“Serbian idea in the Serbian world, a copy of the Russian idea in the Russian world”

Former Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Russia, Enver Halilovic, said that right-wing parties in the Russian Federation mainly develop a Euro-skepticism and the idea of ​​Russia’s self-sufficiency, while on the other hand, according to him, find and seek support for such attitudes in right-wing parties in the European Union. In an interview with The Geopost, he also spoke about the influence of Russia and Serbia in the Balkans, as well as the visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to Putin.

Halilovic added that the Russian Federation has been present in the Balkans since ancient times, and the reason for this, he said, should be sought in the fact that Russia has seen itself as the third Rome since then. As he said, the doctrine of Russia as the descendant of the Byzantine Empire was then developed.

“On this basis, Russia claimed, and even today almost claims, the right to protect the Orthodox population in the area that was once affected by the Byzantine Empire,” Halilovic said.

Halilovic stressed that Russia has a centuries-old positive attitude towards Serbia, that there are centuries-old ties between Serbia and Russia, and that in every historical event related to Serbia or the Balkans, Russia’s presence in the Balkans has always been present in every situation.

He also stated that the Serbian idea in the Serbian world is a copy of the Russian idea in the Russian world, but also that the interest of Serbian politics is directed towards Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“It does not matter much which party is in power in Serbia, the doctrine of Greater Serbia is something that is constant of the Serbian government as a whole. That relationship still continues in a special way through Serbia’s relations with neighboring countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo,” said the former ambassador.

Halilovic said he attended the Petrograd Forum in 2006 as then the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Moscow at the Lavrov-Dodik meeting. Dodik then stepped up and relied on Republika Srpska separatist projects in 2006, and since then, those relations have become very close.

“After expressing disagreement and dissatisfaction with their conversation at their meeting, which was contrary to the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I was no longer invited to the Dodik and Lavorov meetings, even though a diplomatic rule is a mandatory norm, that the ambassador who serves, to be present. After that, I was no longer in those meetings, but it can be seen that this relationship is very, very strong,” said Halilovic.

He added that the Russian Federation needs to maintain tensions in the Balkans wherever possible due to the European Union.

“Therefore, for these areas not to join the European Union, not to join the NATO alliance, meaning to be politically destabilized and to stop the enlargement of the European Union, because Russia perceives the enlargement of the European Union as a danger in itself and this is an additional reason why the Russian Federation supports conflicts and supports separatist processes wherever possible in the Balkans. Not only in Bosnia, but also in Montenegro. Russia has its own diplomatic reasons, it is trying to create a new order.”

He is convinced that Russia, together with China, are trying to create a multipolar system, to emerge as a world, political, military, economic, player in order to stop the presence of liberal capitalism in the “so-called Eurasian space” in which Russia defines the special right.

Halilovic called Vucic’s visit tragicomic, as well as the justification for signing the gas agreement.

“That level of agreement is signed by the officials, it is not even for the ministerial level, let alone for a presidential level. Clearly it was just an excuse. I do not think that Vucic’s visit to Putin, the latter, has to do first of all with the elections in Serbia. Vucic has complete control there, he has created a complete totalitarian system, a one-party system in Europe,” he said.

According to him, the Serbian president’s visit to Russia is mostly dedicated to the talks on Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also on Kosovo.

Regarding the agreement on the Union of Serbian Municipalities, Halilovic stresses that it is a Serbian project supported by Russia, with the aim of Bosnianizing Kosovo and stopping the diplomatic settlement process.

“It must remain a kind of frozen conflict until further notice. I think these are the main reasons for their meeting and that the gas deal signing was just an excuse . Regarding the formation of a kind of alliance between these countries that really are politically endangered, under the political pressure of Russia and Serbia together, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro, I think that cooperation between governments and states is not enough and that synchronization is lacking,” Halilovic concluded.

The full interview will be available soon.