The prestigious British “The Guardian” in an editorial about Serbia and the recent elections, has described this country as caught and problematic for the Balkans and the European Union.
“The violation of democratic norms and the rule of law in Serbia has gradually accelerated since the SNS took power over a decade ago – a process of state capture overseen by the president since 2017. An autocratic nationalist whose political instincts were forged in the Milosevic era, Vucic also uses power and influence to foment discord in the western Balkans, where ethnic Serb separatist campaigns are backed by Belgrade. But the ambition to draw Serbia into the orbit of the EU and away from Russian influence has softened Western criticism to a level of compromise, especially since the time of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia”, says the article of “The Guardian”.
Threats to restart wars in the region are expected to be conveyed with harsher language from Brussels and Washington. In November, Vuçiqi predicted that 2024 would bring “much more conflict and turmoil” in Kosovo and Republika Srpska – the ethnic Serbs in Bosnia. There, the Serbian leader Milorad Dodik has already threatened the destruction of the Dayton Agreement, in the name of “Serbian unification”, while in Kosovo there have been constant tensions in recent months.
According to “The Guardian”, the hopes that the future towards the EU can convince Serbia to adhere to democratic norms and to refrain from undermining neighboring states, have turned out to be unfounded. But the strategic goal of isolating Russia – also unfulfilled – means the West continues to give Vucic plenty of room to pursue his authoritarian and nationalist agenda, the editorial said.
