Greece–Serbia relations
Greece and Serbia enjoy close diplomatic relations, which have traditionally been friendly[a] due to cultural, religious and historical ties between the two nations.
Greece |
Serbia |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Greek embassy, Belgrade | Serbian embassy, Athens |
The majority of Serbs and Greeks practice the Eastern Orthodox faith and the two nations were historically bound by alliance treaties and co-belligerence in wars since the Middle Ages. In modern history, the revolutions against the Ottoman Empire, the Balkan Wars, the World Wars and the Yugoslav wars also have contributed to these relations. Greece opposed the NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia, being the only NATO member to condemn the actions and to openly express its disapproval. Polls revealed that 94% of the Greek population were completely opposed to the bombing. Greece's subsequently refused to recognize the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo, backing the Serbian stance on this issue as one of the five European Union's member states that have done so.
Greece is a strong supporter of the EU membership candidacy for Serbia, and in 2003 it has proposed the "Agenda 2014" for boosting the Euro-Atlantic integration of all the remaining former Yugoslav states and Albania into the Union. The two countries cooperate in security, tourism, culture and agriculture, with Greece being the third top investor from the EU to Serbia and the fifth overall (as of 2013).