Serbian threats to North Macedonia and Montenegro don’t stop

Although the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Montenegro are members of NATO, have the status of candidate countries for EU membership, and have politically principled and correct relations with their neighbors, they continue to be targets of threats from the Republic of Serbia.

Their state stability continues to be undermined from within, aided by Serbian and pro-Serb forces receiving lectures from official Belgrade. Yet even Serbia’s direct and persistent threats remind these forces that they have its open and unreserved support. The shot even goes so far as to touch the cedar of the North Atlantic Alliance. “They (Montenegro and Northern Macedonia) think that they are in the NATO pact and that they have solved their problems with it …,” Serbia’s Defense Minister Miloš Vučević openly threatened on Serbian state television.

Miloš Vučević was elected chairman of the Progressive Party of Serbia after its chairman and founder, Aleksandar Vučić, the current president of Serbia, resigned from that post. As someone close to Vučić, he was elected Serbia’s Minister of Defense. Since taking office until today, Minister Vučević has several times raised the military intervention around the border with Kosovo to the highest preparatory level. This concern is rightly directed at the Republic of Kosovo. He advocates the purchase of weapons and strengthening of the Serbian army from sanctioned countries such as Russia and Iran.

Minister Vučević in his open threats in the Serbian national media, Pink said that Montenegro and North Macedonia angered Serbia so much when they recognized the state of Kosovo, that this action has to hit the head as if Ukraine is being hit.

“Are our friends in Northern Macedonia sleeping peacefully? Are you sleeping well? They think that they are in the NATO pact and have solved their problems…. This is the mantra of Montenegro and North Macedonia. When they became members of this collective security or NATO alliance, they thought that they had solved all their problems and that nothing could happen to them anymore,” says Serbian Defense Minister Miloš Vučević. This warning that North Macedonia and Montenegro may face problems and that they will not remain calm even if they are members of NATO should be especially worrying for the Alliance and then also for the calm and solidarity of the political currents of these countries with Serbia.

Surprisingly, neither the head of state of Montenegro nor that of North Macedonia has yet reacted to this open threat by Serbia. This is not only disturbing, but also indicates a silent acquiescence to the threat. Serbian nationalist aggression, with the undeniable support of Russia, continues to play a destructive role for peace in the countries of the Western Balkans. Open threats, causing problems, influencing the internal affairs of neighboring states is Serbia’s political culture.

The European Union should undoubtedly play its own role, as Serbia’s actions towards its neighbors are not only not in the spirit of the EU, but every day become a threat to peace and European integration will of other countries in the region./The Geopost/