The official visit of Miguel Díaz-Canel to Serbia leaves few concrete results for the moment, although both parties highlighted their interest in “promoting areas of common interest”, including agriculture, biotechnology, culture, sports, education, health and tourism. However, the special affection that President Aleksandar Vucic dispenses to his Cuban counterpart, who was received with honors in Belgrade after his time – more discreetly – by Rome.
Since his arrival, on Tuesday night, the page of the Presidency of Cuba highlighted, in one of its usual smooth textsthe pomp with which the Cuban delegation was received upon landing at the Nikola Tesla international airport in Belgrade.
“The night in Serbia from the cars feels peaceful and our delegation cannot help appreciating how the main avenues that the caravan travels have been adorned with our national banner”
“Honor guard and red carpet guarded the boarding of the president to the presidential car. The night in Serbia from the cars feels peaceful and our delegation cannot help but appreciate how the main avenues that the caravan travels have been adorned with our national banner Brotherhood and affection welcome Cuba in this sister nation,” reads the text.
“Cuba can count on our full support,” said the Serbian leader, who particularly appreciated the position of the island’s regime regarding its territorial integrity. Havana has never recognized the independence of Kosovo – which declared its new status in 2008, in favor of most European countries and the US – and maintains that it is an autonomous region of Serbia.
Vucic has reciprocated that affection almost personally, embracing the Cuban president, and pouring out praise for the regime. After affirming that he felt very proud to receive Díaz-Canel, he added: “We Serbs love the Cuban people. We are independent, sovereign countries. In the heart of Europe they have a people that supports them.”
The two leaders had a private meeting, highlights the Cuban presidency, and later there was a formal meeting, followed by a press conference. “It is an honor for all of us to be here and to be able to correspond to the invitation that the dear president has made us to hold official talks. It has been a very fruitful exchange,” reiterated Díaz-Canel, who returned the thanks for Belgrade’s rejection of the US embargo.
“We will conclude our visit with great optimism in the future of relations between Cuba and Serbia, and with absolute confidence that they will continue to strengthen and expand, for the benefit of both peoples,” continued the Cuban president, who later attended a meeting with Vladimir Orlic, president of the National Assembly.
The lack of details about the practical effects of the visit is evident, well past European noon. The issue to be discussed between the two countries that arouses the greatest interest for the population is not health or biotechnology, much less sports, but the immigration issue.
Serbia became in 2022 one of the favorite destinations for Cubans wishing to go into exile in Europe, after an already rising 2021. Although it had not requested a visa from the citizens of the Island since 1966 – when Belgrade was the capital of the now extinct Yugoslavia, in the orbit of the USSR, like Cuba – the country had functioned more as a gateway to the European Union through Russia, which also exempted Cubans from visas and has air connections with Belgrade. A route with two main routes began in Moscow: north (through the Baltic countries) and south (through the Balkans to Greece).
A route with two main routes began in Moscow: north, through the Baltic countries; and south, through the Balkans towards Greece
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine jeopardized that route and the lack of flights between Cuba and Moscow ended up turning Belgrade into the priority departure destination for Cuban exiles, who arrived through Germany. The increase in migrants from the island began to alarm the authorities, particularly the European ones, who insist on turning border countries into containment barriers.
The EU has been negotiating with several countries in the area, including Serbia, for the reinforcement of border controls and, after several months chaotic between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 in which many Cubans found themselves trapped in limbo after being rejected by the companies airlines with a stop in the EU and destination to Belgrade, the Vucic government made the decision to require a visa again for the citizens of the Island.
Measure entered into force on April 14 by not renewing the agreement. The question is whether Vucic, who constantly navigates between his affinity with Moscow and his desire to get closer to the prosperous EU, will have changed his mind today.
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