... emerged as the main signal of dissatisfaction with Serbia’s ties to Russia, but their implementation has already been delayed six times. Washington is holding back, aware that fuel supply disruptions and an energy crisis could trigger instability in the Balkans. The European Union, for its part, says that Serbia–Russia relations cannot continue as before. Belgrade is expected to make specific statements, not send ambiguous signals. Brussels believes Serbia
should
reaffirm its strategic commitment to the European path and prove in practice its readiness ...
... Economics (IWPE, Serbia), held a roundtable on “The Balkan Region in the Eurasian Security System.” The event took place in a hybrid format and brought together representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with leading Russian and Serbian experts on the Balkans.
The discussion focused on the emerging structure of Eurasian security—its conceptual foundations, prospects for full-scale implementation, and wider systemic dimensions. Participants compared European and Eurasian security models, assessed ...
... prospects and increasing vitality of Russia-Serbia mutually beneficial cooperation, which is possible in the near or medium term, provided that Moscow has a more systemic and clear approach to the entire spectrum of processes taking place not only in Serbia and its regions, but in the Balkans in general.
Experts agreed that the coronavirus pandemic has had a serious destructive impact on bilateral cooperation in many areas, in particular, scientific, educational and economic. The participants also agreed that today Russia needs to ...
... Fethullah Gülen, whom Recep Erdogan accuses of the attempted coup in 2016, to Turkey.
China’s investment policy in the region appears particularly prominent. Beijing played an
active role
in a series of major infrastructure and energy projects in the Balkans. China
invests
most heavily in Serbia, and its investments have already had a significant effect on the economic situation in the country. The increased debt of the countries in the region to Chinese lenders may be a cause for concern. Nevertheless, it is too early to talk about the ...
... worse position, left without most of its own territory. Moreover, a tendency to tear the remains among Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and Serbia is notable here. One of possible scenarios for Macedonia in this case is to form a confederation with Bulgaria or Serbia.
Only nationalist population of the region could support such a radical scenario, it would seriously shut off the Balkans from the EU in mid-term perspective. At the same time, in a long run, in the context of the region, this is one of the options for a long-term settlement of existing national problems.
The Importance of Provisional and Interim Measures
If the ...
... However, even if the mediation is formally preserved for the EU, then, in the face of a change in the administrative cycle in Brussels, this will entail the strengthening of nationalist forces in the region and, as a result, greater destabilization in the Balkans. Thus, Washington, in its turn, will use this kind of situation, both efficiently and with a striking effect, in order to accelerate the pressing inclusion of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina into NATO.
The situation where Brussels preserves the role of mediator (with covert or open participation of Washington) may also become a prelude towards destabilization in Serbia, following the scenario of October 5,...
From July 30 to August 6, 2015, Belgrade is hosting international summer school “
Geopolitics in the Emerging Multipolar Era
”, held by the Serbian Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) with participation of over 30 young foreign relations scholars, tutors and diplomats lectured by representatives of global and regional international organizations, public ...
The US visit by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic must be considered primarily in the context of the
Individual Partnership Action Plan
between the Republic of Serbia and NATO), signed in January 2015. This comprehensive document established a framework for the ...
... celebrations in Moscow, unlike their Montenegrin, Croatian and Bulgarian counterparts.
Thus, what this author has witnessed (and this has been confirmed by his Serbian colleagues) is that even the most ceremonial events do not have the same significance for Serbia as Victory Day has for Russia. There are several reasons for this:
The complex nature of military operations in the Balkans, especially Yugoslavia.
[1]
The fact that there are other memorable dates and events from World War II.
The importance of other historic events that form a public consensus.
The importance of religious celebrations and other national holidays....
... of NATO expansion has once again been put on the agenda. There has been talk recently about possible membership for three states located on the Balkan Peninsula. In addition, it just came out that Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a visit to Serbia on October 16, 2014. Does this event signify that the Balkans will return to the center of international attention? Alexander Pivovarenko, Research Associate of the RAS Institute of Slavonic Studies and RIAC expert, shares his insights on the situation.
The issue of NATO enlargement through incorporating ...
