This Tuesday evening, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic posted a surprising message to say the least on his Instagram account, discussing news that would call into question the “vital interests” of his country.
“Difficult days await Serbia.
At this moment, it is not easy to say what kind of news we received in the last 48 hours... They directly threaten our national interests, both those of Serbia and Srpska [Serb Republic of Bosnia, Editor’s note].
In the coming days, I will present to the Serbian people all the challenges that await them.
It will be difficult, the most difficult so far.
We will fight.
Serbia will win
,” he warned.
If the
“challenge”
in question has not been defined by the Serbian president and remains completely unknown until now, these statements have sparked speculation and concern in the comments of the publication.
Many Internet users have wondered about the reason for this worrying message.
“Dear President, do not instill fear in us.
If you already want to let us know, please do so as soon as possible.
We, as a nation, are worried and have been waiting for some time now!”,
alarmed one Internet user
.
These statements come in a context where tensions in the Balkans between Serbs and Kosovars have never really disappeared and even seem ready to resurface.
Fearing being destabilized by Belgrade, Kosovo has constantly sought to strengthen its international cooperation since its declaration of independence in 2008. But another issue, explicitly mentioned by Aleksandar Vucic, this time concerns neighboring Bosnia, where a largely autonomous region - the Serbian Republic of Bosnia or
Republika Srpska
- still threatens, behind its leader Milorad Dodik, to declare its independence or even to request its attachment to Belgrade.
Unstable relations with the EU
A member of the Council of Europe since 2003, Serbia announced last week through its president that it could leave the organization.
As Kosovo moves closer to joining the Council of Europe, Aleksandar Vucic threatens to leave the organization if the agreement materializes.
Belgrade, which does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, is lobbying intensively so that the country of former Yugoslavia remains away from international organizations.
A situation which would however not be favorable to the continuation of the process of accession to the European Union of Serbia, officially a candidate since October 12, 2011.
Also read: Kosovo, Serbia and Russia’s maneuvers
Kosovo, for its part, submitted its application to the EU on December 15, 2022, but does not yet have official “candidate” status, with the process being particularly long.
Today, 22 of 27 European countries officially recognize Kosovo's independence.
On the Bosnian issue, Brussels also continues to denounce the bellicose Serbian secessionist movement.
A tension with the EU which is accentuated by the claimed friendship between Vladimir Putin and Aleksandar Vucic, who has always refused to associate himself with Western sanctions against Moscow.
“I believe that your actions as head of state will continue to promote a strengthening of the strategic partnership that exists between our countries.
Unquestionably, it is in the interest of the brotherly peoples of Russia and Serbia
,” declared Vladimir Putin during the re-election of his Serbian counterpart in 2022.