Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, where he met with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to discuss global developments and bilateral cooperation. Vučić praised Uzbekistan’s rapid progress, strong leadership, and economic growth of 7.6%, emphasizing opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the two countries in trade, aviation, and infrastructure.
He announced plans to open new air routes connecting Serbia with Georgia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and eventually Uzbekistan, noting the growing importance of Eastern markets. Vučić highlighted Uzbekistan’s impressive development — reducing unemployment from 42% to 5.5% and increasing GDP from $30 billion to $135 billion — and said Serbia must invest more to keep pace with such economies.
The president also revealed that Serbia has completed its €40 million housing guarantee scheme for affordable long-term housing loans, with 3,755 contracts signed and hundreds more pending. He announced an additional €200 million extension of the program to support citizens purchasing homes or property.
Addressing domestic energy concerns, Vučić said Serbia faces “serious challenges” with oil supplies and electricity due to unfavorable conditions but is working daily to stabilize production and imports. He appealed to the United States not to impose secondary sanctions on Serbian financial institutions, requesting time until mid-December to adjust and secure the energy system.
Commenting on internal political tensions and upcoming protests, Vučić said the government remains calm and stable, describing attempts to destabilize Serbia as politically motivated. He also responded to ongoing media criticism from Croatia and the region, saying he remains proud of his work and the progress achieved for the Serbian people.
