Djuric: With US congressmen about the position of Serbs in Kosovo

The visit of US congressmen to Serbia was a good opportunity for us to present everything that Serbs in Kosovo are going through, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric emphasized.

Speaking for RTS, Djuric stressed that the discussions with the US congressmen took place in an excellent atmosphere.

The delegation visiting Serbia included US congressmen from the states of Ohio and New Jersey, Michael Turner and Donald Norcross.

"The visit of US congressmen to Serbia is an opportunity to present the situation on the ground directly. To show what Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija are going through. I would remind you that the United States suspended the strategic dialogue with Pristina, which is a serious and significant step toward concrete measures in relation to Kurti's government, which has not respected the collective and all other rights of the Serbian Christian population and other non-majority communities. And the US administration pays special attention to the position of Christians, and in Kosovo the Serbs are the largest Christian community," he underlined.

Asked about the fate of the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), Djuric stated that, as far as the stability of the market is concerned, citizens can be at ease, and that when it comes to the future of NIS, certain information is still being awaited.

He emphasized that Serbia has proven to be well prepared for this crisis, that storage facilities are full, and that the country has approached the situation responsibly and seriously, seeking to preserve relations with key actors.

"Serbia will continue to behave fairly and transparently, and will inform the public accordingly about developments. We are awaiting new information about possible further transactions and future developments. The talks are not simple and are taking place in sensitive geopolitical circumstances," Djuric said.

Asked about the possible positions of the United States, he said that the US is pursuing its own interest of separating Europe from Russian energy, and that other geopolitical factors are also at play.

"What is in our interest is for NIS to continue functioning as one of the largest companies in the region. There is no doubt that we will ensure that in the coming months," he said.

Djuric underlined that Serbia conducts a nationally responsible foreign policy of an outstretched hand, preserving traditional partnerships, but also making progress in relations with some new partners on the international stage, carefully following geopolitical developments.

He reminded that in just the past ten or so days, President Aleksandar Vucic visited Paris, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron, further strengthening what he called the axis of Serbian–French friendship.

"In recent years, we have gained solid footing and support in France when it comes to European integration. France supports progress, the opening of clusters, everything that is needed," Djuric said.

In the same week, he added, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul visited Serbia, followed by a delegation from Botswana, while in Brussels last week both Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic and Minister Nemanja Starovic were present.

He announced that this week he expects the President of the Congo to arrive in Serbia.

"For a country of our size, we sometimes punch above our weight and strength, but that is good for Serbia's economy. Serbia is the only country that has free trade agreements with Europe, the Eurasian Union, China, Turkey, the Emirates... We are working with others as well, and all of this has brought a large inflow of foreign investment," Djuric said.

When asked whether Serbia is remaining on the EU path, the foreign minister replied that Serbia not only remains on that path, but actively fights for progress on it, because it is in the national interest for Serbia to have a seat at the table in Brussels when policies that affect it are being decided.

"Imagine the entire region being at that table, and Serbia not... It is important that we win allies in the EU for Serbia’s dignified and rational membership, as an equal partner," Djuric underlined.

Speaking about the dinner he attended last week in Brussels, organized by Kaja Kallas, he said that compared to six months or a year ago, a much higher level of enthusiasm is now noticeable for accelerated EU enlargement to this part of Europe.

"At least when it comes to verbal expressions of support, including for Serbia. Everything that has been done in the past two to three months was assessed positively, and the alignment rate with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy is higher than it used to be," the minister noted.

Pointing out that at such meetings representatives of some regional countries sometimes use the opportunity to present positions that are not favorable for Serbia, he said that this time such behavior was absent and the meeting proceeded in a constructive atmosphere.

He added that he spoke with his colleague from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konakovic, about ways to improve relations between the two countries.

"The situation is complicated, but we expect that respect will be shown to Serbia, alongside non-interference in internal affairs. Unfortunately, there have been attempts from certain addresses in the region to use the polarized situation in Serbia to push our country out of line. Because no one likes the idea of Serbia doubling its economy and starting to overtake some countries that have been in the EU for a long time. We are trying to regain respect, defending our integrity and the legitimate right that no one interferes in our internal affairs. This has nothing to do with human rights, nor should it," Djuric said.

In that context, he pointed to certain neo-Nazi incidents in Croatia targeting Serbs, who, he emphasized, feel very endangered there, and therefore must be protected.

Asked which countries are most critical of opening new clusters, and which can help Serbia, he replied that it is important to work with all countries to deepen understanding of this issue.

"We are in intensive discussions with both the Nordic and Baltic countries, as well as with Belgium, the Netherlands. We will work in the coming weeks to deepen understanding on these topics," Djuric said.

Speaking about Germany, he said that after the meeting with Minister Wadephul, he felt encouraged, and that it seems that with the new administration in Berlin under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Serbia has all the prerequisites to make progress in bilateral relations, similar to those during Angela Merkel's tenure.

"This was felt at our meeting as well, that there is more understanding for the need of EU enlargement, for strengthening economic cooperation," Djuric added.

Support for Trump's peace efforts, peace and compromise as the ultimate interest of all

Speaking about the proposed peace agreement for Ukraine, Djuric emphasized that he believes compromise and peace must be the ultimate interest of humanity.

"The consequences of this war are catastrophic for Europe, and it should be in Europe's primary interest for the war to end. Serbia advocates for ending hostilities as soon as possible, respecting the principles of international law, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. We strive for a balanced approach," Djuric underlined.

He reminded that Serbia opened its doors to around 300,000 people from Ukraine and Russia, which reflects a humane and compassionate stance.

"Peace is above everything. We strongly support the peace initiative of US President Donald Trump. If the conflict were to end, our economic growth would increase significantly, as would growth across Europe," Djuric said.