The malignant influence of Moscow has taken over Serbia

If there is a collapse or break in the relations between Serbia and the EU, Serbian politicians will tend to shift the blame for it, not to their inability to advance in the negotiation process, but exclusively to the EU. Russia will wholeheartedly help them in this. And of course and especially the Serbian Orthodox Church! It is up to the EU not to let them do that. And we hope that it won’t be like that – Milan Jovanović, president of the Forum for Security and Democracy, told Pobjeda. He points out that anti-European narratives are mainstream in Serbia.

Serbia has consciously complicated its relationship with the EU because it has not fulfilled its previous commitment – to align its foreign policy with the EU. Instead, it constantly flirts with Russia. This is why it is exposed to EU pressure, for now only verbal. The European Parliament’s proposal to stop Serbia on the EU path due to cooperation with Russia has not passed and the question arises as to how long the EU will tolerate Serbia sitting on two chairs. Jovanovic explains that a turnaround is under way.

The war in Ukraine has turned politics“ and – and ” to ” or – or“. Better to say the reversal is in progress. I think that the EU acts thoughtfully, unhurriedly and with understanding, and that the tensions are exposed in the anti-EU structures in Serbia itself, both ruling and opposition – answers the president of the Forum for Security and Democracy.

Anti-European moo

He emphasizes that the verbal nervousness and raised tones in Serbia directed towards the EU and the West show that Serbia is also very aware of the reversal to “either – or”.

Which, of course, they don’t like. At the same time, anti-European narratives in Serbia are mainstream. Occasional formal statements about Serbia on the road to the EU are becoming increasingly difficult to cover as time runs out, Jovanovic says.

He says clear steps and moves are needed that will, pragmatically, manifest Serbia’s commitment to the EU.

Not only through relations with Russia, not only through sanctions, but through a comprehensive release from the internal bad consequences of the anti-European and malign influence of Russia and its numerous proxies in Serbia itself. The EU has not paid timely attention to Russia’s undermining of the pro-European mood and EU enthusiasm in the Western Balkans, especially in Montenegro and Serbia , our interlocutor says.

The question is what is the European Union’s plan for the Western Balkans, and what is the United States ‘plan and why are they looking favorably at the“open Balkans”. Will membership be desirable for all countries of the Western Balkans – no matter how far along they are in negotiations with the EU. Has the EU abandoned its pro-Western partners in the Western Balkans with its current policy?

More problems for the Open Balkan

Jovanovic says that the EU and the US are absolutely in agreement that the Open Balkans is important and of strategic interest for the EU, as well as for the US that support the idea that one day it will be the EU.

USA looks at the open Balkans favourably because it was an idea that started from Washington and was first promoted through Edi Rama in Sarajevo, and then presented by the Americans to Aleksandar Vucic, who will then further promote it. We should never forget that the Open Balkan is an American idea. Everything on the Russian side was her obstruction, from the beginning. I think that the Americans initially saw in the open Balkans the possibility, first of all, to influence the rapprochement of Albanians and Serbs through Albania and Serbia. It was never about obstructing the Berlin Process or the EU, but about the idea to push integrative processes wherever possible, because they are the essence of the EU itself – explains Jovanovic.

He emphasizes that it should not be forgotten that in the moment when the Open Balkan started – the North Macedonia suffered an obstruction in starting the negotiation process with the EU, while Montenegro opened all negotiation chapters.

I believe that the Open Balkan would be viewed with less suspicion in Montenegro, too, had it not been for the rise of a political group that is the catalyst of Russia’s interests, which are clearly against the Euroatlantic future of Montenegro and the region – assesses Jovanovic and said that with three NATO members it would have a clear surname and I think it has one with two.

Still, he points out that the new difficulties were created by the opposition in Macedonia, which stopped the ratification of papers that are supposed to represent a vital economic interest and economic alibi of the Open Balkan. He then points out that additional suspicion was caused by the introduction into circulation of the phrase “serbian world”.

This suspicion, when we see what happened and is happening in the Russian world – which is not only mirrored by name, is certainly understandable – Jovanović notes and says that the introduction of Hungary and Viktor Orban into the political dynamics of the Open Balkans is only a new incentive for speculation about its further future.

“Open Balkan” and everything related to it could be useful only if it does not harm the euroatlantic strategy of the region and its aspirations to integrate into the EU-concluded Jovanovic./Pobjeda