Selim Ibraimi- Despite warnings from EU officials not to attend the Moscow Parade, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic did the same. He met with senior representatives of the Orthodox Church and Russian president Vladimir Putin. “After many years, back in Moscow,” said President Aleksandar Vucic. From Russia, the Serbian president promised to continue the path towards the EU. He also stated that he is a person who keeps his word, just as he kept his word to president Vladimir Putin to visit him. “I am here to fight for my people and my country. I don’t care what others say or think. I was voted for by the Serbian people, not by Riga, Tallinn, or Vilnius,” Vucic told RTS. The word games and almost an attempt to anger the West are not ending with the rulers of Serbia and Russia.
Several air blockades by EU states on the Serbian president prompted Russia to react to the EU. The Russian Foreign Ministry described the decision of Riga and Vilnius to block airspace for slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico as authoritarian behavior.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that EU countries continue to restrict the sovereign right of states to pursue their foreign policy. “They are using all available means for this.” According to Zakharova, the behavior of the lithuanian and latvian authorities is not surprising. “These two countries have long reserved for themselves the role of russophobic states, ready for any outrageous actions, just to annoy both Russia and those who refuse to follow in the footsteps of the EU’s bureaucratic supervisors,” Zakharova said. “No one can destroy our strategic partnership with Belgrade, our centuries-old friendship with the Serbian people,” Zakharova said.
Before Vucic left for Moscow, demonstrating Serbian stubbornness, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, warned Serbian officials that participation in the Moscow military parade would not be taken lightly by the EU. “This would be seen as a violation of the bloc’s membership criteria,” she said.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos further stressed that participation in the Moscow parade was “completely contrary to European values,” as it contradicted the EU Council’s 2022 decision on Russia.
European Commission (EC) spokesman Markus Lammert echoed the sentiment. Lammert said that Serbia, as an EU candidate country, is expected to act as a reliable partner that shares the EU’s principles, values, security, and prosperity.
After all these remarks and reactions, president Vucic did his own thing, flew to Moscow after the failure of the visit to the US, announcing from Moscow that Serbia has not given up on the strategic and historical relationship with Russia. After the open provocation by the Serbian and Republika Srpska presidents, Milorad Dodik, what should the EU do? Can it impose sanctions on Serbia, or will it give up like in the past? At an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Warsaw, Poland, Serbia faced criticism for president Vucic’s visit to Moscow, but gained support for its european integration. This was stated by the head of the Serbian Foreign Ministry, Marko Đuric. Đuric emphasized that today it was confirmed that Serbia has a clear european future. “A very clear voice of support was expressed for Serbia on the path of european integration, reforms, economic progress, and all the positive things that Serbia is doing.”
Despite Vucic’s visit to Moscow, it seems that the EU will find it difficult to sanction Belgrade. There may be various reasons and factors that push the EU not to take any action regarding Serbia’s behavior towards Russia and Kosovo. If the EU does not take any serious action in the future against Serbia, then Vucic and others will think that the EU countries are not able to decide on anything.
A concrete initiative was taken by MEP Rico Terras, who wrote on the X network: “I have taken an initiative with my fellow MEPs, we will collect signatures to ask the president of the EU Council, Antonio Costa, to cancel his planned visit to Serbia on May 13”. Can the EU save its prestige? From the statements of european officials in Warsaw, it is noticeable that no measures against Serbia are expected. The lack of strong reactions from the EU and the US after the end of the serbian president’s visit to Moscow is an indication that the EU and the US will be tolerant towards Serbia.
Critics in Serbia say that the EU, after the presence of Vucic and Dodik in Moscow, should think about what is in its interest. Serbia, as is known, has continued military and economic cooperation with Russia in times of war and peace. The cooperation includes contracts for the purchase of Mi-17, the “Pantsir” air defense system, and more. The serbs count on Russia as a strong supporter in international institutions to undermine the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. The presence of russian media in Serbia, energy policy, and the politics of the two Orthodox Churches are seen as strong pillars between Serbia and Russia. Based on current economic and political trends, Serbia will continue to balance between Russia and the EU.
Vucic’s visit to Moscow is unlikely to force the EU to reconsider financial assistance and cut the package approved by the EU Growth Plan for the Balkans. Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012. The serbian government has announced that it is making efforts to adapt its laws to EU standards. Slow democratic progress, corruption, poor relations with Kosovo, and foreign policy alignment with Russia and China mean that Belgrade will remain outside the EU for some time. Some critics say that Serbia does not even want to join the EU. The international situation, according to critics, is in favor of serbian politics. Serbia has developed strong relations with Russia over the past two centuries. It is seen as in its national interest to maintain good relations with Russia.
Apart from chinese president Xi Jinping and brazilian president Luiz Lula da Silva, not all members of the BRICS member states participated in the Victory Day celebration in Moscow. Surprisingly, Dimitar Apasiyev, the leader of the “Left” from North Macedonia, was present on Red Square in Moscow. This can be considered a partial alignment with the Russian agenda. On May 9, Russia celebrates Victory Day over Nazi Germany and the end of World War II. Immediately after the capitulation of Germany in 1945 and the division of Berlin into four zones, the Cold War began. The echo of that time is being repeated even today, after 80 years in Europe, with the risk of new areas of interest emerging. Time will tell whether Vucic’s visit to Moscow was also to explore geopolitical and geoeconomic options. Or can all this be seen as a continuation of the policy of balance and a small provocation for the West?
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