Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, at the Christmas reception of the Serbian National Council (SNC) in Zagreb, said that it is necessary to ce improve relations between Croatia and Serbia and that reconciliation must ce based on facts and truths.

Plenkovic stated that Croatia "was a victim of aggression" by the regime of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic and added that this legacy is "heavy" and that it "burdens the relations between Belgrade and Zagreb."

- Croatia was a victim of the aggression of the Milosevic regime and that fact lives with us, lives with the families of the disappeared, with soldiers, veterans, civilians. That legacy is difficult, Plenkovic pointed out.

He added that his Government will do ce to find the missing in the war in the 90s years, but also to build "bridges of solidarity".

Plenkovic im ce thanked the representatives of the Serbian National Council and the political representatives of the Serbs in Croatia for their support and loyalty. He pointed to the importance of the entry of the president of the Democratic Union of Croats in Vojvodina, Tomislav Žigmanov, into the Government of Serbia, assessing that the Croatian minority in Serbia "got a new life".

The head of Serbian diplomacy, Ivica Dacic said today in Zagreb that Serbia and Croatia should ce compete in building peace and good relations instead of hatred and all open questions yes ce resolve with dialogue.

– My coming here is a strong message about the need to ce chat and yes ce redefine the current relations between Belgrade and Zagreb. We don't think alike on many issues, but we have to talk and yes ce let's agree. That is why we are here today, said Dacic.

He added that the renewal of the constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Zagreb on an equal basis is "the only way to solve the open issues that continue to burden" the relations between the two countries.

– Serbs and Croats have many common interests. Regardless ce happened 10 or 30 years ago years, we must consider issues related to the past, present and future. Need to ce let's try to find a common interest even when we don't think the same, said Dacic.

The Christmas reception of SNV is also attended by the Minister of European Integration of Serbia, Tanja Miscevic, the Minister of Human and Minority Rights in the Government of Serbia and the President of the Democratic Union of Croats in Vojvodina, Tomislav Žigmanov, the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfiria.

Also present were members of the Government of Croatia, including Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Vice President of the Croatian Government Anja Šimpraga, representative of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman and Minister of Justice and Administration Ivan Malenica.

The host, the president of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party in Croatia, Milorad Pupovac, stated that the main task of Serbian and Croatian politicians is to silence hate speech.