H.E. Maria Levanti, Greek Ambassador to Serbia

The recent letter of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in support of Serbia’s EU path, addressed to his EU counterparts and heads of EU institutions, clearly illustrates the conviction that Europe cannot aff ord to ignore the largest country and economy in the Western Balkans and, most importantly, demonstrates that Serbia’s serious commitment to its EU membership goal shouldn’t be disregarded ~ Maria Levanti

The region’s longest-standing EU member state, Greece advocates expansion of the Union in the direction of the Western Balkans, as the countries of this region have been awaiting accession for a long time, says Ambassador Levanti in this CorD Magazine interview. She adds that this Greek message has been sent in two directions: towards the EU, calling on the Union not to ignore the results achieved by Serbia; and towards Serbia, calling on Belgrade to continue reforms that will bring it closer to the EU.

Your Excellency, this year began with a series of earthquakes on the popular Greek island of Santorini. What is the current situation as we conduct this interview on 21st February?

—The intense seismic activity in the region around Santorini and Amorgos began on 26th January and is continuing today, sometimes with more intensity and sometimes with less. As you will understand, neither I nor the experts can substantially answer your question, as the situation is variable and no predictions can be made. According to scientists, the geological phenomenon observed is a complex one. The Greek state has taken measures to assist residents in the case of emergencies. These measures include dispatching medical and civil protection teams to manage the aftermath of the earthquakes, providing fi nancial support to local workers and businesses, repairing damage and constructing a new, safer harbour. We are all keeping calm, composed and optimistic.

Senior offi cials from Greece and Serbia have emphasised the need to “take a step forward in economic relations”. In which areas could such progress be achieved?

— Greek investments in Serbia are expanding again, with Greece experiencing positive growth trends. Approximately €17 million was invested in Greek-owned production facilities in Serbia last year alone. With regard to trade flows, the annual volume of bilateral trade has been increasing constantly over the past few years, and from approximately €480 million in 2020 we reached around €830 million in 2024, while the annual exchange of services is also estimated at around €500 million.

While strong bilateral economic cooperation already exists in sectors like heavy industry, infrastructure, IT and the food and beverage sector, significant potential exists for expansion in other areas of mutual interest. These include recycling and waste management, connectivity, energy and environment, information and communication technologies, the pharmaceutical industry and the agro-food industry.

Green transition is a special field of the further development of our economic cooperation, which aims not only to encourage investments, but also to share knowledge and experience. Greece is one of the top ten countries in the world when it comes to renewable energy production, producing almost 50% of its electricity from solar and wind energy installations.

Moreover, Greece supports Serbia’s energy diversification through the Serbia- Bulgaria Gas Interconnector and its connection to TAP and the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal. It also supports the future Serbia-North Macedonia Gas Interconnector.

During his visit to Serbia last year, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece is interested in participating in the Expo 2027 project. What aspects of this investment package are particularly interesting to Greece?

— The EXPO 2027 project presents numerous opportunities for collaboration between our two countries in construction, construction materials, property management, real estate development, tourism, waste management, green energy etc.

Greek companies have developed expertise in large-scale infrastructure projects in various sectors over the years. From the infrastructure for the 2004 Olympic Games to the most recent Ellinikon Project, Greek companies have amassed significant knowledge and experience in developing large scale projects, including urban development, innovative construction materials, waste and energy management and transportation, and they are willing to collaborate with Serbian companies on projects like EXPO 2027. Several Greek companies that are active in the construction sector are present in Serbia, contributing their products and services to large-scale projects like Nikola Tesla Airport.

Greece supports Serbia’s EU integration, though progress on this journey has been slow despite frequent discussions about “new momentum” for EU enlargement. Given your diplomatic experience, would you say that future enlargement – provided it happens – will prioritise the accession of Ukraine and Moldova or the Western Balkans? Which scenario would better serve Greece’s interests?

— There has indeed been some progress on the European paths of a number of EU partners recently. In this regard, Greece has always stressed that the enlargement process must continue to be based, first and foremost, on each candidate country’s own merits, with a particular emphasis on the fundamentals. At the same time, the EU should engage consistently both with its Western Balkan partners and with Ukraine and Moldova. Athens prioritises the Western Balkans’ enlargement process, as our partners in this region have long awaited EU membership and have already taken several steps in that direction. This prioritisation does not, however, ignore the geostrategic considerations ad vocating Ukraine’s future EU membership. In this vein, Greece believes firmly that Serbia cannot be left behind. Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s recent letter of support for Serbia’s EU path, addressed to his EU counterparts and heads of EU institutions, clearly illustrates this conviction: we cannot afford to ignore the largest country and economy in the Western Balkans and, most importantly, Serbia’s serious commitment to its EU membership goal should not be disregarded.

The annual volume of bilateral trade has been increasing constantly over the past few years, and from approximately €480 million in 2020 we reached around €830 million in 2024, while the annual exchange of services is also estimated at around €500 million

As the oldest EU member in the region and a traditional friend of Serbia, Greece encourages Serbia to continue its EU reform efforts and address any remaining challenges, standing ready to offer any additional help needed to speed up this process.

You are probably accustomed to being asked this same question in interviews, but it is important: has there been any change in Greece’s position that recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence remains unacceptable?

— Greece’s stance on the recognition of Kosovo remains unchanged. Let me remind you, by the way, that this has been confirmed repeatedly by the Greek political leadership, on the occasion of bilateral visits, such as during the February 2024 visit of PM Mitsotakis.

Greece is one of the most popular destinations for Serbian tourists, but reports suggest that visiting Greece will be more expensive next summer due to the introduction of increased tourism taxes. Could you clarify what this decision entails?

— Greece has always held a special place in the hearts of Serbian holidaymakers, and it’s wonderful to see so many of them choosing to visit. According to YUTA, over a million Serbians explored our country last year alone.

It is correct that, as of this year, a new tax called the “Climate Crisis Resilience Tax” is being applied, replacing the previous “Accommodation Tax” that had been in place since 2018. This new tax, which aims to fund state projects focused on natural disaster prevention and recovery, climate change adaptation and infrastructure improvement, will be added on a daily basis to the accommodation cost and will vary depending on the time of your trip – high or low season – and type of lodging. As this tax replaces a previous one, the actual increase in accommodation costs between April and October will be relatively modest, starting at one and a half euros per day per room. For the most luxurious hotels and villas, the increase will be more significant, reaching up to 11 euros. However, Greece offers accommodation options to suit all budgets and I’m confident that many people will choose to visit and experience the warmth and hospitality for which my country is famous.