First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic is today visiting Moscow to take part in the Russian Energy Week's international energy forum.

During his stay in Moscow, the Serbian Foreign Minister met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Co-Chairman of the Serbia-Russia Intergovernmental Committee on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technological Cooperation, Yury Borisov, as well as with the CEO of Gazprom company, Alexey Miller.

"Meeting with the Russian Federation's Deputy Prime Minister was very important since we agreed to hold a session of the Intergovernmental Committee in November, in Belgrade. It is agreed to schedule the meeting prior to the previously announced visit by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to Belgrade, and to take this opportunity to discuss all topics relevant to our cooperation.

At today's meeting, we affirmed that there was a positive trend in the development of the two countries' economic relations, and that our foreign trade is on the rise every year. Last year, the overall trade totalled EUR 2.5 billion, and it is estimated that the current year would top this figure.

Furthermore, I also had talks with Alexey Miller, the CEO of Gazprom, company of great importance for Serbia's energy security.

He informed me about the construction works on the Turkish Stream and of the talks between his company and Bulgaria on the realization of a project of gas pipeline via Bulgaria to Serbia.

This is very important matter for Serbia, as our country is dependent on one gas supply route only – that going from Russia through Ukraine. On the other hand, the attempt to build a South Stream had previously failed due to obstruction by Bulgaria and the EU/European Commission.

For Serbia, the issue of having another gas supply route is one of great importance. We established with the Russian side that there are no obstacles in this context; that we are absolutely in favour of a joint construction of such infrastructure through Serbia, but that all relations with Bulgaria should be settled so as to avoid new problems related to building a pipeline.

Minister Aleksandar Antic is also in Moscow to have talks in his capacity, all in the interest of the promotion of relations between the Russian Federation and Serbia", said the Serbian Foreign Minister after his meetings in Moscow.