Djuric: Serbia has its own position regarding Kosovo and Metohija and military neutrality, this is not in question

"We are not going to Brussels with an outstretched hand, but as an old state-forming nation that wants an equal place at the table of European ideas and simultaneously expects full membership. We do not want to be a second-class country within the EU," – in this way, in the "Novosti" podcast, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric summarizes Serbia's foreign policy and European path, pressures for Serbia to change its course and position of neutrality, following six major international summits and numerous bilateral meetings he had in the past month.

What challenges does Serbia face in maintaining a neutral position, and how does Serbia position itself toward EU initiatives regarding common security policy?

Serbia has its strategic goal, adopted by a political majority, which is full EU membership. My assessment is that it is in our interest to have such a position, not only for economic reasons. As Njegos said, "a cup of honey requires a cup of bitterness." In the EU, we have countries with opposing views on, for example, Kosovo and Metohija and our national question, but we seek ways to improve relations with them to achieve some concessions for our people. My position as Minister of Foreign Affairs is not to say what is close to our hearts, but to work in Serbia's interest, and Serbia's interest is to build better relations with the EU. When it comes to the EU's security policy, we strive to align with everything we can. When they decide to grant us full EU membership, then we will fully align.

You attended the NATO summit in Washington, were there any pressures regarding Serbia's neutral policy?

I think it is important to participate in these summits, we have NATO on our territory, it is important to have good relations. We rely on KFOR in Kosovo and Metohija. It was a good opportunity to meet ministers from countries that do not share our views on key issues, but with whom it is important to develop new trust. Serbia has its own position, not only regarding Kosovo and Metohija but also military neutrality, and this position is not in question. I think it is in our national and state interest for cooperation with NATO to be excellent.

You were in Brussels and returned from a two-day visit to Italy. You discussed the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. What is the fate of the negotiations on Kosovo and Metohija, and what will be insisted on?

I think it is very important that the official visit of Serbia to Italy is happening on the 145th anniversary of Serbian-Italian relations, 15 years of strategic partnership with the first country within the EU. In just 24 hours, President Vucic opened two Italian factories in Serbia. Relations with Italy are important to us because it is a country with a lot of political influence in the EU. Italy is present in Kosovo and Metohija, their soldiers guard the Visoki Decani Monastery. We need understanding for Serbia's position in the dialogue. I am not optimistic here; I think Kurti's regime does not want dialogue or normalization of relations but wants to exploit the difficult geopolitical situation in Europe to attempt ethnic cleansing of Kosovo and Metohija from Serbs. To create a mirror image of one of the hardest periods in the history of Kosovo and Metohija, and in that way exactly, it shows to interlocutors how dire the situation is.

How will Serbia deal with pressures in the context of Kosovo and Metohija?

Serbia's response has several levels, primarily the material care for our people in Kosovo and Metohija. Our people must have the material prerequisites to survive, even now, when Kurti blocks the money in an uncivilized manner, Serbia finds a way to secure it. The most important thing is that Serbia today has money to support them materially. What is becoming increasingly difficult is security survival. The core of the problem lies in the destructive approach of Kurti's regime, which does not encounter a sufficiently strong response from the international community.

Recently, a memorandum between Serbia and the EU on strategic partnership in sustainable raw materials was signed. What can citizens expect?

I think it is of great significance that, when it comes to resources, Serbia has the courage and seriousness to consider how this can contribute to our geopolitical positioning. We live in a world of technological development, where the fight for scarce resources is so great. Let's not fool ourselves, with or without our consent, such a small country as Serbia would sooner or later come under enormous pressure to access those resources. It is incomparably more responsible and better for it to be regulated in our state manner. This agreement shows that Serbia is already using this god-given wealth as an instrument of influence to achieve some of our strategic goals more quickly. You see how nervously regional centers and with envy greeted the fact that Serbia suddenly has a gift from heaven, a golden card in its hands. I understand that there is a heated debate here about lithium exploitation, which is understandable and questions should be raised, but we must fight sharply against the campaign of lies.

Your mandate as ambassador to the US ended. Knowing the social conditions, what do you expect from the American elections? How do you see Joseph Biden's withdrawal from the campaign and Kamala Harris's nomination?

As a state, Serbia does not have favorite sides, nor can we have a chosen side, just as we expect foreign countries not to have their favorites in Serbian elections. I am glad to see that Serbs in America have started to organize politically. They are thinking about which politician could help Serbian interests and who cares about being a bridge between America and Serbia. President Vucic and I spoke in February with some of the most serious analysts in America, and that was the first time I heard that Kamala could become a candidate. It will be an uncertain match until the very end, both sides have great financial resources, a huge motivation to fight to win support in those six pivotal states, and given that Serbs live in those areas, suddenly the Serbian vote in the American elections becomes important. We should not think that with the victory of one or the other side in the American elections, the relationship with Serbia and some key national issues will change as radically as each of us might wish. We would like to see a new US president, whoever it is, very soon in Belgrade.

How did you perceive the assassination attempt on Republican candidate Donald Trump?

Mr. Trump suffered such an attack that few politicians could recover from so quickly and energetically. He showed that it didn't deter him, which commands respect. I notice we are beginning to live in an era of assassinations. I think about how much in our country and region depends on brave individuals, not naming names; everyone knows whom I mean, who have the authority, charisma, and readiness to change things. I hope that all those who should be concerned with security pay enough attention to timely identifying and removing such threats here.

How do you comment on the threats directed at President Vucic?

Everyone apologizes and talks about a bad political climate when something happens, but until incidents occur, they mercilessly dehumanize, not only in this case President Vucic but literally his entire family and all those perceived to truly support him politically. Generally, this kind of propaganda dehumanization has again become dominant on social networks, which are that new medium. It contributes to polarization and weakens the state. It would be ideal if we started to treat each other politically much more responsibly.

What are your expectations of our Olympians?

I truly support our Olympic team. I will follow basketball, all team sports, and of course, Novak Djokovic. But what I want to emphasize is how important it is to the state now how many medals we will bring back; this was not a topic 10 or 15 years ago. President Vucic has allocated significantly more money in unprecedented amounts.