A Mythical Ally
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No.76 APR 2011 PG 1 OF 5 A BI R IGHTS IN SE IGHTS R Helsinki N A HELSINKI COMMITTEE bulletin HUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN SERBIA R address: Rige od Fere 20, Belgrade, Serbia tel. +381-11-3032-408; fax. 2639-437; bulletin e-mail: office@helsinki org.rs NO.76 // APRIL 2011 http://www.helsinki.org.rs HELSINKI COMMITTEE FO HELSINKI COMMITTEE Helsinki RUSSIA: A MYTHICAL ALLY Russian Premier Vladimir Putin’s brief visit to claimed, and meant to neutralize Moscow’s Belgrade (March 23, 2011) brutally exposed the month-long grudge, bordered on kitsch and irrationality and disorientation of Serbia’s for- bad taste. Occasionally everything was even eign policy. Though the visit itself was unof- self-humiliating – as in the case of football fans ficial, the manifestations of “worship” for Pu- at the Red Star stadium, hurrahing the Russian tin – in public and in the media – came as a Premier while throwing insults at their own surprise even to Russian reporters is his suite. President by the end of the visit and in the face Servility and humbleness showered on the of Serbian Premier Mirko Cvetkovic. practically “self-invited” guest, as some sources OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE WRITTEN OR ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE BALKAN TRUST FOR DEMOCRACY, THE GERMAN MARSHALL FUND, OR ITS PARTNERS. TRUST REPRESENT THOSE OF THE BALKAN IN THE WRITTENOPINIONS EXPRESSED DO NOT NECESSARILY OR ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS No.76 In Serbia, the Russian Premier is the most now in Moscow, during President Boris Tadic’s APR 2011 popular foreign statesman. For more than five visit. Of all the promises Putin made the most PG 2 OF 5 years the image built for him has been the one important is the one about the realization A BI R of the staunchest defender of “Serb national of the South Stream pipeline. In the attempt interests” at the international arena and, no- to neutralize the ongoing dispute with Tur- IGHTS IN SE IGHTS R N A tably, when it comes to Kosovo. His popular- key over the pipeline across its territory Putin bulletin HUM R ity in Serbia rests on the premises about him promised the startup of the construction for having “raised Russia to its feet” and restored 2013 and finalization for 2015. its international repute, and his “iron-willed” HELSINKI COMMITTEE FO HELSINKI COMMITTEE Helsinki governance. Serbia’s influential, conservative Most political analysts in Serbia saw Putin’s elite skillfully manipulates traditionally popu- brief visit as putting an end to somewhat chilly lar feelings for “the big brother in the East” bilateral relations after UN Resolution on Ko- to strengthen the myth about Serbia’s natural sovo in the autumn of 2010. Namely, without place in the “east” rather than in the European Moscow’s knowledge President Tadic changed Union. Historian Latinka Perovic says, “We are his mind about “Kosovo resolution” at the elev- unaware of Russia, historically and actually.” enth hour and accepted the European Union’s The delusion about a special relationship with draft. For such a move he received the cold Russia derives from the fact that Serbia has shoulder from Moscow that had always “sided “turned its back to the time” and “role-plays with” Serbia in the case of Kosovo. Referring to Cold War,” says Ms. Perovic, adding, “Serbia the startup of Belgrade-Prishtina dialogue, Pu- does not understand that Russia is a big coun- tin said “the Serbian people have the sovereign try, which hardly changes its strategic interests right to decide on its affairs.” “Any negotiations (surely not focused on Serbia) with the change are better than conflicts. If anyone asks us to of regime.1 On the occasion of Putin’s visit to we shall give our support to the process,” he Belgrade the media in Britain publicized some added.3 The Serbian government’s decision not diplomatic messages from US Embassy in Bel- to send an envoy to the American-Balkan West- grade (from the Wikileaks sources): one of ern Balkans Economic Summit in Baltimore them (from 2009) quotes, “Serbia’s persistent (coinciding with Putin’s visit) was interpreted as belief that its role is the one of a bridge be- “making it up to” Moscow. tween Russia and EU is being ridiculed in Euro- pean circles.”2 Referring to Serbia’s movement towards EU, Putin said that Russia would “carefully ob- However, the actual effect of the Russian Pre- serve” the process.4 However, his visit did not mier’s brief stay in Belgrade is pretty limited. crystallize Russia’s attitude towards Serbia’s The two countries signed three agreements Euro-Atlantic integration. In other words, it only – on cooperation in the domains of tour- remained unclear whether this Serbia-Russia ism, science and technology and international high-level dialogue contributed to or blocked road traffic. In addition, the city of Belgrade Serbia’s anyway slow movement in that direc- signed an agreement with the Russian “Inter- tion. On the eve of Putin’s visit some Western ao” Company. The agreement on strategic part- diplomats in Belgrade predicted that the visit nership, announced way back and over and itself would “boil down to a media spectacle as over again, will only be signed months from the authorities will be genuinely trying to pre- sent it to the domestic public as a bigger event 1 Keynote address at the launch of the Helsinki Charter magazine in Sabac, March 28, 2011. 3 Politika, March 24, 2011. 2 Danas. March 21, 2011. 4 TV B92, March 23, 2011. No.76 than it actually was, while endeavoring to pre- claimed himself, was a veteran from the Vuko- APR 2011 sent it to their international partners as a side var battlefield. PG 3 OF 5 story.”5 A BI R A Belgrade commentator observed that hav- ing returned to Moscow members of the Rus- IGHTS IN SE IGHTS R N A THE RIGHT-WING AND sian delegation must have asked themselves bulletin HUM R PUTIN’S VISIT “should Russia be happy for being loved so much by scum.”7 However, other, more influ- The collective euphoria marking Putin’s half ential commentators differently interpreted HELSINKI COMMITTEE FO HELSINKI COMMITTEE Helsinki day stay was unprecedented in Belgrade’s wel- the visit. For them, it only confirmed the thesis come to any foreign statesman, including the that Serbia, exposed to constant pressure and Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, two years assigned “ever harder and less and less popular ago. The right-wing “Nasi /Ours/ 1389” organi- tasks” from the West, should have an alterna- zation outdid itself by covering downtown tive to the European Union. The editor-in-chief streets and squares with posters with Putin’s of the New Serbian Political Thought magazine, portrait and a phrase “Serb IN.” His entourage, Djordje Vukadinovic, says, “Though almost his planes, his special vehicle capable of sus- completely pro-Western and Euro-philous, the taining a smaller atomic bomb (and in which incumbent regime is being exposed to terrible he generously gave a ride to Premier Mirko pressure whenever it tries to or at least slightly Cvetkovic, who met him at the airport) – in indicates that it might turn aside from ‘Euro- brief, “an unfaltering mythomania in action”6 – pean’ course as it happened, say, last Septem- only fanned the flames of Putinism. “Delirium” ber in the UN General Assembly. New pressures (a term used by a sports reporter for the Poli- will probably follow Putin’s visit.”8 tika daily) culminated at the Marakana stadium when Putin shortly turned up at the match be- tween the domestic Red Star and Zenith from ECONOMIC COOPERATION St. Petersburg (allegedly, his favorite team). Neither Putin nor Mirko Cvetkovic seemed Though Serbia and Russia have signed a free bothered by football fans’ Tchetnik insignia trade agreement, the trade between the two and cries. The fans were cheering Putin as “a countries is rather modest (smaller than the Serb” and “a Tchetnik.” “We love you, we love trade with other economic partners from the you, Putin!” they cried, sang Russian songs and “four foreign policy pillars” circle, including spread huge posters saying “Help us God, help EU, Russia, US and China). Serbia’s trade defi- us Putin,” “Serbia, Russia,” “Kosovo is Serbia’s cit with Russia exceeds 1.6 billion dollars. This heart” and “Big brother, kiss our mother and piece of information sounds the more so dra- tell her she can be proud of us, that we are matic since 21 years ago, in 1990, Serbia’s trade fighting and that we love her.” Serbian officials with Russia registered a modest 100-odd-mil- accompanying him were met with “Down with lion dollars surplus despite huge imports of oil the government,” “We want changes,” “Resign, and gas from Russia at the time. Boris,” etc. Putin also met with bikers from Nis called “Night Wolves.” Their leader, as he Two years ago, when Russian President Med- vedev was in visit, there was much talk about 5 NIN, March 17, 2011. 7 Radivoj Cvetićanin, Danas, March 26-27, 2011. 6 Danas, March 22, 2011. 8 Đorđe Vukadinović, Politika, March 29, 2011. No.76 one-billion-Euro/dollar credit from Russia. mention to the issues of security and NATO in APR 2011 However, some 800 million dollars were left their public addresses. The question was actual- PG 4 OF 5 unspent from the “package” because Serbia ly raised by Serbian MPs. The answer to it was A BI R failed to develop adequate projects for invest- that at some point Russian missiles could be ment.