Belgrade hired lobbyists in the USA: Why is it important that the Serbian voice is heard at the Capitol right now?

The engagement of two lobby houses to represent the interests of Serbia in the United States of America comes at a key moment, during the crisis complication, caused by the authorities in Pristina in the north of Kosovo, according to the interlocutors of Kosovo Online, and they indicate that it is of great importance that the Serbian voice is heard more, precisely at the place where significant decisions are made that concern not only Kosovo Serbs, but also Serbia and the entire Western Balkans region.

and the entire Western Balkans region.

Serbian Ambassador to the USA Marko Djuric, on behalf of the Government of Serbia, signed a contract with two lobbying firms in the USA. One of them is KARV Communications, headed by Andrew Frank, a former high-ranking operative in the Bill Clinton administration. The contract for $720,000 was concluded for one year, with the possibility of extension, and as stated on the website of the US Department of Justice, the task of the mentioned lobbying house will be to promote and explain "various policies of the Government of Serbia and initiatives through contact with the media and relevant groups based in the USA".

Ambassador Djuric said that it was necessary to "work on changing the image that has been built about us for decades", which had been "paid for by Serbia's regional rivals in the previous period":

- Today we are doing what was not done in previous decades, and we are creating the preconditions for Serbia to have a firm foothold in the USA. People of our origin and our Church help us in this. But the key to this is the vision that comes from Serbia, which is that our country must reshape its position in the international arena. Just as we started the economy and infrastructure in the previous ten years, we are changing and strengthening the position of Serbia in this area.

He also pointed out that it was clear that the position was not easy, because "we are starting from a big disadvantage, which includes the fact that they were the ones who supported the creation of independent Kosovo 25 years ago". He also pointed out that "it may not always be easy to come to an agreement with Serbia, but friendship built with Serbia is much more reliable than friendship with those who only know how to speak in the language of flattery, listening and carrying out orders". Even today in Washington, as in other addresses, there were people who recognized this.

The President of the Serbian Lobbyists Association, Nenad Vukovic, underlines for Kosovo Online that it is extremely important to strengthen Serbia's diplomatic presence in Washington in the circumstances of the increasingly tense situation in the north of Kosovo, where different, conflicting, and often intentionally instructed information arrives that does not represent the true situation on the ground and they do not testify to the real level of danger of the Serbs living there.

"It is extremely important that the right information reaches the key people in the USA. We warned that the Pristina lobbyists are not resting and that they are doing everything to bring Serbia and the Serbs back to the 'defendant’s bench', in order to absolve themselves of the blame for the crisis in the north. That is why it is important that "Serbia does not lose its 'momentum', that is, this moment in which the USA clearly recognizes that the Albanian side is the generator of the crisis, is exposed to pressure and is required to stop violence and de-escalate the situation," Vukovic says.

He indicates that the use of lobbying as a recognized tool in international politics is particularly significant in the USA, where lobbying has existed in democratic and political practice for 200 years.

"It is a language and a tool that they recognize. Especially when it comes to Kosovo, the Albanian side has been using that tool for literally a century. The oldest Albanian lobby organizations, such as Vatra, have existed for 100 years and are extremely seriously and dedicatedly working on it. In the past, Serbia did not pay enough attention to lobbying, which cost us in some previous periods," he points out.

He adds that lobbying is an indispensable part of the architecture of commitment and building the best possible position of the country, in addition to diplomacy, prominent individuals from the scientific community, the diaspora, and athletes.

"Lobbyists can deal with some things more directly and explicitly, and the nature of the information they give to decision-makers to convince them of the correctness of their own moves is different. When it comes to the US, it must be taken into account that not only average Americans but also average congressmen, even when they come briefed, things are not completely clear to them or, even worse, they are misinformed. That is why it is very important that the Serbian truth be heard," he points out.

He also points out that when lobbying in the USA it is important to "cover" both parties - both Democrats and Republicans - and emphasizes that the companies that are now engaged in the USA are extremely serious.

Former Ambassador Milovan Bozinovic points out that the engagement of lobbying firms is today the modern standard of political actions carried out by states, and that Serbia also has reason to use these instruments in the situation of the latest events in the north of Kosovo.

"Kurti is waging a propaganda war against Belgrade and the Serbs in the north, declaring them criminals, trying to impose some of his own narratives about what is happening there. The help of a good lobbying firm is very important here, above all to facilitate contacts with important US factors. It is not such a problem that Kurti or one of his ministers says that the Serbs in Kosovo are criminals, that's what is expected of them. The problem is when that narrative is taken over by a congressman or senator. That's the role of the lobbying agency, to provide such formats so that they can speak with more understanding about the Serbian side and its interests. It is a painstaking job, after all, it is not cheap either, but it is necessary at this moment," the former Ambassador points out.

He also points out that lobbying in itself will not turn the situation in favor of Serbia, but that state policy must also be conducted in the direction of strengthening relations with the USA, which, he says, is already happening.

"Serbia is strengthening the weakened dialogue with the Western countries on the issue of Kosovo. This is important in order to respect the interests of Serbia as much as possible. The Ukrainian war pushed the US, which is otherwise dominant in NATO, even more into the foreground and made out of it a force towards which practically all other countries of the West even cultivate some kind of vassal relationship. It is very important and not without results that we try to establish dialogue and understanding with the US," it is Bozinovic's message.

Lawyer Milan Antonijevic also believes that any improvement in relations between Belgrade and Washington should go through mechanisms recognized by the US, namely companies that deal with representing what is happening in our region, in Serbia.

"Engaging companies that can improve the image of Serbia is good. Of course, that image is improved in parallel with what is happening on the ground. So, you cannot have escalation and conflicts and say in Washington that this is not happening. Hiring lobbyists is good at a time when Serbia, unlike Pristina, has a constructive approach to the Kosovo problem; it is good to talk about it in Washington. It is in Belgrade's interest that Washington sees Serbia as a solid partner that shares the values of the US, and that has the ability to ask key questions both in the White House and at the Capitol and in all parts of the US administration. The engagement of firms with experience in lobbying can also contribute to this," he says.

He points out that it is important that the right information from the Western Balkans reaches the places where key decisions are made.

"We have a conflict that is too close to us, in Ukraine, which can blur and somehow divert attention from what is the interest of the Western Balkans, which is a comprehensive agreement between Belgrade and Pristina and the final normalization of relations and turning completely only to economic issues and development, with respect for human and minority rights. Lobbyists should be engaged not only in the USA but also in other centers, in the EU, and Great Britain. All this can contribute to Serbia emerging from that gray period in which many still see it, also in Washington. And to be talked more about some other successes, from sports, Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic, to those things that Serbia is working on, which are constructive," Antonijevic concludes.