Honorable President, esteemed members of the delegations,

1. I express my gratitude for the opportunity to address the Security Council on behalf of the Republic of Serbia concerning the semi-annual report on the work of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (the Mechanism).

2. As highlighted in the Report itself, the reality has been significantly different from what was envisaged in the resolution that established the Mechanism, intended to be a "small, temporary, and efficient structure, whose functions and size will diminish over time, with a small number of staff commensurate with its reduced functions." With the conclusion of proceedings in core crime cases, there is no longer any justification to extend the Mechanism's work beyond what is absolutely necessary. In this address, I will focus on key issues raised in relation to the statements in the reports of the President of the Mechanism and the Prosecutor of the Mechanism.
 

Honorable members of the United Nations Security Council,

officials of the UN, and Special Representative Ziadeh

Your Excellences,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin by thanking you all for the continued attention in relation to the escalating crisis in Kosovo and Metohija.

Faced with dire challenges to the safety and wellbeing of its people, Serbia remains steadfast in its commitment to peace, stability, and full respect for the principles of the UN Charter, Resolution 1244 and international law.

As we navigate these challenges, I want to emphasize that Serbia is fully committed to building a prosperous future for all of its citizens. Speaking as a representative of Serbia I can proudly say that my country is today a forward leaning and responsible member of the international community. Serbia is a key European contributor to a number of UN peacekeeping operations, from the Middle East to the Mediterranean and on the African continent as well. Having sustained a record high GDP growth rate for over a decade, Serbia has seen the size of our national GDP more than double over the course of the past decade. We are fostering a business-friendly environment that encourages investment and innovation. In December of this year Serbia will assume the chairmanship of the Global Partnership for AI and in 2027 my hometown of Belgrade will host the Expo 2027 Specialized world exhibition creating new opportunities for the entire region. As part of the Open Balkan initiative launched by President Vucic, Prime Minister Rama of Albania and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia we have created a single regional labor market and are welcoming to our country people from across the region. Initiatives like the Digital Serbia project aim to integrate technology into our economy, promoting a knowledge-based society. As we build new industries and create jobs, we are committed to ensuring that no community is left behind in this progress.