Serbian foreign minister says he will organize Serbs in America to vote for Trump

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has announced, in a statement for Srpski Telegraf, that he would organize Serbs living in the United States to vote for Donald Trump in the country's presidential election - and, as he says, if we are smart, it will create a better position for us in the next administration in Washington.

According to the newspaper, this will represent only a part of Serbia's strong diplomatic offensive to be launched this fall on the issue of Kosovo, primarily in America.

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The plan is to further promote the truth about Kosovo and our stance reagrding the southern province, and the action strategy is aimed in two directions, according to Srpski Telegraf.

The daily's interlocutors from top government echelons assessed that the time is right to act, given next year's US presidential election that is likely to see a battle for each vote.

"Serbia is now in a much better position than it was in previous years. Now there is a will in Washington to listen to our views. However, this doesn't mean that we will stop there - instead will intensify our efforts to strengthen our positions, to increase the number of friends we have in America, to have on our side as many as possible senators and congressmen, people in leadership positions," Dacic stressed.

Photo: Tanjug/Zoran Zestic

According to him, America is entering an election year and this is an opportunity that we must seize.

"Specifically, as the foreign minister, I will organize to formalize the support for Trump in the next election. Serbs in America vote for Trump anyway. If we do it wisely, if we combine those votes, of which there are not few, we will create a better position in the new administration. Albanians did it in the past, they united the votes of their diaspora which votes for one candidate," Dacic said.

For example, (US Congressman) Eliot Engel, who has been an Albanian lobbyist for years, has a steady pool of safe Albanian votes and it should come as no surprise that he is earnestly defending their interests - as those votes are important to get him elected.

"We must do the same thing, go on the offensive so that Serbs help Trump in the next election, for this to be clearly visible, which will be of great help to the state and the interests it fights for," says Dacic.

There are about 650,000 Serbs living in the United States, according to the newspaper.

The other part of the plan is Serbia's active role in the US Congress via the head of the Serbian Caucus Steve Stivers, a congressman from Ohio, since he has excellent connections and is active in lobbying for Serbian interests.

"Steve Stivers is great for the job, he fights, has a lot of energy and great contacts among Republicans. The idea is to shortly organize a hearing in the Congress and to invite even Congressman Eliot Engel to hear and see accurate information on how many Serbs have been killed in Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), how many women have been raped," says one of the founders of the Serbian-American Friendship Congress and Deputy Assembly Speaker Vladimir Markinkovic, and adds:

"So far, only one side of the story has been heard and that is why we need to be more active."

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)