Djuric: Pristina increasingly isolated due to its unilateral moves

BELGRADE - Through intensive diplomatic activities, Serbia has succeeded in winning over key European partners on the Kosovo-Metohija issue, says Serbian FM Marko Djuric, noting that unilateral actions and violence by the Albin Kurti regime have been met with condemnation from the international community, leading to Pristina's isolation.

In spite of an "unfavourable majority" in some international organisations in Europe when it comes to the status of Kosovo-Metohija, Serbian diplomats have succeeded in preventing Pristina from joining the Council of Europe, Djuric told Radio Belgrade 1 on Wednesday.

"Fortunately, some large European countries made that conditional upon the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities, application of certain standards in protection of the rights of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija," Djuric said.

He added that this was a result of years of work at all levels, including President Aleksandar Vucic's discussions with top European and world leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

In the discussions, it was always noted that safeguarding Serb rights and interests must be put before any affirmation of Pristina's position, Djuric explained.

Commenting on unilateral moves and pressure targeting Kosovo-Metohija Serbs, Djuric said the moves had produced a counter-effect for Pristina in the international arena.

"On the one hand, Pristina has inflicted enormous damage on our people and the interests of ordinary people, if you will, on the ground in the past three and a half years. It has shut down some of our institutions by force and pushed them out of that territory. Of course, they (the organisations) have not stopped working and Belgrade's investments have only increased. Efforts by the Office for Kosovo-Metohija and other state institutions have been continued - that is what is important," he said.

Djuric said he was pleased that, on the other hand, Pristina's actions had been met with some condemnation in the international community.

Pristina's irrational approach is working in favour of Belgrade's arguments, he said.

"The more violent Kurti's regime is towards Serbs and all dissenters, the more isolated it is in the international community. It is an irrational approach in the interaction with the international community and it is absolutely working in our favour. The more irrational, more radical and less prepared for dialogue, discussions and cooperation they (Pristina) are, the more audible are the arguments of our side that we are dealing with a truly chauvinist regime that will stop at nothing to achieve the goal of fully pushing out our people on the ground," Djuric noted.