A Serbian House, which will gather Serbs, Serb institutions and organizations in Romania, opened Friday in Timisaora, in the presence of Serbian and Romanian officials.

The house was opened by Serbian Minister of Religion and the Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic, Vojvodina Prime Minister Bojan Pajtic and officials of the Romanian government and the Timis District, while Serbian and Romanian presidents Boris Tadic and Traian Basescu sent greetings.

The two countries invested over EUR 500,000 in the construction of the Serbian House, and after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Minister Sreckovic said the Romanian governmen gave a very fair and friendly treatment to the Serb minority.

The preservation of Serb communities in the region is not only a moral obligation for their homeland, but also a matter of political interest, since a strong and influential Serb communities in each of the neighboring countries expand Serbia's diplomatic influence on the countries' governments, with the aim of promoting Serbian state interests and developing good-neighborly relations, Sreckovic said.

The ceremony was also attended by delegates of the Assembly of the Diaspora and the Serbs in the region, which is currently in session in Belgrade, and Timis District and Timisoara city officials.

The Serbian House will be the seat of the Association of Serbs in Romania, Serb media, publishing houses, organizations and institutions operating in the country, which is home to an estimated 30,000 Serbs.