Andrej Nikolaidis for Geopost: The Serbian Orthodox Church is today, in a symbolic sense, what the JNA (Yugoslav National Army) was for Milosevic

In the case of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), the accusations that come from a high address are very serious and it is obvious that the British MP knows what she is talking about, says Andrej Nikolaidis, a Montenegrin writer and columnist and last year’s winner of the highest state award in Montenegro – “July 13” awards, in an interview for Geopost.

He adds that these are serious indications.

“You mentioned the SKY application in the intercepted conversation where it was clearly stated that the SPC participates in the smuggling and distribution of weapons in Montenegro using the clergy and its own monasteries. To what extent was it true in Montenegro, and apparently it is, why wouldn’t it be true in Kosovo as well”.

Nikolaidis believes that the SPC, today, in a symbolic sense, is what the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) was for (Slobodan) Milosevic in 1991, although today that influence is more ‘soft power’ with less violent goals, but it has the same direction – “it is the creation of a ‘Greater Serbia’ ‘”.

Our interlocutor emphasizes that the West, instead of suppressing and literally banning the ideology of Great Serbian nationalism, which resulted in very serious crimes in the 21st century, including the most serious genocide in Srebrenica, “decided to provide a kind of consolation prize to that ideology through the division of the Balkans into spheres of influence.”

“In which, therefore, Belgrade, Tirana and Zagreb would be some kind of hegemon in the Balkans. I think that this is a dangerous and disastrous policy in many ways, among other things, for the citizens of Kosovo, but no less for all other citizens of the region”.

He points out that Albin Kurti is proof of why small nations, “and we are all small nations”, need uncorrupted people.

“If Kurti was corrupt, he would have obeyed a long time ago. And then we come to bizarre situations, Kurti clearly says that, precisely because of respect for the law and the Constitution of Kosovo, which defends the territorial organization on the ethnic principle, he cannot allow the Union of Serbian Municipalities as it was conceived.

On the other hand, the USA, which is killing itself by insisting on the rule of law, asks Kurti to, as Comrade Tito would say, ‘stick to the law like a drunkard'”.

When it comes to the genocide in Srebrenica, the 28th anniversary of which will be marked in two days, Nikolaidis wonders “how is it possible that what was acquired by the worst possible criminal act, that is, genocide, is left in the possession of the one who committed that crime?”

“Thus, genocide was an intervention in reality, not only were people killed, but territories that were ‘ethnically cleansed’ of those people were appropriated. However, strict care was taken in The Hague to ensure that the consequences of verdicts on genocide were, so to speak, metaphysical. And that is cynical justice of the worst kind”.

Nikolidis points out that a coup d’état was carried out in BiH, because, he says, Dodik said that he was exempting his ticket from the legal system.

“When you exclude yourself from the legal order, it is secession. They (the West) will never do anything here in the direction of Dodik, because their real opponent in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not Dodik”.

“The opponents are all of them, primarily the Bosniaks, that is, the political structures within the Bosniak national corps that actively resisted the idea of dividing BiH along two lines between Belgrade and Zagreb.”

“Montenegro in the EU is Montenegro out of reach because of Serbian nationalism. And it continues,” emphasizes Nikolaidis.

Nikolidis considers the recent announcement of the end of the Open Balkans initiative as “self-slap to Edi Rama that he deserved”.

The whole interview:

TheGeopost: The influential head of the foreign policy committee of the British Parliament, Alicia Cairns, accused the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) of smuggling weapons from Serbia to Kosovo. Prime Minister Albin Kurti ordered an investigation. If the investigation confirms her allegations, could we expect a reversal of the West’s policy towards Serbia and Aleksandar Vučić? Transcripts from the SKY application were also published in Montenegro last year, which clearly speak about the connection between the SPC and criminal groups and the acquisition of 100 Kalashnikovs for the church.

Nikolaidis: I have long since given up on the idea of principle driven by some higher goal in Western policy towards this region. So, we looked at everything, but not the principles. In the case of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), the accusations that come from a very high address are very serious and it is obvious that the British MP knows what she is talking about. I don’t know in a specific case whether it can be proven, but if not, then there are serious indications. You mentioned the SKY application in the intercepted conversation, where it was clearly stated that the SPC participates in the smuggling and distribution of weapons in Montenegro using the clergy and its own monasteries. To what extent was it true in Montenegro, and apparently it is, why wouldn’t it be true in Kosovo as well.

After all, as far as the SPC is concerned, my opinion is that the SPC is today, in a symbolic sense, what the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army) was for (Slobodan) Milošević in 1991 – that is, the basic means of cross-border influence. Today, that influence is different, it is more of a soft power influence than it was then, but the basic goal, the basic direction, of that influence, which this time fortunately is achieved with less violent goals, is practically the same – and that is the creation of “Greater Serbia” aka the Open Balkans.

The Geopost: In this sense, does Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti actually ‘spoil’ the average in the region, bearing in mind that the policies of “Greater Serbia” are supported in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kurti shows that he is principled towards the policy of the rule of law, democracy, so everything that the US insists on in its country, and an unwavering politician who does not succumb to pressure?

Nikolaidis: The West, instead of suppressing, and I claim that it was necessary to do so, and literally ban the ideology of Great Serbian nationalism and thus relaxes first of all Serbia, which would flourish after that, and then all of Serbia’s neighbors, instead of banning the ideology that resulted in a very serious crimes in the 21st century, including the most serious genocide in Srebrenica, the West decided to give a kind of consolation prize to that ideology through the division of the Balkans into spheres of influence.

Thus, Belgrade, Tirana and Zagreb would be some kind of hegemon in the Balkans. I think that it is a dangerous, actually disastrous policy in many ways, among other things for the citizens of Kosovo, but no less for all other citizens of the region.

I also think that it is not surprising because if you have a situation in which the USA, in fact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, bombed Serbia at one point in 1999, and now they unconditionally support, according to all parameters, the dictator Aleksandar Vučić, keeping silent about his dictatorship, keeping silent to countless evidences of brutal corruption.

As for Kurti, he is proof why small nations, and we are all small nations, need uncorrupted people. If Kurti was corrupt, he would have obeyed a long time ago. However, he is not and it is obvious that he has the support of the citizens of Kosovo. And then we come to bizarre situations, Kurti clearly says that, precisely because of respect for the law and the Constitution of Kosovo, which defends the territorial organization on the ethnic principle, he cannot allow the Union of Serbian Municipalities as it was conceived.

On the other hand, the USA, which is killing itself by insisting on the rule of law, asks Kurti to, as Comrade Tito would say, “stick to the law like a drunkard”.

The Geopost: You mentioned Srebrenica. In two days it will be the 28th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica. Do you have the impression that certain Western officials are using the genocide in Srebrenica to obtain bad solutions for Bosnia and Herzegovina? (We saw that Schmidt’s moves, which were judged as bad and benefiting ethno-nationalists, were preceded by his frequent stays in Srebrenica. The other day he was in Ahmići).

Nikolaidis: Regarding what happened after the genocide in Srebrenica, I have a serious problem with one simple fact. Let me put it this way: when a serious crime, say a serious robbery, a drug cartel, is punished in court, what was acquired through a criminal act is taken away, how is it possible that what was acquired through the worst possible criminal act, an act of genocide, be left in the possession of those who committed that crime?

The fact that Srebrenica is still today in the entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina Republika Srpska is actually the most tragic fact that speaks so aggravatingly and condemningly about the policy of the international community towards Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region. Therefore, the genocide was an intervention in reality, not only were people killed, but territories that were “ethnically cleansed” of those people were appropriated. However, strict care was taken in The Hague to ensure that the consequences of verdicts on genocide were, so to speak, metaphysical. And that is cynical justice of the worst kind.

The Geopost: We are seeing a continuation of such politics today, aren’t we? On Thursday evening, there was almost a coup d’état in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the next day Dodik signed the Law that does not publish the decisions of the High Representative and does as he wills. Very mild reactions followed from Western embassies, but also from his coalition partners?

Nikolaidis: It is practically a coup because Dodik said that he is exempting his ticket from the legal order. When you exempt yourself from the legal order, it is secession. They (the West) will never do anything in the direction of Dodik because their real opponent in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not Dodik. If Dodik was truly their opponent of our Western friends, as they said in Montenegro, Milorad Dodik would have long ago found himself in some lonely place of four, five squares meters and as many meters of those bars. However, he rules and rules and rules dictatorially like his pariah in Belgrade. In the case of Milorad Dodik, there is at least some rhetoric that condemns him.

In the case of Aleksandar Vučić, there is only him. It’s a tragedy. In all this, I actually feel sorry for Serbian liberals, democrats, pro-Western people in Serbia who may feel betrayed because the West, for which they stood, practically gave Vučić permission to do whatever he wanted.

The Geopost: You said that the opponent of the West in BiH is not Dodik. Who is it?

Nikolaidis: The opponents are all of them, primarily the Bosniaks, that is, the political structures within the Bosniak national corps that actively resisted the idea of dividing BiH into two lines between Belgrade and Zagreb. All those who offered serious resistance were removed, a puppet government was installed, worthy of all contempt, that will realize to the end what they were installed for.

The Geopost: How sovereign is Montenegro today?

Nikolaidis: The idea that the winners of the August 30, 2020 election in Montenegro have is very similar to the idea implemented by Milorad Dodik in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, with the means of soft power, i.e. internal occupation, one and the other country – i.e. BiH and Montenegro – should be shown as impossible, that is, a ‘case of states’ that should not be states, and then work on some new kind of unification in any form. They do this quite successfully.

Montenegro is at one point, during the mandate of Dritan Abazović, and the decision to support Abazović for prime minister was one of Milo Đukanović’s biggest political mistakes, and he made many of them. So, at one point during Dritan Abazović’s mandate, Montenegro received a clear message from the EU that the path to Montenegro’s entry into the Union was practically open. Abazović immediately undermined it by creating overnight the so-called fundamental contract with the SPC, after which the government fell and usurped power a year later. These people are there to destroy, even when the danger of success is greatest, they do the most brutal things. Quite simply, Montenegro in the EU is Montenegro outside the scope of Serbian nationalism. And it lasts.

The Geopost: Edi Rama announced the end of the Open Balkans initiative stating that “the Berlin process is ahead of us”. What to read between the lines?

Nikolaidis: I wrote dozens of texts against the Open Balkans from the first moment when the idea was announced because it was clear to me what it was.

It was the idea to create something that would be the Kingdom of Serbs and Albanians instead of what was once called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It is an impossible project that was supposed to satisfy primarily the business and ethnic ideas of Aleksandar Vučić and Edi Rama. Since Rama was an ardent supporter of that idea, I understand his statement, which clearly acknowledges the defeat of the Open Balkans, which I am immensely looking forward to, as a slap in the face that he deserved. /Geopost/