Djuric: Conditioning aid to Pristina by forming the CSM means pressure on those who terrorize the Serbs

The draft law in support of the Brussels Agreement by US Congresswoman Claudia Tenney is of immense significance because it recognizes that institutional terror is being exerted over the Serbs in Kosovo. This includes the illegal presence of special forces in the north, a fact that has not been acknowledged by any US representatives until now, Serbia's Ambassador to the US, Marko Djuric 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, means the pressure on those who are committing acts of terror against the Serbs.

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

Among the reasons why this proposal is significant, the Ambassador highlights that it recognizes the institutional terror and campaign against the Serbs in Kosovo, including the illegal presence of special forces in the north, explicitly mentioned 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.