Djuric: Kosovo is the answer to the question of who we are for Serbs, the core of the Serbian State

For Serbs, Kosovo is not just 13% of the territory but the answer to the question of who we are as a people, as it is the center and core of the current Serbian state, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric stated in an interview with the French weekly Valeurs Actuelles.

Djuric recalled that the monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo are under UNESCO protection and that Serbian rulers in the Middle Ages traditionally spent the end of their lives in them.

Many of them, he added, were canonized as saints, and their remains are preserved in monasteries in Kosovo.

This is also the case, he emphasized, with Queen Helena of Anjou, who initiated relations between the Serbian and French peoples in the 13th century.

When asked about the weakening of these ties, Djuric pointed out that, unfortunately, the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church is currently facing a ban on accessing the seat of his Church in Pec.

"Is it normal that in 21st-century Europe, the leader of one of the major faiths is denied the right to visit his monastery? Moreover, on a territory where thousands of international representatives are present? This reality is not pleasant. It is being concealed because it reveals the true nature of the so-called Republic of Kosovo and of Europe, which is failing to take political responsibility," Minister Djuric emphasized.

He added that, despite decades of repression, expulsion, and crimes, Serbs remain the majority in 10 out of 38 municipalities in Kosovo.

Responding to the claim that Serbia has chosen to remain neutral in the new East-West conflict, Djuric stated that he is proud to represent a country that has always taken a cautious approach to global events.

He stressed that Serbia opposes conflicts that could lead all of Europe into war.

"Two months ago, Europe's political elite tried to convince us that our approach was a handicap in the world. Our president was placed among the enemies of Europe and progress. Now, some countries that criticized Serbia, either openly or on the sidelines of international gatherings, are seeking contact in an effort to restore relations with Russia," Djuric pointed out.

This, he added, is one of the benefits of resisting pressure and maintaining one's course.

When asked which countries he was referring to and whether France was among them, he stated that he would be the worst foreign minister if he answered that question.

"As for France, it has its own channels. The ties between Presidents Vučic and Macron have enabled our countries to discuss complicated issues despite differing views. I am pleased that these two leaders have managed to establish special historical relations between our two countries," the Serbian foreign minister underlined.

Djuric recalled that Serbia is the only European country that has free trade agreements with both the EU and the Eurasian Union and is working on expanding them.

By excluding ideology from economic policy, he said, Serbia has ensured energy security from both sides.

Speaking about investments, he stated that Serbia has attracted numerous Western companies, including American ones, as well as those from the East, particularly in the IT sector.

Many, he emphasized, are choosing to store their data in Serbia.

Responding to accusations that Serbia represents China's interests in Europe, Djuric pointed out that in May last year, the Chinese president made a strategic visit to Belgrade.

"On that occasion, we signed a free trade agreement, and we are already seeing an increase in our exports. I would clarify that Serbia's debt to China accounts for less than 4% of our national debt, which is lower than in most European countries. President Xi Jinping's visit also had a highly symbolic significance—it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Serbia," the minister explained.

When it was mentioned that Americans referred to the embassy bombing as a "technical error," he responded that Beijing had made it clear that such an event would never be allowed to happen again in Serbia.

"This is a key message related to the ever-relevant issue of territorial integrity in Kosovo. On this matter, China defends Serbia in the UN Security Council," Djuric emphasized.

Asked about the status of Serbia's EU accession process, the Serbian foreign minister recalled that the process began in 2000 and that it is understandable that Serbs have developed a certain degree of skepticism.

"I believe Europe would benefit from admitting a country with healthy economic growth, which conducts 64% of its foreign trade with the 27 EU countries and pursues a moderate and independent foreign policy. However, perhaps it is precisely this last characteristic that leads some capitals to slow down our integration," Djuric stated.

When asked whether Serbia would lose its freedom by joining the Brussels club, Djuric said that this question remains open.

"Nevertheless, it is better for us to sit at the table where decisions are made about our future and the future of European nations. The EU's credibility in the region depends on whether it accepts new members based on meritocratic criteria or ideological and geopolitical ones. For 25 years, we have been assured that meritocratic, administrative-bureaucratic criteria are the only mechanisms determining membership," the minister concluded.