July 2024.
As part of the program Regional Initiative for combating disinformation “Western Balkans Combatting disinformation Center: Exposing malicious influences through fact-checking and Analytical Journalism“, we present you a new analysis of fake news and disinformation narratives.
Vučić: We are exposed to the most direct threats, we will not fall for provocations
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, in his address to the nation from the Palace “Serbia,” emphasized that Serbia is facing the most direct threats ever, which manifested during the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide against Bosniaks. He also touched upon the Declaration recently adopted at the All-Serb Assembly and the controversial issue of lithium mining in the Republic of Serbia.
President Vučić also referred to the alleged statement by the High Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, “that the Declaration includes the unlawful reinterpretation of the Dayton Agreement, which includes the right to the secession of parts of BiH where Serbs predominantly live!” Vučić stated that these are blatant lies they resort to because they don’t know what’s wrong with the mentioned Declaration. Given that the Declaration itself mentions the illegitimacy of the High Representative’s elections and encourages increasing polarization within Bosnia and Herzegovina, Schmidt’s reaction could be considered expected.
When asked to comment on Schmidt’s statement “that the Srebrenica resolution was deliberately misunderstood in BiH,” President Vučić questioned whether the resolution on Jasenovac was correctly understood. Employing a common technique of changing the subject, Vučić later spoke about crimes committed by Bosnian Muslims against Serbs in Srebrenica and wondered why no one is held accountable for that. “Great powers cannot change history and accuse only one nation for everything that happened in the former Yugoslavia. Why are they bothered by Serbia? Simply because it wants respect for the Dayton Agreement, nothing more and nothing less. And that’s why they have a problem with me too…” With this, the president once again reaffirmed established narratives, portraying himself as a protector of the Serbian people whom Western opponents seek to undermine.
The President stated that he does not want to fall for provocations coming from BiH. “I hope they won’t dare to abolish Republika Srpska and kill the Serbian people,” Vučić said. He also criticized the West for historical revisionism aimed at morally mutilating Serbia. Western media portrays Serbia as a Russian proxy, accusing it of seeking war, lacking democracy, and being under dictatorship, in an overall anti-Western approach of Serbia. It’s important to note that this is the media image of Serbia presented to citizens by regime-controlled media. Considering the frequent pro-Russian narratives, the fostering of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as ongoing political tensions between Serbia and BiH, this leads to a very clear anti-Western approach by Serbia. The question arises as to why the President expects the West to report on Serbia any differently than how it is already presented in domestic media.
Recently, the topic of Rio Tinto and the Jadar project has returned to the agenda, with the President stating his interest in the environmental protection measures to be taken on this issue. Although both the President and the citizens of Serbia are concerned about the measures, Vučić mentioned he would delve deeper into this next week as he “hasn’t had time to fully understand everything.” It’s worth recalling that in 2021, massive protests in Serbia were organized against Rio Tinto’s lithium mining. It seems the Serbian government is on the verge of reviving the Jadar project, despite its direct environmental and health implications for Serbian citizens.
When it comes to the economy, President Vučić boasts that Serbia’s economy is better today than in 2012, adding that the West’s plan is aimed at weakening the country economically. “This is encouraged by slowing down Serbia’s European integration, coming from both EU and non-EU entities, keeping us stuck in the mud. Secondly, there’s the issue of jadarite. All of this requires a political and media campaign, coming from Western, regional, and Serbian media,” emphasized the President of Serbia. He added that there’s a clever effort against jadarite to slow down Serbia’s economic growth. Interestingly, the President persistently talks about Western and opposition campaign against Rio Tinto, a company majority-owned by Western capital, immediately after stating uncertainty about whether the implementation of this project is safe and in line with environmental preservation.
During his remarks on the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, the President commented, “Instead of being an opportunity for words of reconciliation and respect for the victims, Serbia, its citizens, the Serbian people as a whole, and Republika Srpska were subjected not only to insults and lies but also to the most direct threats.” It’s unclear what the President expects from such an event, but it’s a fact that such tragedies must mention the crimes committed. However, this does not constitute insults and threats to the Serbian people, making it highly problematic for regime media to encourage such narratives.
Given that the Serbian President endorsed the idea of a new discourse on reconciliation in his address, we hope that there will be more discussion in the future about dialogue and normalization of relations with BiH, and less about the idea of a Serbian world and the established pattern that everyone is against Serbs and Serbia.
Author: Nataša Stanojević
