Congresswoman Tenney's Initiative: What is the significance of the proposal for the United States to withhold aid to Kosovo until it ends the persecution of the Serbs and forms the CSM?

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney's initiative, which submitted a bill supporting the Brussels Agreement to the House of Representatives, including the withholding of aid to Kosovo until it fulfills its obligations, namely withdrawing forces from the north, ending the persecution of the Serbs, and forming the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, is something we have not seen before in key bodies of the Washington administration. It represents additional pressure on Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Kosovo Online interlocutors point out.

Congresswoman Tenney extensively listed how Pristina had been violating the Brussels Agreement and the rights of the Serbs for years, contributing to the destabilization of the region and increased tensions, yet still receiving significant support from Washington. It is noted that even after a decade, Kosovo has not formed the CSM, thus violating the Brussels Agreement.

It is added that the Serbs, frustrated by the lack of progress in establishing the CSM, protested against the local elections in April 2023, boycotting them. In municipalities with a Serb majority, the turnout was just above three percent.

Despite insufficient turnout, mayors, Kosovo Albanians, were appointed by the special police, violating the Brussels Agreement, according to Congresswoman Tenney's act.

In the proposed law, it is emphasized that the United States has provided Kosovo with more than two billion dollars in aid since 1999, while Kosovo has repeatedly discriminated against the Serbs. The discrimination carried out by Pristina is highlighted, including the confiscation of cars with Serbian license plates, removal of clothing with Serbian inscriptions from the Serbs, harassment of the Serbs by Kosovo Security Forces, prejudices against the Serbs in the public service and job market, denial of fair public trials and lengthy pretrial detentions, and non-enforcement of court decisions in favor of the Serbs, especially in property disputes.

"The refusal of Kosovo to support the Brussels Agreement of 2013 contributes to the destabilization of the region and increased tensions in the Balkans", the proposal of this act states.

Therefore, according to Tenney, regardless of any other legal provision, no assistance from the United States should be allocated or otherwise made available to the Government of Kosovo until the conditions are fulfilled.

"The Government of Kosovo should fulfill the conditions – which include implementing the Brussels Agreement from 2013, including the creation of the CSM, removing the Special Police from northern Kosovo, holding new elections for mayors in the north, stopping the usurpation of private property of the Serbs, such as cars and clothing, and respecting freedom of political expression for all ethnic groups in Kosovo", the proposal by Congresswoman Tenney states.

Congresswoman Tenney's proposal is of immense significance because it recognizes institutional terror over the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, with the illegal presence of special forces in the north. This is a fact that has not been heard from any American representatives until now, Marko Djuric, the Ambassador of Serbia to the United States, says in an interview with Kosovo Online.

He emphasizes that conditioning US aid to the Government in Pristina on the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, as advocated by Tenney, puts pressure on those who perpetrate terror against the Serbs.

"The proposal by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who is also co-chair of the Serbian Caucus in Congress and a sincere friend of the Serbs, is of immense importance. She initiated the bill supporting the Brussels Agreement, which essentially withholds any aid to so-called Kosovo, or Kurti's institutions until they end the repression and violence against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija", Djuric stated.

Among the reasons why this proposal is significant, the Ambassador primarily points out that it recognizes institutional terror and a campaign against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, involving the illegal presence of special forces in the north, explicitly addressed in Tenney's proposal.

"With this proposal, she demands the withdrawal of all special forces from the north of Kosovo and Metohija, which is a significant political fact that we haven't heard from any US representatives until now. Furthermore, she conditions all US aid to the Government in Pristina on the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, ending the terror and pressure on the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. This, in itself, implies a certain amount of pressure on those who perpetrate that terror", Djuric emphasized.

He explains that Congress is currently slow to pass various legislative acts due to political divisions and differences between Democrats and Republicans, so few legislative proposals are making progress in that body.

"Regardless of the fate of the proposal, the fact that a prominent member of Congress, who is also the chair of the Serbian Caucus, has stood up in defense of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, in defense of a peaceful, normal, and democratic resolution of the problem, but above all, raised his voice against the illegal presence of Kurti's forces in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, has great positive significance for us", Djuric pointed out.

He is convinced that certain European politicians are carefully observing this, some of whom may not yet have dared to launch similar initiatives in their own countries. He adds that politicians from the ruling structures in European countries undoubtedly contemplate legislative initiatives that can be seen in the US Congress.

Because of all this, he expresses great gratitude to Claudia Tenney, noting that due to her expressed views, she is under tremendous pressure from a portion of the community on social media and is subjected to significant political attacks, even though she cannot have direct political benefit from siding with the Serbs.

He emphasizes that she did it because she believes it is the right thing to do, as she is a sincere friend of the Serbs.

"This initiative has provided an opportunity to gather a number of members of Congress who, I expect, will join Claudia Tenney's initiative and, consequently, draw the attention of the American political class and the public to the issue of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. I believe that support for the draft of the law will come from some representatives of the Democratic Party, not just the Republicans. It is a small but not insignificant, even extremely important step for the affirmation of the Serbian position in the political institutions in the United States and the Western world in general", Djuric said.

The Ambassador also notes that the enormous pressure Tenney is facing on social media largely comes from the Albanian-American community and the Albanian community globally.

"In my statements, I thanked Claudia Tenney on behalf of the citizens of Serbia and our people in Kosovo and Metohija, but I would like to see greater engagement from our people in the fight for truth and a stronger voice of our people and community in the US on social media, supporting those who raise their voice in favor of Serbian interests. If we don't raise our voices to support such initiatives and only the Albanian voice is heard, people will find it much harder to decide to stand on our side on any issue in the future", Djuric appealed to his compatriots.

In response to the observation that Washington has softened its harsh words towards Serbia and that the statements from the US Ambassador to Belgrade, Christopher Hill, are more positive towards Serbia, Djuric states that undoubtedly, the main reason for a better understanding of Serbia's international position is the responsible policy pursued by the state leadership.

"The fact is that Serbia has managed to undergo a complete economic transformation in less than a decade – from a country borrowing money for basic needs to one that assists its neighbors, is a credible partner in maintaining regional stability and peace, and has the highest inflow of foreign direct investments in Southeast Europe for years. The fact is that Aleksandar Vucic has built the profile of a statesman who can be relied upon to preserve regional stability and responsibly deal with various global issues. The policy of the state of Serbia is, in part of the public, even among those who may not like it, recognized as responsible, and this has raised the country's level of credibility, not only in the United States but also in other meridians", Djuric said.

He also noted that Serbia was burdened by the complicated legacy of the 1990s, a challenge faced and struggled with in the United States. Therefore, the issue of repairing the country's image was a daily task in Washington, where Serbia had invested a lot and taken actions that had not been undertaken for decades.

The Ambassador points out that for the first time, Serbia has engaged serious advisers, and lobbyists, and conducted serious work with the business sector. He recalls that the Serbian-American Business Council has been established in Washington, bringing together some of the leading American companies.

"We have initiated the engagement of the Serbian diaspora in a way that has not been done in previous decades. This is a long-term endeavor that is not yet complete, and it will inevitably yield even better results in the medium and long term. Therefore, it is important that in Serbia, we have a policy of continuity, clear foreign and domestic policies, and that step by step, we are improving and restoring our position in the United States to where it historically should be", Djuric stated.

A conference was held in Washington a few months ago as an encouragement for the Serbs in the US to lobby more for Serbia. Djuric emphasizes that significant progress has been made in organizing the Serbian community in the US in the last six months. For the first time in many decades, the state gathered Serbian organizations and leaders of the Serbian diaspora to stimulate their interaction with American institutions.

He explains that the Serbs, American citizens, have the right to write to their congressmen and senators, to make them aware of the existence of Serbian communities in their areas.

"Our initiative resulted in a significant number of letters to representatives of the administration, but the Serbs in the US organized and held several successful fundraising events for some American officials, which they have the right to do. There is more visible joint lobbying by representatives of Serbia and the Serbs, American citizens, who, in accordance with local laws, have the right to address and seek support from their elected representatives", the Ambassador says.

He also notes that there are 137 Serbian Orthodox Church temples in the US, and their number is growing, emphasizing the significant role and collaboration with the three eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America.

"We have closely collaborated in organizing the two previous conferences with Bishop Irinej of Eastern America, with whom we have excellent cooperation, as well as with Bishop Longin and Bishop Maxim. I am confident that through our joint and concerted action, through our institutions and gathering around our state, around the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is more than a religious community for the Serbs in the US, but also a cultural and educational center, we will continue to achieve good results in the future", Djuric concluded.

Former Ambassador of Serbia to the United States, Ivan Vujacic, says that the initiative of the American congresswoman is useful because it represents additional pressure on Pristina. He adds that the initiative draws attention to an existing problem, which is Kurti's inflexibility, especially regarding the fulfillment of the demands in this document for the formation of the CSM.

"This is, after all, the official stance of the United States. They were quite disturbed by Kurti's 'hardness' in not taking any steps in that direction. Congresswoman Tenney is a member of the Serbian Caucus, which is not a lobbying group but an informal group of congressmen showing interest in a specific part of the world or a particular issue. The fact that she is in the Serbian Caucus shows that she has greater knowledge and understanding of the situation in this part of the world, primarily when it comes to Serbia, and consequently, Kosovo. So, it is a useful initiative in terms of pressure on the Albanian side", Vujacic says for Kosovo Online.

However, he emphasizes that he does not believe that such a law will be adopted.

"The enactment of the law is very complicated. Perhaps it would have been better to propose amendments to the appropriations that the official US Government otherwise provides to Kosovo. Maybe that would be more effective, although it is questionable whether that would pass as well. In any case, Congresswoman Tenney's move is a good initiative to draw attention to this problem", Vujacic says.

The fact that Congresswoman Tenney listed in the proposed law, presented to the House of Representatives, how Pristina has been violating the Brussels Agreement and the rights of the Serbs for years, contributing to the destabilization of the region and increased tensions, yet still receives significant support from Washington, is, according to Vujacic, additional pressure on Pristina.

"However, Congress does not determine foreign policy and has limited impact on the administration. But, considering that the administration's stance is that the obligations from the Brussels Agreement must be implemented, this is probably another additional argument that the administration has Congress’s support to pressure Kurti's Government to take action", Vujacic points out.

Stevan Nedeljkovic, an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, says that Claudia Tenney, coming from the Republican Party, and the Democrat Eric Swalwell are currently among the greatest friends of Serbia in the US Congress. He emphasizes that their initiatives, including the recent Bill in Support of the Brussels Agreement proposed by Congresswoman Tenney, which envisages withholding support for Kosovo until it fulfills its obligations from the dialogue with Belgrade, are something we haven't seen in the past.

"These initiatives are favorable to Serbia, and it seems to me that they take great care of the national interests of our country. This is truly a positive step and, to some extent, a signal of the good work of the Embassy of Serbia in the US", Nedeljkovic says.

He adds that, on the other hand, Pristina has been on thin ice when it comes to the US, that certain aid has been suspended before, and there were no high-level meetings.

"I would say that the unfortunate events in Banjska, in a way, have turned that circle. In this regard, the initiative coming from Congresswoman Tenney can be a good impetus for improving the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and on the other hand, a return to the 'carrot and stick' policy when it comes to Pristina. If you don't fulfill obligations, it is clear what you can expect—it's not 'beating', but it is withholding the aid you had so far. This is a drastic turnaround, and it should be emphasized, compared to the policy that existed earlier. Especially in 2008 when US support for Pristina was almost limitless. In my opinion, this is something that should make us happy", Nedeljkovic says.

He emphasizes that the significance of Congresswoman Tenney's initiative is twofold.

"The first is political because it is significant to acquaint the US Congress with all the problems that the Serbs face in Kosovo. Second, it is a public-diplomatic act, a way of acquainting the American public, which finds it very difficult to position Serbia on the maps, not to mention something more; they remember us from the 90s, remember Serbia as someone who was the 'bad guy' in relations in the Balkans. Now, I would say, somehow it's time to reverse that, and such initiatives are more than welcome", Nedeljkovic concludes.

Adoption of the law proposed by Congresswoman Tenney can be one of the forms of international guarantees for the implementation of existing agreements, Milica Andric Rakic, Program Manager of the NGO New Social Initiative, said for Kosovo Online.

"This is a form of one of the possible international guarantees for the implementation of existing agreements. However, since the US is not directly involved as a mediator in the dialogue, I'm not sure that it will be easy to gather the appropriate support within US legislative institutions to actually adopt the proposed law", she points out.

Andric Rakic says this is quite similar to the announcement of the European Union about the aid package for the Western Balkans.

"There is already talk of a similar model, where financial support packages for countries in the Western Balkans, including both Serbia and Kosovo, would be unlocked only when certain criteria are met. Most of them are related to the dialogue, but not necessarily all. It is assumed that, in the case of Kosovo, the criteria will also be related to the position of non-majority communities and all the criticisms that the EU has, not only as stated in the European Commission's report but also in the preliminary report of the Council of Europe. That is the way, it seems, commitments from the dialogue will be approached, there will be conditions for financial support, but perhaps not necessarily from the US because they are not direct mediators in the dialogue and have never shown any intention to take on a larger role, except during the time of Donald Trump", our interlocutor said.

She believes that the re-election of Trump as US President is possible, and thus a change in attitudes toward the dialogue.

"That was a key difference between Republicans and Democrats in the approach to the dialogue. The Trump administration had many criticisms of the EU's work, and they practically tried to move the negotiation process out of Europe and take responsibility in Washington for that process. The Joseph Biden administration did the opposite; even during the campaign, they announced that, concerning the Western Balkans, they would follow the EU's steps, including how the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia would proceed", Andric Rakic concluded.