Greece and Serbia Agree to Reaffirm Cultural Ties

Serbian Culture Minister Maja Gojković with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni at the Acropolis Museum.

Greece and Serbia are further strengthening traditional relations through a series of bilateral agreements in the area of culture after a meeting at the Acropolis Museum between Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and her Serbian counterpart Maja Gojković.

The two ministers agreed, among others, to cooperate in the fields of cinema and cultural property protection and are set to finalize relevant agreements in 2022 during the 4th High Level Cooperation Conference to be held in Belgrade. The move comes on the back of a Strategic Partnership Declaration signed in 2019 between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Greece and Serbia will also renew a Memorandum of Cooperation in culture through to 2025 and expand the scope of interest, said the ministry. 

Mendoni thanked Gojković for Serbia’s support of Greece’s claim for the return of the Parthenon Marbles, and said other issues discussed during the “constructive” meeting  included cultural heritage and contemporary creation.

“There is complete understanding and concurrence as Serbia, like Greece, faces severe problems with issues of illegal trafficking of antiquities and cultural goods,” said Mendoni.

The Parthenon Marbles at the Acropolis Museum. Photo Source: @Acropolis Museum

Referring to cooperation in film, Mendoni said both countries “understand that co-productions and the introduction of incentives for the development of film production have a direct impact on the economy and tourism”.

Mendoni went on to stress the importance of promoting a “European brand of cinema, which will balance the dominance of American productions”.

“It is important to strengthen our national film activities as well as to create conditions that will support co-productions. Promoting the European brand is necessary. We also agreed on the exchange of know-how and expertise in order to jointly tackle the critical problem of the illegal trafficking of works of art,” said Gojkovic.

Earlier this year, Greece and Serbia agreed to cooperate in tourism.