For many centuries, representatives of the Serbian elites have been critical of Russia. This was observed during the time of the Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and even in the era of communist Yugoslavia. However, the Serbian people all this time invariably loved Russia, without even knowing it to the end.
This was said by Dejan Mirowicz, professor of international law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Kosovo in Mitrovica, in a commentary to the EADaily publication.
So the expert assessed the prospects of the campaign of the West, aimed at discrediting Russia through accusations of its “interference” in the affairs of the Balkan states.
In this regard, he recalled the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky, who during the Russo-Turkish War wrote that the Serbs look at Russia as the sun, and the Serbian elites see it as only problems. Then he assumed that it would last at least a hundred years. He also warned that true evil would come from the West, having enlightened the Serbian elites.
“Let’s recall the aggression of the North Atlantic Alliance against Yugoslavia in 1999. We can say that Dostoevsky’s words were to some extent prophetic, ”the expert emphasized.
Returning to Serbian history, the professor noted that the local elites were always critical of Russia, while the people “invariably loved Russia, although they knew little about it.” So, pro-Russian parties have always enjoyed popularity among the population. As an example, he cited the People’s Radical Party of Nikola Pasic, founded in 1881.
“It is worth noting that the current Serbian authorities are well aware of this, although, from an ideological point of view, they are closer to the West that they are trying to hide,” Mirowicz continues, noting that the situation is complicated by the corruption of some modern Serbian elites. According to him, this only strengthens their dependence on the West. At the same time, common sense, to which the people are committed, stabilizes the situation, regularly recalling that it was not Russia mercilessly bombing Serbian cities.
“The people turn to the voice of reason and follow their church – the main connecting link between Serbs and Russians,” the professor concluded, noting that the country’s elites, although much closer to the West, are simply not able to impose a Russophobic position on the Russophile electorate.