FLASH
Shkruar nga Lena Stevanoviç
This is precisely where his political beginnings lie, and it is more than logical that now, when after more than a decade his survival in power is not guaranteed, he uses the old tricks that have proven to work.
Historically, relations between Belgrade and Zagreb are not at an enviable level, and in the last year they have emerged from their traditional framework of harsh rhetoric in the era of painful anniversaries.
Authoritarian regimes, as a rule, seek an enemy against which they fight to preserve national interests and the interests of citizens, therefore they position themselves as the sole defenders and guarantors of security and stability.
We can also interpret this case this way. At the beginning of the demonstrations due to the collapse of the tent in Novi Sad, when the student movement was also formed, the Serbian authorities accused Croatia and its security services of directly coordinating the protests. Let us recall the famous “blockade cookbook”. Since then, incidents have continued.
From holding Severina at the border to equating the student movement with the Ustasa in pro-regime media, the hardening of rhetoric could be seen even then. Relations were not helped by the fact that the European Parliament rapporteur, Tonino Picula, took a clear stance in Brussels that the students were keeping Serbia on a pro-European path with their demands, offering them support in the fight against the current regime.
And so, from Severina, through Thompson, the students, the “traveling traffic lights,” an exhibition about Jasenovac in the hall of the Serbian National Assembly, to weapons, the strained neighborly relations are used to score political points in domestic politics, at the cost of regional stability. This is especially problematic in the context of current geopolitical events and the escalation of conflicts in the Middle East.
This kind of rhetoric is certainly not unknown to Vučić. This is where his political beginnings lie, and it is only logical that now, when after more than a decade his survival in power is not guaranteed, he is resorting to the old tricks that have proven to work.
Proof that behind these statements lie empty words and political propaganda is confirmed by the fact that, after the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorized Croatia as a destination that Serbian citizens should visit only out of necessity, Air Serbia, ahead of the summer tourist season, is introducing new flights to Brac.
We can pretend to be surprised, but worsening neighborly relations when “vomiting” is Vučić’s modus operandi. In the midst of the campaign for local elections, the “strongman” rhetoric is very much in favor of the holder of all the lists of the ruling coalition. Digging into the wounds of the past and evoking the emotions of a nation that has not yet recovered from the wars of the 1990s, Vučić addresses Croatia as a sure, now known enemy of the Serbian people.
Regarding military security, Zagreb has also undertaken moves that could be considered a kind of provocation, such as the Zagreb-Pristina-Tirana military alliance, which gave the Serbian authorities ammunition for further escalation of tensions and a reason for further armament under the pretext of preserving national security, which is allegedly threatened by external factors. Here we come to the hypersonic weapons that Serbia is suspected of possessing.
Essentially, the already not-so-good relations between the neighbors were left at the mercy of state leaders and unpredictable geopolitical situations. This kind of rhetoric, which contributes to the tense atmosphere, is above all irresponsible in the context of current events, at a time when good neighborly relations are something we should strive for.
The inflammatory rhetoric and senseless clashes today could have much more important consequences for both sides, which they seem to lose sight of and show that short-term political gain takes precedence over long-term regional stability./ Adapted from "Pamphlet", by "Danas"
Lini një Përgjigje