The relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan have become an example of successful strategic partnership and genuine friendship, it was stated at a formal reception held to mark one of the most important national holidays of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Independence Day, celebrated on May 28.
A large number of guests attended the traditional celebration of this holiday and the 107th anniversary of the Republic’s declaration of independence, including numerous ministers from the Government of the Republic of Serbia, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the business and cultural communities, as well as members of the Azerbaijani community living, studying, or working in Serbia.
The host of the reception, H.E. Kamil Khasiyev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Serbia, reminded attendees of the historical importance of this date and holiday, emphasizing that Azerbaijan was the first secular, democratic parliamentary republic in the East. At that time, its parliament included representatives of various nationalities, and women were granted equal rights, including the right to vote. According to the Ambassador, this represented a remarkable step forward—even compared to many European countries of that era—and laid the foundation for the country’s statehood and independence.
Speaking about Serbia-Azerbaijan relations, the Ambassador highlighted that the bilateral ties have, for years, been based on the principles of strategic partnership and friendship, as well as mutual respect for the fundamental principles of international law, including sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Our countries actively cooperate within international organizations to jointly promote and protect universal values. Moreover, Serbia is today one of Azerbaijan’s closest friends on the European continent. We are grateful that the introduction of a visa-free regime has further strengthened people-to-people contacts and contributed to the development of tourism. Additionally, the opening of the Bulgaria–Serbia gas interconnector is a significant milestone in our cooperation and a clear demonstration of the strategic nature of our relations,” stated Ambassador Khasiyev, adding that he looks forward to the first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council at the highest level, expected later this year.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, who emphasized that the citizens of both countries can be proud not only of their traditional friendship, but also of everything that has been done over the past decade to enhance those relations and translate them into tangible benefits for the people.
“The partnership and friendship established between our two states represent a strong foundation for all joint initiatives and projects that have led to significant results in recent years. I am proud to say that, in terms of bilateral cooperation, it is precisely in the energy sector that we have made the greatest progress and achieved the most concrete results for our citizens. With the completion of the Serbia–Bulgaria gas interconnection, Serbia gained the ability to diversify its natural gas supply, and Azerbaijan is the first country with which we have established this type of partnership,” the Minister concluded.