Djuric: There are attempts to alter election results to the detriment of the Serb List

Serbia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Djuric, stated that Serbs in Kosovo demonstrated political maturity and unity in the elections, adding that there are attempts to alter the election results at the expense of the Serb List, with the goal of severing ties with Belgrade.

Appearing on RTS Dnevnik, Djuric emphasized that Serbia is always committed to dialogue and does not wish to listen to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's monologues.

"I want to congratulate the Serb List and Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija for showing political maturity and responsibility, and for standing united in presenting a cohesive front before Pristina and the international community. Few people understand the impossible conditions under which Serbs secured all 10 of the guaranteed seats in parliament. We are now seeing what Petkovic has been warning about – strange things happening within Kosovo’s Central Election Commission, their website crashing, conflicts at polling stations. I fear there will be attempts to overturn this election result to the detriment of the Serb List because the goal is to sever all ties between Serbs and Belgrade. It is well known that the Serb List closely cooperates with Belgrade politically. What our citizens need to know is that Serbia is committed to dialogue, not monologues. We will not listen to Kurti’s monologues – we will fight for the rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija," Djuric declared.

Regarding the new US administration, Djuric noted that there are individuals within it who recognize that Kurti has not approached the dialogue constructively.

"We should not raise our expectations too high. My assessment is that it will take six to eight months for the new US administration to settle, especially considering that elections are also approaching in Germany and a new EU leadership will be formed. This situation with the Serb List and Serbian unity is an important step in positioning ourselves well in upcoming talks. There are differing views on Kosovo’s status, but our overall economic strength, defense capabilities, and societal capacities define our ability to fight for our interests," Djuric said.

He emphasized that this year will be a year of major changes.

"We are witnessing tectonic shifts, this is a year of major change. It is often said that there are decades when nothing happens in geopolitics, and then there are weeks when decades happen. I would say that this year is filled with such weeks. For Serbia, it is crucial to send a clear message that we are stable and strong, open for business, and firmly committed to protecting our national interests. That was my message during official meetings in Rome. It is always beneficial when you represent a country that has doubled its GDP in less than ten years. We also discussed the internal situation, where I emphasized that Serbia is open to internal and democratic dialogue on national priorities. This was partly to encourage European leaders to invest in Serbia’s European integration, as I firmly believe that Serbia can contribute to the European project," Djuric stated.

As he added, the door to dialogue on internal matters within Serbia remains open.

"We are a people who do not like to be told by outsiders what to do, but we are also a people who have been slandered. We must not allow ourselves to tarnish our own reputation in the international community. Some irresponsible political actors have engaged in extensive propaganda efforts to paint a false picture of Serbia. That is why it was important for me to present the facts, that both the President and the Speaker of Parliament have made it clear that dialogue is welcome regarding any domestic issues in our country," Djuric said.

He expressed hope that Serbia’s Statehood Day would be celebrated smoothly.

"It absolutely should be. I support everything Vucic has done. I believe this will be a year of achievements, where we can take pride in reaching our economic goals. All other challenges can be resolved democratically. I believe in dialogue and Serbia’s freedom," he concluded.

The minister once again appealed for Alen Ohel to be released.

"We are fighting, and we will continue to fight for Alon’s life. His family is in contact with our authorities. He has been trapped for 495 days in some tunnels, without sunlight or food, severely wounded, and in a dire situation. He was supposed to visit Serbia three weeks after his capture. He spent his 24th birthday in captivity. I appeal to those holding him to release him. I hope he will soon be free," Djuric stated.