 | |
 Serbia |  Turkey |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Serbia, Ankara | Embassy of Turkey, Belgrade |
Relations between Serbia and the Turkey were first established in 1879, when Serbia was a principality. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
Relations between the two countries date back to the Late Middle Ages. After a series of wars that included the 1371 Battle of Maritsa and the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, the Serbian Despotate became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1459.
Ottoman Serbia remained under direct Turkish rule for three-and-a-half centuries. Many illustrious figures in Ottoman history were of Serbian descent, including Queen Mara Branković, the Grand Viziers Sokollu Mehmed Pasha and Mahmud Pasha Angelović, and the general Omar Pasha.
In 1815, the Serbian Revolution established the autonomous Principality of Serbia, which won independence from the Ottoman Empire de facto in 1867 and de jure in 1878. Diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire were established in 1886. Serbia opened consulates in Üsküp (Skopje), Selânik (Salonica), Manastır (Bitola), and Priştine (Pristina) over the next few years. Following the 1894 Istanbul earthquake numerous civil society organisations organized benefit events for the collection of aid for the victims of the catastrophy. [1]
The 1910s was a tumultuous decade in Serbian-Turkish relations. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations with the outbreak of the Balkan Wars in 1912, during which Serbia captured large tracts of Ottoman territory including Kosovo and parts of modern-day North Macedonia. Serbia again declared war on the Ottoman Empire on 2 November 1914 during World War I, although this time the two countries never came into direct conflict with each other.
Diplomatic relations resumed in 1925 between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Turkey, both being successor states of Serbia and the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I.
During the Communist Yugoslav period, Serbia (as constituent part of Yugoslavia) and Turkey continued to maintain relations, which for the large part were friendly.
In 1982 two assassins of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia shot the ambassador of Turkey in Yugoslavia Galip Balkar as revenge for the Armenian genocide. Unarmed citizens of Belgrade who were near the event tried to stop the culprits and chased after them, which resulted in two Serbian civilians wounded and one dead. [2] [3] Ambassador Balkar died two days later in the hospital. The event is commemorated every year by Turkey and Serbia. [4]
With the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars, Turkey expressed its solidarity with the Muslim-majority regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, causing some friction with Serbia.
Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac signed a defence cooperation agreement in Ankara in 2009. Gönül stated that, “Although we do not have a common border, we see Serbia as a neighbour,” and, “Turkey desires to maintain and improve its relations with Serbia the most, among all the other Balkan states.” [5] and, “We are thinking of taking some initiatives in the defense industry together, like co-production in Turkey or Serbia.” [6]
Turkish President Abdullah Gül paid a visit to Serbia in 2009, and became the first Turkish President to visit Serbia since 1986. [7]
In 2013, Serbian foreign ministry condemned a statement by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that he made during a visit to Kosovo. Erdoğan said in his speech: "Do not forget that Kosovo is Turkey and Turkey is Kosovo". He also added that he "feels at home" whenever he visits Kosovo. The Serbian foreign ministry responded by saying that Erdoğan's remarks "cannot be received as friendly," and that the town of Prizren, where the speech was made, "is probably the least appropriate place for such statements" due to it being the initial burial place of Serbia's medieval emperor Dušan the Mighty. [8] Various Serbian politicians, including Prime Minister Ivica Dačić [9] and parliament speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic, [8] rejected the Turkish PM's speech. Furthermore, the Turkish ambassador in Belgrade was summoned by the Serbian foreign ministry to demand explanations on October 26, and President Tomislav Nikolic announced Serbia's withdrawal from trilateral talks which included Turkey and Bosnia that same day, [10] demanding Turkey's apology for the "scandal". [11] The statements were also condemned by Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the Freedom Party of Austria, who believed that Europe should rise against the Turkish PM. "His territorial pretensions in Europe are a step away from the restoration of the Ottoman Empire that Erdoğan wants," Strache said in his statement. [12] However, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said during an interview on the TRT channel that Erdoğan's words have been misunderstood. "Remarks which have been cut out from the whole speech were taken to grounds we don’t want. We also aim to have good relations with Serbia. Turkey maintains an equal distance to all Balkan countries," Davutoğlu stressed. [11]
Relations between two countries recovered quickly after the 2013 speech with significant increase in number of flights travelers between Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport and Istanbul airports and entrance of Turkish companies such as Halkbank at Serbian market. [13] In March 2016 in interview for the N 1 television, CNN International's regional broadcast partner and affiliate, Turkish ambassador in Belgrade Mehmet Kemal Bozaj stated that diplomacy of two countries have excellent cooperation regardless of different positions over the question of 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence while also stating that Turkey supports Belgrade–Pristina negotiations. [14] On the margins of 2016 Conference on Global Sustainable Transport in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Aleksandar Antić stated that good relations between Serbia and Turkey contribute to the stability of the entire region. [15] Minister also stated that reconstruction of A4 motorway will have direct positive effect on Turkey since the highway is used by Turkish citizens (especially truck drivers) who are traveling between their country and Central and Western Europe. [15] During his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara in 2016, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić stated that bilateral relations are crucial for the region and that Serbia proved to be Turkish friend during 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt when Belgrade explicitly at that same first night express opposition to any attempt of violent takeover and express support for the democratically elected government of Turkey. [16] He also invited Turkish President and Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to visit Belgrade. [16] In 2016 National Assembly of Serbia Deputy Speaker Vladimir Marinković attended the opening of the renovated building of the Embassy of Turkey in Belgrade and on that occasion he stated that political relations between the two countries are very good. [17] He expressed full support of all state institutions of Serbia to Turkey in the process of overcoming post 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt situation, and that Serbia want to see stable Turkey which is of great importance for the whole region. [17]
In 2022, neither Serbia nor Turkey backed the European Union's and United States' sanctions on Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. [18] [19]
The two countries signed a free trade agreement in 2009. [20]
Foreign relations of Serbia are formulated and executed by the Government of Serbia through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Serbia established diplomatic relations with most world nations – 188 states in total – starting with the United Kingdom (1837) and ending most recently with Guyana (2024). Serbia has friendly relations with following neighboring countries: Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Hungary. It maintains colder, more tense relations with Albania and Croatia and to a lesser degree with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria due to historic nation-building conflict and differing political ideologies.
Serbia–Ukraine relations are foreign relations between Serbia and Ukraine. Serbia, as a direct successor to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, recognized Ukraine on 15 April 1994. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were established on 15 April 1994.
Russia–Serbia relations are the bilateral foreign relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Serbia. The countries established official diplomatic relations as the Russian Empire and Principality of Serbia in 1816. Russia has an honorary consulate and embassy in Belgrade, and a liaison office to UNMIK, the capital of the disputed territory of Kosovo. Serbia has an embassy in Moscow, an honorary consulate in St. Petersburg and has announced to open a consulate-general in Yekaterinburg.
Albania and Turkey have close foreign relations. Albania has an embassy in Ankara and a general consulate in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Tirana. The most widespread religion in Albania is Islam (~59%), also in Turkey (~90%). Both are part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Turkey and Albania are candidates for accession in the European Union (EU).
Kosovo–Turkey relations are the historic and current bilateral relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Turkey. Kosovo has an embassy in Ankara, whereas Turkey has an embassy in Pristina. Both nations are predominantly Muslim, have close cultural and military ties, and both have sought to join the European Union.
Bulgaria has an embassy in Belgrade. Serbia has an embassy in Sofia. Bulgaria is a European Union member state and Serbia is a European Union candidate.
French-Serbian relations are foreign relations between France and Serbia. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1839, between the Kingdom of France and the Principality of Serbia.
Armenia and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established between Armenia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on 14 January 1993. Both countries are members of the United Nations, Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, NATO's Partnership for Peace, the International Monetary Fund, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Serbia-Spain relations are foreign relations between Serbia and Spain. Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1916. Serbia has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in Belgrade. Both countries are member states of the UN, Interpol, COE and OSCE. Spain is member state of the EU since 1986 and Serbia is a candidate country since 2012 negotiating its future membership which Spain is strongly supporting. In relation to third parties, both countries supported position of Argentina in its Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom in the past.
Relations between Albania and Serbia have been complex and largely unfriendly due to a number of historical and political events.
Montenegrin–Serbian relations are foreign relations between Montenegro and Serbia. From 1918 until 2006, the two states were united under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and Serbia and Montenegro. Since 2006, there have been sporadic instances of debate on Montenegro's legitimacy as a separate state as well as much more prominent controversial debate on the Montenegrin ethnic identity. Despite this, the two countries have maintained mostly friendly geopolitical and economic relations.
Serbia and Venezuela maintain diplomatic relations established between SFR Yugoslavia and Venezuela in 1951.
North Macedonia–Serbia relations are bilateral relations between the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia. A 2022 poll conducted found that the citizens of North Macedonia consider Serbia to be their friendliest state.
North Korea–Serbia relations are the bilateral relations between Serbia and North Korea.
Azerbaijan and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established between Azerbaijan and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1997.
Cuba and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established in 1902.
Bosnia and Herzegovina–Turkey relations are the bilateral relations between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a southeast European country, while Turkey is a transcontinental country with a small European part on the Balkan peninsula around Istanbul. Diplomatic relations between the two countries started on 29 August 1992. Bosnia and Herzegovina has one embassy in Ankara and two consulates in Istanbul and İzmir, while Turkey has one embassy in Sarajevo and one consulate in Mostar. The two countries enjoy very warm diplomatic relations, due to historical and cultural ties dating back to the 15th century. There is a large population of Bosniaks in Turkey and a smaller community of Turks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Istanbul quarter of Yenibosna is named in honour of the Bosnian community that has settled there since Ottoman times. Reflecting the close ties between the two nations, Bosnians and Turks are free to travel to each other's countries using only their national identification cards, without the need for a passport. Turkey gives full support to Bosnia and Herzegovina's NATO membership.
Palau and Serbia maintain diplomatic relations established in 2018.
Albania–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Albania and now broken up Yugoslavia. With occasional periods of friendly relations or efforts to improve relations, the two countries predominantly maintained cold or openly hostile relations. The period of close relations developed right after the end of World War II when Yugoslavia pushed for socioeconomic integration of Albania into Yugoslavia within the Balkan Federation ; however, the two countries turned to sharp antagonism after the 1948 Tito–Stalin split.
Turkey–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Turkey and now broken up Yugoslavia.
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see also: Foreign relations of Yugoslavia & Serbia and Montenegro | ||
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