperation and establish better relations with Britain, especially the political and economic ones.

"I am sure that we have many opportunities to advance economic cooperation as well as cooperation in areas of security and safety," he said.

However, Vucic said that the trade balance between the two countries is relatively small and that it recently increased from 290 million to 370 million euros, but that there is room for a bigger increase.

At the beginning of his two-day visit to Serbia, Johnson also met with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, with whom he discussed possible exchange in areas of judiciary and fighting organized crime as well as migrations.

According to the press announcement of the Serbian Foreign Ministry, Dacic and Johnson stressed the need for strengthening political dialogues between Serbia and Britain, and Johnson repeated that Britain is willing to support Serbia on European integration. Endit