Drecun: Kurti's goal is to establish full control over the Gazivode hydropower plant, contrary to the Washington Agreement

Chairman of the Serbian Parliament's Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs Milovan Drecun said today that the launch of the Strategic Dialogue with the United States could lead to a significantly improved American approach toward the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo. He also stated that the demolition of Serbian-owned buildings near Gazivode Lake runs counter to the proposal for the joint utilization of the lake put forward by the United States under the Washington Agreement.

"This is a major opportunity for us to insist, through the U.S. administration, that they do everything possible to provide greater protection for the Serbian people. They should exert continuous pressure on the provisional institutions of self-government to abandon these unilateral anti-Serb measures and minimize the damage that Kurti has inflicted on the survival of the Serbian people. The very beginning of the Strategic Dialogue has already shown that Belgrade insisted on this issue, and I believe we will find understanding on the American side. In that respect, we can expect a significantly improved approach by the United States toward the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija," Drecun said.

Commenting on the ongoing demolition of Serbian-owned buildings at Gazivode Lake by the provisional institutions in Pristina, Drecun said that Albin Kurti's objective is to establish complete control over the reservoir and the hydropower plant, contrary to the 2020 Washington Agreement, which envisages a feasibility study on the joint utilization of the lake.

"He wants to gain full control, contrary to the American proposal contained in the Washington Agreement regarding the joint use of Gazivode. He pays no attention to that at all. Day after day, he continues to increase both the intensity and the level of pressure on the Serbian people," Drecun said.

He further argued that Kurti's government has not demolished a single illegal structure among the thousands across Kosovo whose owners are Albanians, adding that the demolition of buildings at Gazivode deliberately bypasses the authority of the municipalities in northern Kosovo governed by Serb representatives.

According to Drecun, Kurti is taking advantage of the current political vacuum, in which no elected executive authority or fully functioning institutions have been established, meaning that the Serbian List is unable to challenge these actions effectively, while the international community has failed to respond.

Asked whether Serbia could expect changes on the ground affecting the Serbian community in Kosovo following the launch of the Strategic Dialogue with Washington, Drecun said he does not expect the United States to alter its position on Kosovo's status. However, he believes that improved bilateral relations could have a decisive influence on developments in Kosovo.

Drecun said he believes that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has abandoned the policy of pressuring Belgrade to recognize Kosovo.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that Serbia is the United States' most important partner and will remain so in the period ahead—not only in the Western Balkans but, I would say, throughout Southeast Europe. In that context, they are no longer prepared to exert constant pressure on Belgrade," he said.

Drecun maintained that Serbia is the most important country in the region for the United States and that the Trump administration has brought about a change in the way American policy takes Serbian interests into account.

"Geopolitics is determined by geography, and that cannot be changed. Everyone understands that Serbia is the key point in the Balkans. They have always known this, but they previously tried to pursue their interests without taking even part of our interests into consideration. President Trump now takes our interests into account as well. He wants a long-term, strategic, reliable partner with whom agreements, once reached, will actually be implemented," Drecun said.

He particularly emphasized Serbia's importance to the United States as an energy partner, citing the planned Djerdap 3 reversible hydropower project as an example.

"When you look at the gas pipelines, the oil pipelines, and the new terminals on the Adriatic Sea intended to receive American liquefied natural gas, it becomes clear that Serbia cannot be bypassed," Drecun said.

He added that Serbia also cannot be bypassed when it comes to road and railway infrastructure, arguing that this represents another area in which the United States sees opportunities for cooperation.

"American policy is based on pursuing American interests, and every country's policy should be. Our policy toward the United States is based on pursuing our own interests while expecting that good cooperation with the Americans can bring significant benefits," Drecun concluded.