Djuric: Citizens should not worry about security, individuals want to intimidate people

Photo: Tanjug/Marko Djokovic

Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric said today that citizens should not worry about security, that our diplomatic missions are safe, and that those making threats want to create an effect of intimidation and terror, but that they will not succeed.

Recommended

"Serbia's policyis one of extending a hand, we don't wish harm on anyone, we make new friends, we solve problems. Serbia is a country of the future, a country that is developing and building. President Aleksandar Vucic is making great efforts to preserve Serbia's independence in decision-making and to be a country that creates further conditions for development, maintaining friendly relations with the region, and beyond," Djuric told TV Pink.

Djuric spoke about the threats of an attack on Serbian embassies, which were sent via e-mails to the embassies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and said that there have been no new threats, but that Serbia is taking the situation seriously.

"There is a very complex political background behind them. The fact is that for years those in highest positions in our southern province (Kosovo and Metohija) propagated and affirmed a rhetoric, a narrative of behavior that is extreme in nature, and it's not surprising that certain circles decided to take such extreme steps. We should know that those who are attacking want to produce the effect of changing the course of our foreign policy," he said.

They, he added, want to dissuade those who act on behalf of Serbia from representing Serbian interests, especially when it comes to Kosovo and Metohija.

"The message to them is that not only will we not give up and stop, but we will intensify our activity in those very centers where the threats have been received," he added.

The minister said that the Ministries of Internal Affairs in the countries where the threats were made at the same have identified the individuals (responsible) and that one of the perpetrators is already publicly known.

"However, a thorough and extensive investigation should be conducted into the political background of this type of threat. Because threats to embassies, threats to people who represent Serbia's international position, naturally have a political context," added Djuric.

The minister stressed that every Serbian embassies and consulate will turn into "Offices for Kosovo and Metohija" - precisely to fight to preserve the collective human and political rights of the Serbs. He also commented on the fact that the Pristina authorities and Albin Kurti insist on opening the bridge on the Ibar River and said that this is being done in order to take control of northern Kosovska Mitrovica.

The reason, he said, is not a question of opening just any bridge since there are four other bridges that connect the northern and southern parts of Kosovska Mitrovica, which are in use.

"This is about removing a symbolic but also a practical bulwark of security and defense of the Serbs. And Serbian diplomacy is engaged continuously and on all continents to explain the gravity of the position our people are in, to win allies and friends in those parts where we may not have had them traditionally, on this topic," said the minister.

He stressed that he expects a response from KFOR and the Quint (leading western) countries.

"Today I will have meetings with ambassadors of some of the Quint countries. We are working on this very seriously," he said.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)