ΑΡΘΡΟ
Dragan Zupanjevac, Ambassador of
Serbia
The Excellent
relations between
Greece and Serbia
The traditionally friendly and very warm relations that exist between
the Greek and Serbian people are quite unique in the region of South
Eastern Europe. Serbia and Greece are connected spiritually by a common
faith as well as a joint struggle to free themselves from oppression
during the period of Ottoman rule culminating in liberation in the
Balkan wars. The two peoples were allies in the First World War on the
Thessaloniki or Macedonian front in 1918 and fought against Nazi
occupation. In modern history Greeks and Serbs have always been friends
and never enemies. History and religion partially explains the closeness
between the two peoples, but there is an uncanny metaphysical quality to
the bonds between the two nations as well.
The leaders of the Greek uprising of 1821 were inspired by Dorde
PetrovicKaradorde who organized and led the first Serbian revolt against
the Ottomans in 1804. The great Greek patriot Rigas Fereos who dreamt of
a unified and free Balkans more than two hundred years ago was murdered
in Belgrade by the Ottomans in Belgrade. The Greek and Serbian
governments have now together rebuilt the Kula Nebojsa tower where Rigas
was held captive and have erected a museum dedicated to the memory of
Rigas and Serbian Greek friendship which should be officially opened by
the Presidents of Serbia and Greece.
During the First World War in 1916 the Serbian army (150 000 men), the
government parliamentarians and the King after having been attacked by
three invading armies in an epic withdrawal through the mountains of
Montenegro and Albania found refuge with the help of the allies
particularly the French on the island of Corfu where the army recovered
and was later victorious in liberating Serbia. The people of Corfu
welcomed and embraced the exhausted Serbs. It is interesting to note
that many young Serbian politicians and officers married ladies from
Corfu. Between the two world wars the Prime minister of Yugoslavia
Stojadinovicand the minister of foreign affairs Cincar Markovichad wives
who were originally from Corfu.
During good and difficult times the Greek peoples have stood by Serbia's
side and offered unwavering support. Serbia will never forget this and
is deeply grateful.
Greece is today a staunch supporter of the integration of the western
Balkans in the EU and consistently offers help to the Republic of Serbia
on its path to accession to the EU. In this regard Greece which has
launched Agenda 2014 for the speedy integration of the Western Balkans
to the EU is a very significant strategic partner of Serbia and
bilateral ties are very intense. In the economic field Greek companies
are one of the biggest investors in the Serbian economy (2.5 billion
Euros of investments) and have an important presence in banking, energy,
construction, real estate, retail and hotels. Through HIPERB the
Hellenic plan for investment in the Balkans Greece is helping Serbia
finish the construction of Corridor 1o that connects central Europe to
Greece and Turkey. Despite existing strong economic ties however more
has to be done to improve the trade between the two countries. In
September 2011 Serbia will be the guest of honor at the Thessaloniki
international fair which will be an opportunity to examine possibilities
of increasing commercial exchange.
Ties between Greeks and Serbs are particularly strong in sports and
Serbian players and coaches are omnipresent and successful in Greek
teams in basketball, football, waterpolo and volleyball. Last summer in
a friendly match between Greece and Serbia in preparations for the
basketball World cup the players of both teams engaged in a scuffle but
the root of the problem was not enmity between the two national teams
but the emotional rivalry between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos where
many players of the Greek and Serbian national teams play.
Greece especially the area of Halkidiki is of course the favored
destination for Serbian tourists and more than 700 000 of them have
visited Greece in 2010 making by their presence a small contribution to
the Greek economy. The Embassy is working hard to attract more Greek
tourists to Serbia both for city breaks in Belgrade which is now one the
new energetic fun and nightclubbing capitals of Europe as well as for
skiing to our mountain resorts in Kopaonik and Zlatibor.
I feel very privileged to be the Ambassador of Serbia in Greece. Not a
day passes that I am not addressed by Greek friends as a spiritual
brother. The bonds between the two peoples are very deep and profound
and indeed a special example in the Balkans.
-
ΙΩΣΗΦ ΙΩΣΗΦ, Πρέσβυς της Κύπρου στην Ελλάδα
-
Δρ. ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΛΥΡΑΣ, Επίτ. Πρόξενος
της Βραζιλίας στην Ελλάδα
- VOLODYMYR
SHKUROV, Ambassador of Ukraine to
the Hellenic Republic
-
MACIEJ KRYCH, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland
-
ΕΥΣΤΡΑΤΙΑ ΣΟΥΡΑΒΛΑ, Καθ. Φιλολογίας
-
ΑΛΕΞΑΝΤΕΡ ΧΟΜΕΝΚΟ,
Διευθυντής Ρωσικού Πολιτιστικού και Επιστημονικού Κέντρου
-
ΠΑΥΛΟΣ ΓΕΡΟΥΛΑΝΟΣ, Υπουργός
Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού
- ΑΙΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΗ ΤΖΙΤΖΙΚΩΣΤΑ,
Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Εθνικής Επιτροπής
για την UNESCO
-
TOM NORRING, Ambassador of Denmark in Greece
- ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΛΥΡΑΣ, Ιατρός Πλαστικός Χειρουργός,
Επίτιμος Πρόξενος της Βραζιλίας στην Ελλάδα
- Ε. ΚΟΖΑΚΟΥ-ΜΑΡΚΟΥΛΗ, Υπουργός Εξωτερικών της
Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας
- ΑΝΝΑ ΖΩΗΡΟΥ,
Σύμβουλος ΛΑΟΣ σε θέματα Οικονομικών & Διεθνών
Σχέσεων
- ΠΑΡΗ ΡΑΠΤΗ ΛΥΡΑ, Ιατρός Ενδοκρινολόγος -
Διαβητολόγος
-
ΠΕΤΡΟΣ ΛΕΩΤΣΑΚΟΣ, Δημοσιογράφος,
τραπεζικός συνάκτης
-
ΝΙΚΟΣ Γ. ΣΥΚΑΣ,
Σύμβουλος Στρατηγικής & Επικοινωνίας
- JΟRGE ALEJANDRO
MASTROPIETRO,
Ambassador of Argentina
- ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣ. ΛΑΜΠΡΙΝΙΔΗΣ,
Υπουργός Εξωτερικών - Ομιλία στο ΥΠΕΞ στις 28/7/2011
- SVERRE STUB, Ambassador of Norway
- MEHDI HONARDOOST, Ambassador of Iran
- DRAGAN ZUPANJEVAC, Ambassador of Serbia
- VOLODYMYR SHKUROV, Ambassador of Ukraine
-
ΕΝΩΣΗ ΔΙΠΛΩΜΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΥΠΑΛΛΗΛΩΝ
-
STEPHEN G. MILLER, Επίτιμος Καθηγητής του
Πανεπιστημίου Berkley, Καλιφόρνια, ΗΠA
- ΝΤΕΪΒΙΝΤ ΛΑΝΤΣΜΑΝ,
Πρέσβυς της Μ. Βρετανίας στην Ελλάδα
- ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ
ΜΩΡΑΪΤΗΣ, Εκδότης του περιοδικού "Politistiki Diplomatia"
- ΠΑΝΟΣ
ΠΑΝΑΓΙΩΤΟΥ, Χρηματιστηριακός τεχνικός αναλυτής
διευθυντής GSTA/ EKTA
-
ΣΑΒΒΑΣ ΚΑΛΝΤΕΡΙΔΗΣ
- ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΜΩΡΑΪΤΗΣ Εκδότης του περιοδικού
'Politistiki Diplomatia'
-
ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΑΖΟΓΛΟΥ,
CICA, M.S, B.A(Honours), Σύμβουλος Πληροφορικής
και Συγγραφέας
-
JOZSEF TOTH, Ambassador of Hungary
- ΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ Ι. ΜΑΛΦΑΣ, Dottor.
- JAN VODERADSKY, Ambassador of Slovakia
-
MANDISA DONA MARASHA, Ambassador of South
Africa
- ΙΕΡΟΘΕΟΣ
ΠΑΠΑΔΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ, Εκπρόσωπος της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής στην Ελλάδα
- ΝΙΚΟΣ
ΧΑΡΔΑΛΙΑΣ,
Δήμαρχος
Βύρωνα
- MΕHDI HONARDOOST, Αmbassador of Iran to
Grecce
-
ΧΑΪΔΕΥΤΟΣ
ΚΟΜΝΗΝΟΣ,
Πρόεδρος
της Ομοσπονδίας Ελληνικών Κοινοτήτων Σουηδίας
-
VILI
SHEFKI MINAROLLI, Αmbassador of Albania to Greece
- ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΜΩΡΑΪΤΗΣ, Εκδότης του
περιοδικού 'Politistiki Diplomatia'
-
SINE RIISAGER, The Danish Institute
-
ΓΙΑΝΝΑ ΔΕΣΠΟΤΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ, Πρόεδρος
Special Olympics
-
FIDEL CASTRO
-
ΚΩΣΤΑΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ, Πρόεδρος Ομοσπονδίας Γερμανικών Κοινοτήτων - Ταμίας
ΣΑΕ
- ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ,
Αναλυτής, ΜΑ σε Διεθνείς Σχέσεις
-
ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΑΜΠΑΤΖΗΣ,
Πρόξενος της Γερμανίας στην Πάτρα
-
ΜΑΡΙΝΑ ΔΟΥΛΑΜΗ, Επίτιμος Προξένος της Γαλλίας στην Αλεξανδρούπολη
-
EUSEBI AYENSA,
Instituto Cervantes de Atenas
-
CAPOCCI,
Προέδρος του Ελληνο-Ιταλικού Επιμελητηρίου
-
ΜΑΡΙΛΕΝΑ ΚΟΠΠΑ,
Ευρωβουλευτής ΠΑΣΟΚ
-
ΕΥΔΟΞΙΑ ΠΑΝΤΑ,
Πρόεδρος Ομοσπονδίας Ελλήνων Βελγίου
-
ΗΡΑ ΠΑΠΑΔΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ,
Director of Cultural Affairs of the Hellenic American
Union
-
VALERIY TSYBUCKΗ,
Ambassador of Ukraine to Greece
-
HAKAN MALMQVIST, Ambassador
of Sweden to Greece
- AΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗΣ
ΘΩΜΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ, Προέδρος HELEXPO A.E.
- To άσβεστο 'ΟΧΙ'
των Ελλήνων
-
Ν.Δ.: Διάσπαση ή
Εσωστρέφεια;
-
ΠΟΛΥ ΒΛΑΧΟΥ,
Διευθύντρια Πολιτιστικού Οργανισμού Ηλιούπολης
-
ΝΙΚΟΣ ΧΑΡΔΑΛΙΑΣ,
Δήμαρχος Βύρωνα
-
ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ
ΜΟΥΡΜΟΥΡΗΣ,
Καθηγητής ΔΠΘ
