Djuric with Bernasconi: Serbs and non-Albanians in Kosovo are enduring unprecedented pressures

The Serbian Foreign Minister, Marko Djuric, assessed in a meeting with Christophe Bernasconi, the Secretary-General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, that there has been no significant progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina for years, and that the economic, human, and all other rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo have been violated.

The head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized in the meeting with Bernasconi that Serbia remains fundamentally committed to respecting the basic principles of international law in the creation and conduct of foreign policy and that it attaches great importance to the work of the Hague Conference and its role in unifying the rules of international private law.

As announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Djuric highlighted that in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter, respect for international law is more important than ever. He noted the significance of the Hague Conference in enhancing cooperation between states and ensuring legal certainty.

Djuric conveyed that Serbia supports the work of the Hague Conference and wishes to continue its close cooperation with the organization.

According to Djuric, Serbia is making significant efforts in the rule of law and aligning with European legal standards to be fully prepared for EU accession.

He reminded that constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening the independence of the judiciary have been adopted, as well as a set of judicial laws, which have received a positive assessment from the EU.

This has a positive impact, Djuric explained, not only on the lives of citizens but also on the business environment and the reliability of our institutions in international frameworks.

Considering that full EU membership is a strategic priority of Serbia's foreign policy, Djuric reiterated that Serbia will implement all necessary reforms by the end of 2026 to achieve this goal.

Regarding the situation in Kosovo, Djuric assessed that there has been no significant progress in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina for years, and that the EU needs to have a stronger presence in the process to ensure stability in the region.

He pointed out that the economic, human, and all other rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo have been violated, and they are enduring unprecedented pressures, which, he stated, are the result of unilateral actions by Pristina.

"Although there are condemnations of such actions from the EU, the US, and others, this has not prevented the political arrests of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, nor the fact that the Serbian people can no longer receive salaries, child benefits, social and other benefits," Djuric warned.

He concluded that dialogue remains for Belgrade the only way to find solutions, "where no side will get everything, nor lose everything".