Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis reiterates Greece’s full support for Serbia’s and the Western Balkan countries’ European path, while emphasizing the strategic nature of Greek-Serbian relations, Greece’s enhanced energy role in Southeast Europe, and the challenges posed by geopolitical instability in the broader region.
In an interview with the Serbian newspaper Politika, the Foreign Minister stated that Greece considers the Western Balkans an integral part of the European family and expressed support for accelerating the European Union’s enlargement process.
Mr. Gerapetritis recalled that Greece took the lead with the Thessaloniki Agenda in 2003 in shaping the European perspective for the Western Balkans and noted that the current situation offers an opportunity to give new impetus to the accession process. As he noted, Athens’ goal ahead of the Greek presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2027 is to make the accession of one or more Western Balkan countries to the EU a reality.
“We cannot imagine a Europe without Serbia and the Western Balkans,” he said emphatically, stressing that the issue concerns both the stability and security of the region and the credibility of the European Union itself.
He made special mention of Serbia, which he described as a geopolitically critical factor for the region, reiterating Greece’s full support for its European path. At the same time, he noted that the country must continue its reforms and alignment with the European acquis, while recalling the memorandum of cooperation signed by Athens and Belgrade in September 2025 to provide Greek expertise regarding the accession process.
Referring to bilateral relations between Greece and Serbia, the Foreign Minister emphasized that the two countries are linked by long-standing historical, cultural, and religious ties, which in recent years have taken on a strategic character. He noted that the Joint Declaration signed in Athens in 2019 and the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding reflect the two sides’ commitment to further deepening cooperation across all sectors.
At the same time, he reiterated Greece’s consistent position in favor of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina under the auspices of the European Union, noting that Greece remains among the five EU member states that do not recognize Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.
He also placed particular emphasis on energy cooperation between the two countries. Mr. Gerapetritis noted that Greece has evolved into a key southern energy gateway for the Western Balkans and Southeast Europe, contributing to the diversification of supply sources and the reduction of dependence on individual suppliers.
As he emphasized, the floating natural gas storage and regasification unit in Alexandroupolis, as well as the LNG terminal in Revythousa, play a pivotal role, while particular importance is attached to the development of the Vertical Gas Corridor through the Greece-North Macedonia and North Macedonia-Serbia interconnections.
The Foreign Minister noted that cooperation between the two countries could extend beyond natural gas to include renewable energy sources, the electricity market, and new technologies such as hydrogen.
Regarding the broader geopolitical environment, Mr. Gerapetritis described Greece as a force for stability during a period of heightened regional tensions. He noted that Athens remains committed to a rules-based international order and is investing in building bridges of cooperation with all countries in the region.
In this context, he noted that Greece has built a structured relationship with Turkey, which, he said, is yielding tangible results, while also maintaining functional relations with all parties in Libya. He also highlighted the country’s strategic relations with Israel, as well as its close ties with the Arab world, emphasizing that Greece is a reliable interlocutor and partner in the region.
He also mentioned the country’s participation in the UN Security Council for the 2025–2026 term, noting that Greece has the opportunity to further strengthen its diplomatic footprint as a pillar of peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Europe.
Finally, commenting on migration, the Foreign Minister emphasized that Greece continues to bear a disproportionate burden due to its geographical location, while at the same time being called upon to protect the European Union’s external borders.
Mr. Gerapetritis noted that geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Africa raises legitimate concerns about a potential increase in migration flows, stressing, however, that addressing this phenomenon is a European and international challenge. He added that Greece is implementing a fair but strict migration policy, while working to curb flows from Libya through cooperation with all parties in the country.
At the same time, he underscored the importance of the New European Pact on Migration and Asylum, noting that effectively addressing the issue requires tackling the root causes driving migration, such as armed conflicts, poverty, food insecurity, and the impacts of climate change.
Source: APE-MPE