Djuric: Congresswoman Tenney’s proposal is an opportunity to have a voice heard about the position of Serbs in Kosovo

Serbian Ambassador to the United States Marko Djuric said that Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s proposal that the US withhold aid to Pristina, until the persecution of Serbs ends and the CSM is formed, is extremely good news for Serbia and that this represents an extraordinary opportunity to hear the voice of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, RTV reported.

Djuric told Tanjug, when asked what the significance of that proposal was, that it is not something that will fundamentally change the situation, but that it opens up space for the voice of the persecution of Serbs in Kosovo to be heard in the highest and legislative body of the USA.

"I would especially like to draw our public's attention to the fact that the congresswoman in her legislative proposal requested the immediate withdrawal of Kurti's special forces from the north of Kosovo and the immediate end of the persecution of Serbs and violations of human rights," Djuric pointed out.

He added that he hopes that this proposal will be seriously discussed by the members of Congress and that many of them will support all steps leading to the protection of the rights of Serbs in Kosovo who are suffering.

"Some say that it is a slow-moving ethnic cleansing, and the result is in any case tragic and we have to stop it. We have to fight here every day to change the image of the Serbs and to learn the truth about the position of the Christian shrines in Kosovo and Metohija, which experience daily persecution and attacks the property of the Serbian Ortodox Church, and the temples, but also the property of the SOC Eparchy of Raska-Prizren", pointed out Djuric and reminded that in Banjska, the spa complex, which was jointly built with the Diocese and the Serbian system, was confiscated illegally.

Djuric added that this is a very difficult situation, which could be seen in the previous few months and emphasized that the proposal of Congresswoman Tenney, regardless of its legislative fate, represents an extraordinary opportunity to hear the voice of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

"To hear a different, Serbian angle, and not only what is the Pristina propaganda that has been skillfully marketed for years, even decades," said Djuric.

He pointed out that this is, at the same time, a very clear sign of Serbian activity in Washington, where the Serbian community in the US, also at the invitation of our embassy and other leaders of the Serbian community, is simply more active.

Djuric expressed the hope that it will give even more visible results in the future.

"A big thank you to Claudia Tenney, she was often the target of criticism and threats from some intolerant groups on some other issues as well. We saw that in the previous days she also supported Novak Djokovic, who was facing attacks. We are talking about an exceptional woman who is a great friend of the Serbian people," Djuric emphasized.

When asked whether there is already a pre-election atmosphere in America and whether the outcome of the election can affect Serbia, Djuric says that he would not have unrealistic expectations about the outcome of the American elections.

"I remind you that the leaders of both political parties in the USA advocated the idea of an independent Kosovo. We need to build our position here on solid foundations, through strengthening cooperation with representatives of both political parties and through building personal contacts, connections, friendships - that's what makes influence in the American political system," Djuric said.

He added that we must take small but sure steps forward, through economic cooperation, but also by strengthening the Serbian lobby.

"Strengthening the construction of the Serbian lobby here in the US is a very significant step that was started in the previous period, and I expect our position to improve more in this way, than through mere reliance on the winner of the American elections," said Djuric.

When it comes to the conflict in the Middle East, Djuric said that the US is not alone in worrying about escalation and assessed that the whole world is afraid of it.

"I would like to remind you of the fact that the Serbian-Israeli citizen who was kidnapped on October 7 has been in captivity in Gaza for 90 days, nothing is known about his fate and his family and parents do not know if he is alive," said Djuric.

He added that the consequences of that conflict are being felt and that Serbia wants the conflict to stop and the problems to be solved peacefully.

He pointed out that the progress and growth of Serbia, although it has no influence on these events, depends on the end of the conflict, not only in the Middle East, but also in Eastern Europe.

Djuric added that this year there are few chances that the focus of American foreign policy will be anything other than US-China relations, US-Russian relations, the crisis in the Middle East and that, in addition to all other events, there will hardly be much room left for dealing with Western Balkans.

Tesla is one of the bridges between Serbs and Americans

Djuric also stated that today, on Christmas, the 81st anniversary of Nikola Tesla's death is being celebrated in the United States, emphasizing that Tesla is also one of the bridges between Serbs and Americans.

"We remember his work, which lights up the whole world both literally and figuratively today, and we are grateful that as a nation we can inherit the tradition of this great man and his memory here in the USA, where he accomplished most of his works in a scientific sense," said Djuric.

He added that even today Tesla contributes to a large extent in improving the image of Serbs and in a way represents a counterbalance to the negative images that were sent about Serbs during the previous decades.

"For this reason, and during the previous year, by the decision of our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the whole year was the year of Nikola Tesla, within that, scientific conferences dedicated to Tesla were also held. Tesla's scientific foundation here in America played a significant role in this, and we, as the embassy, organized together with the Nikola Tesla Museum, a screening of the film ''Wireless'' dedicated to our great man," said Djuric.

He announced that a conference on Nikola Tesla is planned to be held in New York this year for the Serbian New Year, and for Tesla's birthday, a little later, an exhibition dedicated to our great man will be held in cooperation with the embassy and the Nikola Tesla Museum from Belgrade.

"We cooperate intensively with Tesla's scientific foundation and with David Vujic and with people and organizations that inherit Tesla's tradition in the USA, and it is planned that a large bust dedicated to our greatest scientist will be placed in front of one of our new facilities in the Serbian American capital," Djuric said.