The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Egypt, Zagorka Aleksic, stressed how very pleased and honoured she was that the National Assembly has the opportunity to host one of the most important religious leaders in the Middle East, emphasising that the visit of His Holiness represents an additional incentive to improve relations between the two countries, which are linked by historical friendship, mutual respect and increasingly strong cooperation in numerous fields. "This parliament is the home of our citizens and I must emphasise that the National Assembly, the Serbian Orthodox Church and our entire people look with respect and warmth to our Coptic brothers, guardians of the ancient faith and the cradle of monasticism," said the PFG Head at the beginning of the meeting. She added that our two churches, our peoples and communities are connected not only by our shared Christian roots, but also by spiritual heritage, and that both peoples are familiar with suffering, which brings us even closer in hope and faith. She underlined that today, more than ever, the world needs peace, understanding and tolerance, and that our two churches can show how two traditions, founded on the same values, can support each other, build bridges of trust and be a support for their peoples. She said that the Serbian people are ready for any initiative that leads to deeper cooperation, through the exchange of theological experiences and cultural projects that testify to the unity of the Christian spirit. She emphasised that Orthodoxy is the foundation of the identity of the Serbian people and that it has never endangered other peoples and religions living in Serbia, but rather respects and cherishes their rights and cultural idiosyncrasies. She took the opportunity to emphasise that relations between Serbia and Egypt are at the highest level, thanks to the relations between the presidents of the two countries, Aleksandar Vucic and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and that their commitment to the development of relations between the two countries demands respect. She spoke of the rise of bilateral cooperation and the ratified Free Trade Agreement with Egypt, as well as regional cooperation. "May this visit be the foundation for further relations between the two fraternal communities and two sister churches, which will contribute to strengthening our friendship, which will bring new understanding and potential," said Aleksic.

The Patriarch was also addressed by MPs Marina Ragus, Stasa Stojanovic, Svetlana Milijic, and Vesna Nedovic, who pointed out the need for unity, faith, and spirituality in these very challenging times, while MP Aleksandar Cotric also drew attention to the cooperation in the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, which constitutes a special dimension of strengthening cooperation at the political, cultural, and spiritual levels.

His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II thanked the MPs for the warm welcome and expressed his admiration for Serbia and its rich history, culture and religious heritage. He underlined the importance of mutual understanding and tolerance between peoples, and pointed out the similarities between the Serbian and Egyptian people when it comes to preserving traditional values, family ties and faith as the foundation of identity. His Holiness said that he decided to visit our country at the invitation of the President of Serbia and had the privilege of meeting with the Serbian Patriarch Pofirije and attending the liturgy in the Temple of Saint Sava during his visit. He said that the Coptic community consists of 15 million believers who live in peace and harmony with their Muslim brothers and that one of the reasons for his visit was to visit the Coptic community in Serbia, which represents another bridge of cooperation between the two peoples. He added that interparliamentary cooperation is of exceptional importance, as is cooperation between the churches, and that any cooperation represents a striving for love and tradition. In his address, he invited the Serbian delegation to visit the St Anthony Monastery, which is one of the first monasteries in history.

In the spirit of friendship and mutual respect, the participants of the meeting expressed the hope that this visit would represent the beginning of even more meaningful cooperation, both at the bilateral and interreligious levels, encouraging further exchange of delegations and joint initiatives in the fields of education, culture and humanitarian action.