State Duma speaker to visit Serbia next week

State Duma speaker to visit Serbia next week

BELGRADE -- Speaker of the Russian State Duma Sergei Naryshkin will arrive in Serbia for a two-day visit on Monday, May 5.

He will meet with Serbian officials and attend scientific events related to the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I.

According to the Russian embassy in Belgrade, Naryshkin will meet with Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojković and a group of MPs.

Naryshkin, who is also the head of the state committee for the marking of the 100th anniversary of World War I, will open a roundtable discussion entitled "Russia and Serbia: Joint Memories and Brotherhood of the Nations," at the Belgrade University.

The Russian embassy will hold a reception on May 5 to mark Victory Day, which will be attended by the Duma speaker, members of the Duma, Serbian officials, Russian scientists and World War II veterans, the statement said.

On the second day of his visit, Naryshkin will open the forum Balkan Dialogue 2014, which will focus on the lessons learned from world wars when it comes to international security, cooperation, trust and dialogue as requirements to cope with global crises.

Naryshkin will also lay wreaths at the Belgrade Liberators' Cemetery and the monument dedicated to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, the Russian embassy said.