Selim Ibraimi- In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije called for a new geopolitical reorganization. He proposed that Serbia would become part of the “Russian world”. “Kosovo, Republika Srpska, and Montenegro should be integrated into the ‘Serbian world’ or Serbia”. “Our position on Kosovo, Republika Srpska, and Montenegro also depends on Russia’s position on the global level. If there is to be a new geopolitical definition, my wish and that of the majority in our church is that in the future we will stay close to that Russian environment, in the ‘Russian world’ in the Orthodox world”, said Serbian Patriarch Porfirije during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
At a time of changes in US policies towards Ukraine, Russia, and Serbia, it was certainly expected. The gear of Russian-Serbian propaganda would also change. It may seem insignificant. However, in real terms of Russian and Serbian politics, the current situation has been open to the world community. With the help of the Serbian Orthodox Church, it finally makes its intentions known. From now on, the churches in Serbia and Russia openly share their plans. They aim to build a great alliance that will protect the interests of the Orthodox community.
The growth of Russian-Serbian nationalism is undeniable. It is linked to their common religious identity and historical approach. There are also geopolitical plans to unite them. This was mentioned above in a unique project. The project has several political, economic, military, and cultural functions. Serbian church representatives take concrete steps. For instance, the rapprochement of Patriarch Porfirije with the “Russian world” demonstrates these trends. Serbs and Russians use nationalism and religion to oppose Western influence and more.
The open action of the Serbian Church aids state policies. It helps keep Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Kosovo Serbs, and generally Montenegro and North Macedonia under control. The views and statements of Serbian Orthodox officials in Moscow have been closely followed. This is especially true for the non-Orthodox population in the Balkans. Kosovo has expressed concerns about the stance of Patriarch Porfirije.
“The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfirije, appeared in Moscow just a few days after visiting Kosovo. He stood alongside Russian President Putin. He made statements that violate Kosovo’s sovereignty. These statements incite division throughout the region. These positions are not new. The Serbian Orthodox Church has historically supported nationalist ideologies. These ideologies fueled the wars in the former Yugoslav space in the 1990s. Unfortunately, that legacy continues today, through statements that offend neighbors, deny reality, and attempt to destabilize the Balkans. I strongly condemn Porfirije’s divisive and nationalist comments made during the meeting with Putin. Such rhetoric is unacceptable; it threatens the stability of our region and has no place in modern Europe. Kosovo stands for dialogue, peace, and a future built on truth and justice. The EU must speak out,” – stated Donika Gërvalla, acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo.
Albin Kurti, who is the acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, wrote in X. He stated that Porfirijes’s visit has nothing to do with religious diplomacy. “The Serbian Orthodox Church has long played an active political role, especially ahead of Aleksandar Vučić’s upcoming visit to Moscow. “This is not religious diplomacy. It is a strategic partnership of authoritarian regimes. This approach puts the region at serious risk.” “However, Kosovo stands firm in its democratic principles. It holds strong aspirations. Kosovo unequivocally rejects the revisionist agendas promoted by authoritarian powers.” The EU has not responded clearly. It has not expressed criticism towards Serbia and the Orthodox Church, despite the reactions of local Serbian and Montenegrin media. Religious politics between Balkan states and Russia are intense. This intensity is seen as a way to interfere in domestic and foreign policy. It contributes to growing pessimism towards the EU.
In this context, the Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Timco Mucinski, said in Skopje that we have a clear position. He is convinced this corresponds to the position of every Macedonian citizen. We must finally put an end to this process of bilateralization and injustice. If the constitutional changes happen tomorrow, in six months we will be in the same situation again. And dialogue will be needed again, talks will be needed again, but the process of talks will be blocked again.
“Our commitment to European integration must stop being measured by the capacity of concessions made by each government. These concessions relate to national issues in this country. If someone wants to measure our commitment to European integration, then he does not understand what European integration is.” Russia is spreading pessimism and division. It has continued to relentlessly promote its well-known concept of “Russkiy Mir” (Russian World). This concept serves as a geopolitical ideology. It is political, cultural, and also religious. It aims at the ethnic, religious, and linguistic unification of Russians. This includes Russians wherever they live in the former USSR space. It also includes Russians in a wider area. This area includes the Orthodox brothers in the Balkans. With this policy, Russia has openly justified interventions in Ukraine and the former Soviet republics in the Caucasus. Of course, interventions have also occurred in the Balkans. This policy has been supported by the Russian Orthodox Church. Additionally, the Serbian Orthodox Church has been distinguished in these three decades for its intolerant spirit. It acts against other religious and ethnic communities in the Balkans. The Serbian Orthodox Church is acting alongside the Russian Orthodox Church. This is led by the well-known Patriarch Kirill. Unfortunately, they are playing with fire in the Balkans.
By increasing interreligious and ethnic tensions, the Serbian Orthodox Church aims to strengthen anti-Western sentiments and increase internal hatred. With the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, the Serbian-Russian geopolitical cooperation provides Serbia with a strong connection to the “Russian world”. The desire for religious revival is understandable. It reflects the rhetoric of religious and state leaders in both Serbia and Russia.
And here is precisely the Serbian demand for Russian support. They seek this support for Serbian interests in the Balkans, particularly in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Isolated incidents risk erupting in the northern part of Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Exploiting internal ethnic and religious polarization in these areas serves as a test field for Serbian-Russian policies. Russia and Serbia have long made efforts to strengthen anti-Western sentiments. They aim for geopolitical and cultural expansion. These efforts are directed against Western states and Balkan states to gain control and advantage.
The Serbian Orthodox Church and Russia have kept public opinion and propaganda on high alert. Anti-Western sentiments in both Serbia and Russia have been natural in recent years. Preventing them has been extremely difficult. In Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine, nationalist-religious propaganda continues to fuel debate. This debate is between the “Serbian world” and the “Russian world”. The Serbian Orthodox Church and other actors now promote this more openly. The statements of the Serbian priest Porfirije in Moscow have immense consequences. Other Serbian officials also jeopardize the reforms in the Balkans. These actions impact other EU initiatives undertaken there. If the Orthodox Church is used for Serbian foreign policy, it will promote a common “Serbian world” and “Russian world”. This will spark debates in the Balkan region now and in the future.
The latest visit indicates the church’s increasing desire to participate in international relations and to inflame nationalist sentiments. The current role of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Bosnian Serb Milorad Dodik as state actors is significant. Therefore, the church’s role should be viewed as having long-term implications in the Balkans.
Russo-Serbian relations have a long history. They date back to the 19th century. This was during Serbia’s efforts to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire. Tsarist Russia assisted in these efforts. The first diplomatic relations were established in 1816. In 1838, Prince Milos Obrenovic of Serbia officially received the Russian consul Gerasim Veshchenko for the first time. Good diplomatic, military, and religious ties between Serbs and Russians persisted after the Russian Civil War (1917–22). Members of the White Army, including clergy, settled in Serbia. Serbia at that time offered Russian priests canonical shelter and other assistance. The cooperation between the two churches continued even before World War II. It persisted during the Cold War. Then, it intensified greatly in the Kosovo issue to weaken the West. This cooperation continues today with efforts for a common geopolitical, economic, religious, and cultural world.
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