Djuric: It is important for Serbs to act united in the upcoming local elections in Kosovo and Metohija

Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric stated that it is crucial for Serbs to act in unity in the upcoming local elections in Kosovo and Metohija and to once again take control of the institutions and all parts of the system that rightfully belong to them. Commenting on the bilateral military agreement between Croatia and Slovenia, Djuric pointed out that Zagreb and Ljubljana are sending a message of a “policy of walls, instead of a policy of bridges.”

Appearing on RTS’s morning program, the Serbian Foreign Minister said that, when it comes to security, the greatest and most reliable guarantee is a responsible, peace-oriented policy.

“With regard to Kosovo and Metohija, we have many reasons to be dissatisfied with the attitude of the international community, which has turned a blind eye to the apartheid regime that Kurti has built against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. There have been verbal condemnations and some supposed measures, but none of that has effectively stopped Kurti from creating a divided society in which Serbs have become second-class citizens and where it has become normal for Serbian municipalities to be run by unelected Albanians, some of whom received less than one percent of the vote—yet this is seen as democratic and legitimate. Imagine a mayor in central Serbia being elected with less than one percent of the vote—the whole world would rise up,” Djuric said.

He added that there is no point in lamenting over this, but that it is important for Serbs to act united in the upcoming local elections and to retake control of those institutions and all parts of the system that belong to them under the applicable laws there. “And then we will fight. With the support of Belgrade, which is allocating more resources than ever before so that Serbs can remain there, and also on the diplomatic front,” Djuric emphasized, adding that both President Vucic and Petar Petkovic, along with entire teams, worked to ensure that the Serb List was not excluded from this election cycle, and that the Serb List will indeed participate in the upcoming elections.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the bilateral military agreement between Croatia and Slovenia contributes to “rising tensions and deepening divisions,” while Minister Djuric considers that Zagreb and Ljubljana are sending a message of a “policy of walls, instead of a policy of bridges.”

“We do not dispute their right to cooperate in the field of defense, but what concerns us is that the very process was neither inclusive nor transparent, given that we live in a region that has gone through so much over the last 30 years. We cannot forget that most countries in the neighborhood are already NATO members, which means they already have cooperation. Creating additional alliances without consulting neighboring countries raises concerns. Everything must be transparent—that is a good custom. Discord in the Balkans is also fueled by the Memorandum on Military Cooperation that Zagreb signed with Tirana and Pristina in March, which is undoubtedly a provocation. All of this does not bring greater trust or closer cooperation. We all know what happened here 30 years ago and how tragic the breakup of Yugoslavia was. It is necessary that security issues be communicated transparently among countries in the region. We expect that such forms of cooperation will be channeled regionally. The Dayton Agreement contains limitations on the type, number, and category of weapons, and not without reason. Here, we are working on reestablishing trust and cooperation, and such non-transparent processes should not become the norm, which is why we raised our voice,” Djuric said.

Speaking about Serbia’s position in the world, the Minister stressed that President Aleksandar Vucic’s visit to China is important, noting that Serbia is an independent country that can freely trade with China, but also on the European market.

“We are on a course of cooperation, freedom, independence, and friendship. We strive for membership in the European Union, but we are also the only country in the wider region that has free trade agreements with Beijing, Eurasian countries, and states in Africa and the Middle East, while maintaining access to the EU Market. We have made progress with China, but also with the United States. It is important that Belgrade and Washington have developed relations, which are expanding in several directions. Our goal is to enhance economic cooperation, but also other forms of cooperation—science, art, culture, defense… I had the honor, as Serbia’s representative, to be received by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We will launch a strategic dialogue with America. We have significantly improved Serbia’s position in the eyes of the United States. The Trump administration has a better ear for us,” Djuric emphasized.