Greece–Serbia Relations
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Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
maintain diplomatic relations established in 1879. From 1918 to 2006, Greece maintained relations with the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
, the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
(SFRY), and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) (later
Serbia and Montenegro The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...
), of which Serbia is considered shared (SFRY) or sole (FRY) legal
successor Successor may refer to: * An entity that comes after another (see Succession (disambiguation)) Film and TV * ''The Successor'' (1996 film), a film including Laura Girling * The Successor (2023 film), a French drama film * ''The Successor'' ( ...
.
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
enjoy close diplomatic relations, which have traditionally been friendly due to cultural, religious and historical ties between the
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
and
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
.


History


Middle Ages

During the
Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages (historiography), Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start o ...
,
Principality of Serbia The Principality of Serbia () was an autonomous, later sovereign state in the Balkans that came into existence as a result of the Serbian Revolution, which lasted between 1804 and 1817. Its creation was negotiated first through an unwritten agre ...
was a subject of the
Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
. The ethnogenesis of Serbs began in the Byzantine-
Slavic Slavic, Slav or Slavonic may refer to: Peoples * Slavic peoples, an ethno-linguistic group living in Europe and Asia ** East Slavic peoples, eastern group of Slavic peoples ** South Slavic peoples, southern group of Slavic peoples ** West Slav ...
environment, part of the wider
Byzantine commonwealth The term Byzantine commonwealth was coined by 20th-century historian Dimitri Obolensky to refer to the area where Byzantine general influence ( Byzantine liturgical and cultural tradition) was spread during the Middle Ages by the Byzantine Empi ...
. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Serbs began fighting for independence, revolting against the Byzantines. In the following centuries, Serbia's independence was recognized by the Byzantines, and the two were mostly in friendly relations. The Serbs aided the Byzantines at the
Battle of Sirmium The Battle of Sirmium, Battle of Semlin or Battle of Zemun () was fought on July 8, 1167 between the Byzantine Empire, and the Kingdom of Hungary. The Byzantines achieved a decisive victory, forcing the Hungarians to sue for peace on Byzantine te ...
in 1167 and Battle of Gallipoli in 1312. Most of the Serbian queen consorts were Byzantine women (such as
Eudokia Angelina Eudokia Angelina (, also spelled ''Eudocia'', ; around 1173–died , or later) was the consort of Stefan the First-Crowned of Serbia from c. 1190 to c. 1200. She later remarried, to Alexios V Doukas, who briefly ruled as Emperor of Byzantium in 120 ...
,
Simonida Simonida Nemanjić ( sr-cyr, Симонида Немањић; – after 1336), born Simonis Palaiologina (, sr. Симонида Палеолог, ''Simonida Paleolog''), was a Byzantine princess and queen consort of the Kingdom of Serbia as th ...
,
Maria Palaiologina Maria Palaiologina () was the daughter of the Byzantine Empire, Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos () who became the wife of the Mongol ruler Abaqa Khan, and an influential Christian leader among the Mongols. After Abaqa's death, she beca ...
,
Irene Kantakouzene Irene Kantakouzene (, ''Eiréne Kantakouzené'', modern pronunciation ''Iríni Kantakouziní'' , / ''Irina Kantakuzin''; – 3 May 1457), known simply as Despotess Jerina ( / ''despotica Jerina''), was the wife of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branko ...
,
Helena Palaiologina Helena Palaiologina (; 3 February 1428 – 11 April 1458) was a Byzantine princess of the Palaiologos family, who became Queen of Cyprus and Armenia, titular Queen consort of Jerusalem, and Princess of Antioch through her marriage to King John ...
).
Manuel I of Constantinople Manuel I Sarantenos or Karantenos or Charitopoulos (; died May or June 1222) was the Patriarch of Constantinople from May 1217 to May/June 1222. Biography He seems to have been called "the Philosopher", George Akropolites says he was "a ph ...
recognized
Sava The Sava, is a river in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reac ...
as the first Archbishop of the Serbs.
Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
on
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
became one of the most important cultural and religious centres of the Serbian people. Some Byzantine families found refuge in Serbia at the end of the 14th and early 15th century, following Ottoman conquests, such as the Angeloi and Kantakouzenos; notable statesmen in the
Serbian Despotate The Serbian Despotate () was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravi ...
of Greek origin include Janja Kantakouzenos, Dimitrije Kantakuzin and
Mihailo Anđelović Mihailo ( sr-cyr, Михаило) is a South Slavic masculine given name. It is a variant of the Hebrew name ''Michael'', and its cognates include Mihajlo and Mijailo. Common as a given name among Serbs, it is an uncommon surname. Notable peopl ...
. The two last Byzantine Emperors were of Serbian maternal descent. The Serbs were greatly influenced by the Hellenic culture of the Byzantine Empire, particularly under the reign of Serbian emperor
Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...
. Dušan, who had himself crowned as "
Emperor of Serbs and Greeks Between 1345 and 1371, the Serbian monarchs held the title of emperor (tsar). The full title was initially Emperor of the Serbs and Greeks, later Emperor of the Serbs, Greeks and Bulgarians in Serbian and ''basileus'' and ''autokrator'' of Serb ...
," made both Serbian and Greek the official languages of his empire, wrote charters and signed in Greek, and adopted Eastern Roman law as the foundations of his empire. He sought to synthesize the Byzantine Empire into a Serbian-Greek empire. Dušan, therefore, "took pains to woo the Greek inhabitants of those provinces
hat he had acquired in Macedonia and northern Greece A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mechan ...
His code of law, or '' Zakonik'', proclaimed the equality of Serbs and Greeks in all his dominions and confirmed the privileges bestowed on Greek cities by Byzantine Emperors of the past whom Dušan was pleased to regard as his imperial predecessors. His administrators were adorned with the Byzantine titles of Despot,
Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...
and ''
sebastokrator ''Sebastokrator'' (, ; ; ), was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence (Bulgarian Empire, Serbian Empire). The word is a compound ...
'' and his court was a model of that in Constantinople. He minted a silver coinage in the Byzantine style; and churches and monasteries in the Slav as well as the Greek provinces of his empire were decorated by artists of the best Byzantine school."


19th century

During the
First Serbian Uprising The First Serbian Uprising (; sr-Cyrl, Први српски устанак; ) was an uprising of Serbs in Orašac (Aranđelovac), Orašac against the Ottoman Empire from 14 February 1804 to 7 October 1813. The uprising began as a local revolt ...
, the Serbian rebels were joined by Greeks and Greek-
Aromanians The Aromanians () are an Ethnic groups in Europe, ethnic group native to the southern Balkans who speak Aromanian language, Aromanian, an Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern Albania, south-western Bulgari ...
, among others, with notable examples being fighter
Giorgakis Olympios Giorgakis Olympios (; ; ; 1772–1821) was an armatole and military commander during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Noted for his activities with the Filiki Eteria in the Danubian Principalities, he is considered to b ...
, diplomat
Petar Ičko Petar Ičko ( sr-cyr, Петар Ичко, 1755–1808) was an Ottoman and later Serbian diplomat, a merchant by profession from Ottoman Macedonia. He is remembered for instituting Ičko's Peace, though of short duration. Biography He was of ...
, secretary
Naum Krnar Naum Krnar ( sr-cyr, Наум Крнар; d. 13 July 1817) was the secretary of Karađorđe, the leader of the First Serbian Uprising. Biography Krnar was an ethnic Greek, hailing from Thessaly. He spoke several languages and worked as a merchan ...
, fighter
Konda Bimbaša Konda Bimbaša; ( sr-cyr, Конда Бимбаша; ), March 1804–d. May/June 1807) was an Albanian in Alija Gušanac's Dahije detachment in the Sanjak of Smederevo who switched sides to the Serb rebels during the First Serbian Uprising, procla ...
, and others. Greek ''
armatolos The armatoles (; ; ; ), or armatole in singular, were irregular soldiers, or militia, commissioned by the Ottomans to enforce the sultan's authority within an administrative district called an armatoliki ( in singular, , in plural). In Greek re ...
'' Nikotsaras (d. 1807) planned to cross Mount Olympos to join the Serbian rebels. Military cooperation between the two nations was forged in the semi-autonomous
Danubian Principalities The Danubian Principalities (, ) was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (1774) ...
, which were governed mostly by
Phanariote Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Fanariots (, , ) were members of prominent Greek families in Phanar (Φανάρι, modern ''Fener''), the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is located, who traditionally occupied ...
Greek
voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
s. There are indications that communication and cooperation between Serbs and Greeks of the Greek mainland had also been established early. For example, in 1806 the French consul in Thessaloniki reported that "the Turks are very furious against the Greeks because of their communications with the Serbs". It was reported that many Slav and Greek peasants were arrested suspected of aiding the Serbian rebels. The
klephts Klephts (; Greek κλέφτης, ''kléftis'', pl. κλέφτες, ''kléftes'', which means "thieves" and perhaps originally meant just "brigand": "Other Greeks, taking to the mountains, became unofficial, self-appointed armatoles and were know ...
and armatoloi were encouraged by the Serbian rebels and Russian actions. The Serbian rebels were important allies to the Greeks; after the suppression of the First Uprising,
Karađorđe Đorđe Petrović (; ;  – ), known by the sobriquet Karađorđe (; ), was a Serbian revolutionary leader who led a struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising. He held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 ...
fled to
Bessarabia Bessarabia () is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Bessarabia lies within modern-day Moldova, with the Budjak region covering the southern coa ...
, where he joined the
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
national liberation movement ''
Filiki Eteria Filiki Eteria () or Society of Friends () was a secret political and revolutionary organization founded in 1814 in Odesa, Odessa, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman Empire, Ottoman rule in Ottoman Greece, Greece and establish an Independenc ...
'', becoming an active member. The Greeks were primarily interested in using the Serbian lands as base of the Greek operations.
Miloš Obrenović Miloš Obrenović (; ; 18 March 1780 or 1783 – 26 September 1860) born Miloš Teodorović (; ), also known as Miloš the Great () was the Prince of Serbia twice, from 1815 to 1839, and from 1858 to 1860. He was an eminent figure of the Firs ...
, the leader of the
Second Serbian Uprising The Second Serbian Uprising ( / ''Drugi srpski ustanak'', ) was the second phase of the Serbian Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, which erupted shortly after the re-annexation of the country to the Ottoman Empire in 1813. The occupation was ...
1815–17 was fully uncooperative. The first historian of the
Serbian Revolution The Serbian Revolution ( / ') was a national uprising and constitutional change in Serbia that took place between 1804 and 1835, during which this territory evolved from an Sanjak of Smederevo, Ottoman province into a Revolutionary Serbia, reb ...
was a Greek, Triantafillos Doukas. Many Serbs joined the
Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
, such as
Hadži-Prodan Prodan Gligorijević, known simply as Hadži-Prodan ( sr-cyr, Хаџи-Продан Глигоријевић; c. 1760 – 1825) was a Serbian ''voivode'' (military commander) in the First Serbian Uprising of the Serbian Revolution, then the G ...
and
Vasos Mavrovouniotis Vasos Mavrovouniotis (, literally "''Vasos the Montenegrin''"; 1797 – 9 June 1847), born as Vaso Brajović ( Serbian: Васо Брајoвић), was a Montenegrin Serb general who played a significant role in the Greek revolution against the ...
. Dimitrios Karatasos sought to establish a Greek-Serbian alliance in 1861, but died traveling to Belgrade. Lambros Koutsonikas, a Greek veteran and historian, dreamt in 1863 of a Greek–Serbian federation of "two sisters". The Treaty of Vöslau, signed between Greece and Serbia in 1867, bound the two countries in an alliance.


Balkan Wars

In the
First Balkan War The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
, Greece, Serbia,
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
and
Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
(
Balkan League The League of the Balkans was a quadruple alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Eastern Orthodox kingdoms of Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which still ...
) defeated the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
and divided the former territories of European Turkey among themselves. The division of the geographical area of
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
became a major point of contention among the allies. Greece had captured
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
and much of western Macedonia, while Serbia had captured most of northern Macedonia, both areas also coveted by Bulgaria. In June 1913 Serbia and Greece signed a defensive pact opposing Bulgaria's expansionist goals. Eventually on 16 June of the same year Bulgaria attacked both countries, starting the
Second Balkan War The Second Balkan War was a conflict that broke out when Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia and Kingdom of Greece, Greece, on 1 ...
. Being decisively defeated by the Greeks in the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas and by the Serbs in the
Battle of Bregalnica The Battle of Bregalnica was fought between the armies of the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Serbia during the Second Balkan War The Second Balkan War was a conflict that broke out when Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, dissatisfied wi ...
, Bulgaria retreated into defensive positions until
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
entered the war by attacking Bulgaria and threatening Sofia, resulting in the latter's defeat. Greece and Serbia found themselves being the winner parties by having successfully fought the war side by side.


World War I

Despite its defensive alliance with Serbia, Greece remained neutral in the early part of the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, due to the dissension between Prime Minister
Eleftherios Venizelos Eleftherios Kyriakou Venizelos (, ; – 18 March 1936) was a Cretan State, Cretan Greeks, Greek statesman and prominent leader of the Greek national liberation movement. As the leader of the Liberal Party (Greece), Liberal Party, Venizelos ser ...
, who was pro-
Entente Entente, meaning a diplomatic "understanding", may refer to a number of agreements: History * Entente (alliance), a type of treaty or military alliance where the signatories promise to consult each other or to cooperate with each other in case o ...
and favoured entering the war, and King
Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
, who was pro-German and favoured neutrality. The resulting
National Schism The National Schism (), also sometimes called The Great Division, was a series of disagreements between Constantine I of Greece, King Constantine I and Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos over Kingdom of Greece, Greece's foreign policy from 19 ...
was resolved only in 1917, when Constantine was forcibly deposed by the Entente Powers and Greece entered the war under Venizelos.
Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...
served as a refuge for the
Serbian Army The Serbian Army () is the land-based and the largest component of the Serbian Armed Forces. Its organization, composition, weapons and equipment are adapted to the assigned missions and tasks of the Serbian Armed Forces, primarily for operatio ...
that retreated there by the Entente forces ships from the homeland occupied by the Austrians and
Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...
. During their stay, a large portion of Serbian soldiers died from exhaustion, food shortage, and different diseases. Most of their remains were buried at sea near the island of
Vido Vido () is an island of the Ionian Islands group of Greece. Location This small island (less than a kilometer in diameter) is at the mouth of the port of Corfu, about 1 km north of the old fort. History The island was known to the ancien ...
, a small island at the mouth of Corfu port, and a monument of thanks to the Greek Nation has been erected at Vido by the grateful Serbs; consequently, the waters around Vido island are known by the Serbian people as the Blue Graveyard, after a poem written by
Milutin Bojić Milutin Bojić ( sr-Cyrl, Милутин Бојић;  – ) was a Serbian war poet, theatre critic, playwright, and soldier. A native of Belgrade, he began writing poetry at an early age and published a number of literary reviews under a p ...
.Serbs in Corfu
, at the Embassy of Serbia website


World War II

In 1941, during the Helleno-Italian War, when Hitler demanded passage around the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () h ...
to attack Greece, the Regent Prince
Paul Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...
attempted to appease Hitler by offering a non-aggression pact but, ultimately, signed the
Tripartite Pact The Tripartite Pact, also known as the Berlin Pact, was an agreement between Germany, Italy, and Japan signed in Berlin on 27 September 1940 by, respectively, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Galeazzo Ciano, and Saburō Kurusu (in that order) and in the ...
that would allow German passage. In return, the Greek city of Thessaloniki was promised to Yugoslavia. Two days later the army, aided secretly by the UK and the
USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, overthrew the regime with the popular support of both the Serbian people. Although it is arguable that this had more to do with the Serbian anti-German sentiments rather than a love for Greece, the fact remains that the Serbian people still remembered Venizelos' response to Vienna's suggestion for Greece to attack and invade Serbia decades earlier: "Greece is too small a country to do such big malice". Despite the fact that the new Yugoslav government again tried to appease Hitler (given that the country was surrounded on three sides) with neutrality and promises of adhering to previous agreements, the Serbian people were enthusiastic in denouncing the Tripartite Pact and Serb crowds paraded the streets of Belgrade shouting slogans like "Better War than the Pact". Hitler was not pleased and, immediately following the coup had decided to invade Yugoslavia—no longer trusting their proclamations—and divide the Yugoslav territories of the Adriatic coast, Banat, and Macedonia between Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria, respectively. After the fall of Yugoslavia, the Serbian people were punished with genocide by the pro-German Croatian
Ustaše The Ustaše (), also known by anglicised versions Ustasha or Ustashe, was a Croats, Croatian fascist and ultranationalist organization active, as one organization, between 1929 and 1945, formally known as the Ustaša – Croatian Revolutionar ...
.


Yugoslav Wars

In 1992, the UN responded to Serbian offensives in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
by declaring a full embargo on trade with Serbia by all member nations. The sanctions placed Greece, which had recognized the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina shortly after its declaration in 1992, in a difficult position. Serbia was an important trading partner with strong religious and historical ties to Greece, and Serbia had initially supported the Greek position on the
Macedonia naming dispute The use of the country name "Macedonia (terminology), Macedonia" was disputed between Greece and the North Macedonia, Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia) between 1991 and 2019. The dispute was a source of instability in the Balkans#W ...
. Beginning in 1992, the
Konstantinos Mitsotakis Konstantinos Mitsotakis (, ; – 29 May 2017) was a Greek politician who was Prime Minister of Greece from 1990 to 1993. He graduated in law and economics from the University of Athens. His son, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was elected as the Prime Mi ...
and
Andreas Papandreou Andreas Georgiou Papandreou (, ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek academic and economist who founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and served three terms as Prime minister of Greece, prime minister of Third Hellenic Repu ...
governments, fearing that the Bosnian war would spread in a direction that would involve
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
,
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
and
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
, undertook long series of peace-negotiations with Serbia's president,
Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević ( sr-Cyrl, Слободан Милошевић, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the President of Serbia between 1989 and 1997 and President of the Federal Republic of Yugos ...
, Bosnian Serb leader
Radovan Karadžić Radovan Karadžić ( sr-Cyrl, Радован Караџић, ; born 19 June 1945) is a Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serb politician who was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal ...
, and the Bosnian government without results. Meanwhile, food, oil, and arms were reported moving from Greece into Serbia in violation of the UN embargo. Before, during, and after its 1994 presidency of the EU, Greece was the only EU nation to back the Serbian position that Serbian forces had entered Bosnian territory. In early 1994, Greece incurred the displeasure of its European allies by voting against NATO air strikes on Serbian positions. Greece also refused the use of its NATO air bases at Preveza Air Base on the Ionian Sea for such attacks and refused to supply Greek troops to the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. In late 1994, after official talks with Milošević in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, Papandreou reiterated that the positions of Greece and Serbia on the Bosnia issue were virtually identical. According to
University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, ) is a public university, public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in 1632 by municipal authorities, it is the fourth-oldest academic institution in the Netherlan ...
professor C. Wiebes, the
Hellenic National Intelligence Service The National Intelligence Service (NIS) (, abbreviated ) is the national intelligence agency of Greece. Originally modeled after the United States Central Intelligence Agency, it was established in 1953 as the Central Intelligence Service (, ab ...
(EYP) systematically sabotaged NATO operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in an attempt to aid
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби Босне и Херцеговине, Srbi Bosne i Hercegovine), often referred to as Bosnian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, босански Срби, bosanski Srbi) or Herzegovinian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, ...
. In his report for the
Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...
government, Wiebes claims that during the summer of 1995 EYP leaked classified NATO military plans to the Serb Bosnian leadership, and often to General
Ratko Mladić Ratko Mladić ( sr-Cyrl, Ратко Младић, ; born 12 March 1942) is a Bosnian Serb former military officer who led the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) during the Yugoslav Wars. In 2017, he was found guilty of committing war crimes, crim ...
himself. Eventually, Wiebes states in the report, NATO allies ceased sharing NATO military plans with the Greek authorities. A dozen Greek volunteers, members of the Greek Volunteer Guard (ΕΕΦ), fought alongside the Serbs at Srebrenica. The Greek volunteers were motivated by the desire to support their "
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
brothers" in battle.Grohmann, Karolos; "Greece starts probe into Srebrenica massacre"; Reuters, 27 June 2006 They raised the Greek flag at Srebrenica after the fall of the town at Mladić's request, to honour "the brave Greeks fighting on our side.""Greek role in Srebrenica massacre investigated"
, ''The Independent'', 29 June 2005
The creation of the tripartite confederation of Serbia, Greece and North Macedonia was unofficialy proposed by Slobodan Milošević in 1992. In 1994, Milošević invited Greek Prime Minister
Andreas Papandreou Andreas Georgiou Papandreou (, ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek academic and economist who founded the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and served three terms as Prime minister of Greece, prime minister of Third Hellenic Repu ...
to consider his 1992 confederation proposal. Papandreou characterized the idea as "a pioneering, interesting proposal" but noted that it had not yet been examined. Main opposition
New Democracy New Democracy, or the New Democratic Revolution, is a type of democracy in Marxism, based on Mao Zedong's Bloc of Four Social Classes theory in post-revolutionary China which argued originally that democracy in China would take a path that w ...
party leader
Miltiadis Evert Miltiadis Evert (; ; 12 May 1939 – 9 February 2011) was a Greek politician, a member of Parliament, government minister, and ex-chairman of the New Democracy party. Origins Evert was born in Athens, Greece. He was the son of Angelos Evert, ch ...
, who had also met with Milošević, said that all Balkan countries should instead gain accession to the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
. Political Spring party leader
Antonis Samaras Antonis Samaras (, ; born 23 May 1951) is a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece from 2012 to 2015. A member of the New Democracy (Greece), New Democracy party, he was its president from 2009 until 2015. Samaras started his na ...
said that the proposal was "interesting but should be thoroughly examined." These proposals eventually failed to gain support among any faction in Greece. Greece opposed the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Serbia and Montenegro, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombing ...
, being the only NATO member to condemn the actions and to openly express its disapproval, refusing to participate in the strikes. Several polls were conducted, one of which revealed that 94% of the Greek population were completely opposed to the bombing, with 85% believing NATO's motives were strategic and not humanitarian. Some 69% wanted US President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
tried for war crimes, while 52% opposed the admittance of Kosovo Albanian refugees to Greece. During a
C-SPAN Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN ) is an American Cable television in the United States, cable and Satellite television in the United States, satellite television network, created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a Non ...
discussion in 2005 with General Wesley Allen Clark, the commander of
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
during the Kosovo War and NATO bombings, it was revealed that several Greek non-governmental organizations were sending relief supplies in the midst of the bombing campaigns, which caused the bombing of certain targets more difficult, with the intention of the organizations being to forestall the military action by sending humanitarian aid to the Kosovo Serbs.


Greek humanitarian aid

Following the outbreak of Yugoslav Wars, Serbia and Bosnian Serbs received tremendous humanitarian aid from Greece and Cyprus, coming from all sectors of Greek society. In 1993 the
Hellenic Red Cross The Hellenic Red Cross () is the Greek national Red Cross Society, founded on 10 June 1877. In 1912 the School of Nurses is founded, in 1932 the Volunteer Samaritans Corps starts its operations and in 1964 the Social Welfear Sector is also founded ...
and the
Red Cross of Serbia The Red Cross of Serbia () is a humanitarian, non-governmental organisation that provides humanitarian aid, disaster relief and education in Serbia. It is the national affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societi ...
launched a program for Greek families to host Serbian children—especially those who were refugees, orphans, had lost family members during the wars, or came from poor families—was established in order to help children forget their hardships for a while and overcome psychological problems caused by the traumatic experiences they had lived through. In total, more than 2,000 Bosnian Serbian children have been hosted by Greek families by 1999. In October 1995, a "peace train" carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid consisting of clothing, pharmaceuticals, and food left Greece to aid Bosnian Serb refugees. This effort was organized by the committee that included prefectures, cities and municipalities from Northern Greece, both public and private companies. In December 1995, 70 tons of humanitarian aid were sent to the Bosnian Serbs in the town of
Prijedor Prijedor ( sr-cyrl, Приједор, ) is a city in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it had a population of 80,916 inhabitants within its administrative limits. Prijedor is situated in the northwestern part of the Bosanska ...
by the municipality of Neapoli. In February 1996, 200 tons of humanitarian aid gathered by the Athens Association of Greek-Serb Friendship arrived in
Republika Srpska Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, ; also referred to as the Republic of Srpska or Serb Republic) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other bein ...
. At the beginning of the NATO bombing in 1999, Greek businessman Stavros Vitalis organized departure of 250 Greeks for Belgrade in order to offer any kind of help they could to the Serb people. Among the 250 people were lawyers, doctors, and other professionals. Stavros Vitalis was reported as saying that they were on the side of the Serbs because they regarded them as friends and brothers. In April 1999, the municipality of Kalamaria collected 50 tons of humanitarian aid consisting of food and medicines. During that same month, representatives of the Athens-based Society of Greek-Serbian Friendship sent a 16-truck convoy of humanitarian aid consisting of food and medical supplies. During his visit to Serbia in September 2001, Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece
Christodoulos Christodoulos () is a Greek language, Greek given name. It is a theophoric name which means "servant of Jesus Christ, Christ". It can refer to: * Christodoulos (Greek patriarch of Alexandria), r. 907–932 * Pope Christodoulos of Alexandria, Copti ...
announced donation of the Church of Greece of 250 million drachmas. For all of his activities and assistance to the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people, Patriarch Pavle conferred the
Order of St. Sava The Order of St. Sava () is an ecclesiastic decoration conferred by the Serbian Orthodox Church and a dynastic order presented by the house of Karađorđević. It was previously a state order awarded by both the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom ...
to Archbishop Christodoulos, saying that "The Greek Church has always sympathised with the troubles we have been in, rendering us support as well as aid". Likewise, Yugoslav President
Vojislav Koštunica Vojislav Koštunica ( sr-cyrl, Војислав Коштуница, ; born 24 March 1944) is a Serbian former politician who served as the last President of Serbia and Montenegro, president of FR Yugoslavia from 2000 to 2003 and as the Prime Min ...
awarded Archbishop Christodoulos the highest state medal for the help of the Greek Church towards the Serbian people during the 1990s.


Recent period

Following the
2007 Greek forest fires The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive wildfire, forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007. The most destructive and lethal infernos broke out on 23 August, expanded rapidly and raged ...
, Serbia sent six M-18 Dromader and one Antonov An-2 firefighting planes, 6 firefighting all-terrain vehicles, 55 firefighters, and put specialized military units on alert in case they were needed to assist the Greek Army battling fires and clearing out the debris. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, over 300 Serbian firefighters signed up for Greece in less than an hour. In August 2021 Serbia sent a special unit consisting of 37 firefighters and 3 helicopters to assist Greece in fighting against wildfire rampage.


Political relations

The political relationship between the two countries is characterized by frequent high-level visits and a strategic partnership formalized in 2019 through the High-Level Cooperation Council, with sessions held in Thessaloniki in 2017, Belgrade in 2018, and Athens in 2019. Greece strongly supports Serbia’s EU accession, despite Serbia’s complex ties with Russia.


Greece's stance on Kosovo

Greece is one of five member states of the European Union (other being,
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
,
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
,
Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
and
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
) that does not recognize unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo and is actively opposing its membership in international organisations such as
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
and Interpol.


Economic relations

Trade between two countries amounted to $856 million in 2023; Greek merchandise export to Serbia was over $523 million; Serbian exports were standing at $323 million. Greek manufacturing companies present in Serbia include
Titan Cement TITAN Group is a Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last ...
(cement manufacturing plant in
Kosjerić Kosjeríć ( sr-cyr, Косјерић, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of western Serbia. The municipality has a population of 10,175 inhabitants and the town itself has 3,723 (2022 census). The municipality's area i ...
), Hellenic Sugar Industry (sugar producing plants in
Crvenka Crvenka () is a small town located in the municipality of Kula in the West Bačka District, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a Serbian ethnic majority, and it had a population of 9,001 in 2011. Name In Serbian, th ...
and
Žabalj Žabalj ( sr-cyrl, Жабаљ, ; ) is a town and municipality located in the South Bačka District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. According to 2022 census, the town Žabalj has a population of 8,449 and the municipality Žaba ...
), and Alumil (aluminium profiles plant in
Stara Pazova Stara Pazova (, ; ; ) is a small town located in the Srem District of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, Serbia. The town has a population of 18,522, while Stara Pazova municipality has 62,318 inhabitants (2022 census). The entrance into town f ...
). HelleniQ Energy has the retail network of 59 filling stations in Serbia under the EKO brand. Greek toy retailer
Jumbo Jumbo (December 25, 1860 – September 15, 1885), also known as Jumbo the Elephant and Jumbo the Circus Elephant, was a 19th-century male African bush elephant born in Sudan. Jumbo was exported to Jardin des Plantes, a zoo in Paris, and then tr ...
is well-established on Serbian market. Serbia is the 11th largest tourist market for Greece. Greece is a favorite holiday destination for Serbians due to its proximity, affordability, and cultural ties: over a million Serbian tourists spend their summer vacations in Greece annually, particularly in popular destinations of Northern Greece like
Chalkidiki Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos reg ...
, the west coast of the
Thermaic Gulf The Thermaic Gulf (, ), also called the Gulf of Thessaloniki and the Macedonian Gulf, is a Gulf (geography), gulf constituting the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. The city of Thessaloniki is at its northeastern tip, and it is bounded by Pie ...
, and
Thasos Thasos or Thassos (, ''Thásos'') is a Greek island in the North Aegean Sea. It is the northernmost major Greek island, and 12th largest by area. The island has an area of 380 km2 and a population of about 13,000. It forms a separate regiona ...
.


Cultural relations

Hilandar The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbian Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Serbs from the Grand Principality of Serbia, Stefan Neman ...
,
Serbian Orthodox The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches. The majority of the populat ...
monastery on
Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...
, holds immense significance for Serbian culture. It was founded in 1198 and is considered a sacred site for Serbian Orthodoxy.
Saint Sava Saint Sava (, ; Old Church Slavonic: ; Glagolitic: ; ; 1169 or 1174 – 14 January 1235/6), known as the Enlightener or the Illuminator, was a Serbs, Serbian prince and Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox monk, abbot of Studenica Monastery, Studeni ...
’s campaign for the
autocephaly Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...
of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1219 is closely tied to Hilandar, where he was tonsured as a monk. The monastery has been a repository of Serbian cultural heritage, housing an extensive collection of medieval manuscripts, icons, and artifacts. Its library contains over a thousand manuscripts. These treasures preserved Serbian literature, language, and art during centuries of Ottoman rule when Serbia ceased to exist. Hilandar remains a pilgrimage site for Serbs, reinforcing national and religious identity. Most Serbian cities and towns have streets named after Greek individuals or Greek
toponyms Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of '' toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage, and types. ''Toponym'' is the general term for a proper nam ...
. In downtown Belgrade there are streets named after Rigas Feraios and Eleftherios Venizelos, as well as Thessaloniki and Corfu streets. There are also monuments dedicated to Rigas Feraios and Eleftherios Venizelos in the very center of the city. The second largest Serbian city of
Novi Sad Novi Sad ( sr-Cyrl, Нови Сад, ; #Name, see below for other names) is the List of cities in Serbia, second largest city in Serbia and the capital of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. It is located in the southern portion of the Pannoni ...
is sometimes called "Serbian Athens" while
Fruška Gora Fruška gora ( sr-Cyrl, Фрушка гора) is a mountain in Syrmia, with most of the mountain being part of Serbia and its westernmost edge extending into eastern Croatia. The Serbian part of the mountain forms the country's oldest National p ...
mountain, the site of 17 monasteries, is called the "Serbian Mount Athos". In downtown Athens there is a street named after Serbian national hero
Karađorđe Đorđe Petrović (; ;  – ), known by the sobriquet Karađorđe (; ), was a Serbian revolutionary leader who led a struggle against the Ottoman Empire during the First Serbian Uprising. He held the title of Grand Vožd of Serbia from 14 ...
, while many Greek towns have streets named after
Vasos Mavrovouniotis Vasos Mavrovouniotis (, literally "''Vasos the Montenegrin''"; 1797 – 9 June 1847), born as Vaso Brajović ( Serbian: Васо Брајoвић), was a Montenegrin Serb general who played a significant role in the Greek revolution against the ...
, a Montenegrin Serb who fought in the Greek Revolution. There is a museum in
Corfu Corfu ( , ) or Kerkyra (, ) is a Greece, Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands; including its Greek islands, small satellite islands, it forms the margin of Greece's northwestern frontier. The island is part of the Corfu (regio ...
called the "Serbian House", dedicated to the memory of the Serbian Army stay on the island in 1916, after the
Great Retreat The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western F ...
during the World War I. Nearby
Vido Vido () is an island of the Ionian Islands group of Greece. Location This small island (less than a kilometer in diameter) is at the mouth of the port of Corfu, about 1 km north of the old fort. History The island was known to the ancien ...
island houses the mausloeum which houses the remnants of fallen Serbian soldiers. There is also a Serbian military cemetery at
Zeitenlik Zeitenlik (, sr-Cyrl, Зејтинлик) is an Allies (World War I), Allied military cemetery and World War I memorial park in Thessaloniki, the largest military cemetery in Greece. It contains the graves of circa 20,000 Serbs, Serbian, Frenc ...
, in Thessaloniki. File:Hilan2.jpg, Hilandar, Serbian Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos File:VidoSerbianMausoleum.jpg, Serbian World War I Mausoleum at Vido island File:Sr kuca krf.jpg, Serbian World War I Museum in Corfu File:Zejtinlik.jpg, Serbian World War I Military Cemetery at Zeitenlik in Thessaloniki File:Rigas_Feraios_Belgrade.jpg, Statue of Rigas Feraios in Belgrade


Greeks in Serbia

Greeks in Serbia are a recognized ethnic minority group. According to the 2022 Census they number 690 people although estimation by the Association of Greeks in Serbia has the number of Serbs of Greek descent at 4,500 people.


Serbs in Greece

Serbs in Greece are mainly first or second generation immigrants from Serbia. According to the 2011 Census, there were some 5,200 people Serbian-born people with Greek citizenship. It is estimated that more than 15,000 Serbs live in Greece.


Resident diplomatic missions

* Greece has an embassy in
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
and a consulate general in
Niš Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names of European cities in different languages (M–P)#N, names in other languages), less often spelled in English as Nish, is the list of cities in Serbia, third largest city in Serbia and the administrative cente ...
. * Serbia has an embassy in
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
and a consulate general in
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
. File:Greek_Embassy_Belgrade.jpg, Embassy of Greece in Belgrade File:Grcki_konzulat_u_Nisu.jpg, General consulate of Greece in Niš


See also

*
Foreign relations of Greece As one of the oldest Euro-Atlantic member states in the region of Southeast Europe, Greece enjoys a prominent geopolitical role as a middle power, due to its political and geographical proximity to Europe. Greece maintains strong relations with ...
*
Foreign relations of Serbia Foreign relations of Serbia are formulated and executed by the Government of Serbia through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Serbia established diplomatic relations with most world nations – 190 UN member states and 2 non-member observer sta ...
*
Greece–Yugoslavia relations Greece–Yugoslavia relations (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Grčko-jugoslavenski odnosi, Грчко-југословенски односи; ; ) were historical foreign relations between Greece (Second Hellenic Republic, Kingdom of Greece and contemporary Th ...


Annotations


References


Bibliography

* (Public Domain) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

; State organizations * * ;Other * * *
Serbian-Greek Friendship Official Site

Association of Serbs in Greece
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Greek-Serbian Relations
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...