Skopje, 6 June 2022 (MIA) – Even holding the Open Balkan Summit in Ohrid was under question had the visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Serbia taken place, Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani told Sitel TV on Monday. According to him, the cancelling of Lavrov’s visit to Serbia encourages the holding of the meeting in Ohrid. Osmani said for now preparations for the meeting in Ohrid are taking place as planned. Asked if he has had any contact with his colleagues from Serbia, Osmani said over the recent days it has been clearly stated that such steps don’t encourage us in this engagement in the Western Balkans as part of the regional cooperation. Therefore, Osmani noted, it was important to send those messages to all other participants within the Open Balkan. “Though Serbia is, of course, an independent country that decides its own foreign policy priorities. However, as part of certain regional initiatives in which we participate, such as the Open Balkan, of course it is important for us that all the countries cooperating are on the same line of certain value systems,” said Osmani. He stressed that the country has good bilateral relations with the Republic of Serbia. In terms of regional initiatives, he added, it was important to us that Serbia backed the UN resolution condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine, and it was an important moment to encourage further regional cooperation. “Bilateral relations are never disputable and will continue to be upgraded. However, regional initiatives must be within the framework of certain basic value principles we believe in,” FM Osmani pointed out. As regards the decision by which the country, as one of three countries, banned overflight of the aircraft that was set to carry Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for a visit to Serbia, Osmani pointed out it was not in response to the Russian Federation, but in response to the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, i.e. the Russian Federation’s policies in terms of the war in Ukraine. He noted that North Macedonia is one of many countries that have passed a general ban, i.e. closed the airspace for airlines owned by the Russian Federation. “In response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we considered that this request by the Russian Embassy for a special approval to use the country’s airspace for this flight fits into that general ban and our position on the Russian aggression against Ukraine,” said Osmani. He added that the country should be unequivocal in its position and in the messages it sends to the Russian Federation that it is inadmissible to attack neighboring countries in the 21^st centuries and commit aggression against neighboring countries and independent states. Asked whether after Moscow’s reaction and calls to withdraw all ambassadors of the Russian Federation from the three countries that banned the overflight there has been any announcement on withdrawal of the Russian Ambassador, Osmani said there has been no such announcement.