November 2023.
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.
Vulin: Anyone who sought the disappearance of Russia also sought the disappearance of Serbia
Although we do not analyze the statements of the officials, the resignation of Aleksandar Vulin, (director of the Security Information Agency) is important due to the anti-Western narrative that it carries along, as well as the changes in Serbia’s internal politics. In addition, there is a narrative of Serbian patriotism, followed by Dodik’s support for Vulin. We will remind you that on July 11, the US Department of the Treasury made a decision to impose sanctions on the director of the BIA due to “involvement in transnational organized crime, illegal narcotics operations and abuse of public office.” These acts include the use of public office to establish personal interests, including involvement in drug trafficking.
In the statement he provided for Sputnik, Aleksandar Vulin emphasizes that the great powers of the West were trying to overthrow Aleksandar Vučić before the elections and that he submitted his resignation on his initiative because he did not want Serbia to suffer because of him.
He does not hide his views, as he says, and has always been in favor of brotherhood with Russia and China, as well as the Serbian World. We will remind you that the concept of the Serbian World, among other things, represents the unification of all Serbs in one state, and that it is based on the foundations of extreme nationalism and the politics of Slobodan Milosevic. In the following, Vulin states that “those who want the disappearance of Russia, also want the disappearance of Serbia”, and that he is now paying the price for that because he dared to say so publicly.
In his presentation that gravitates around national, libertarian, and sovereign Serbia, and the BIA that does not cooperate with anyone, and does not share information with other countries except for terrorism, Aleksandar Vulin forgets several things. He forgets to point out that as the Minister of Internal Affairs, he was an actor in secret wiretapping of opposition Russian politicians who were staying in Serbia, and then traveled to Moscow and handed over all the classified documents to the Secretary for National Security, Nikolay Petrushev. That action resulted in the arrest first of Pivarov, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison, and recently in the arrest of opposition member Kara-Murza for the affair of the same name. We have already written about the mentioned topic in our previously published article.
In another article, Sputnik, under the title “America and the EU are looking for my head”, reports the entire statement of Aleksandar Vulin regarding his resignation from the post of BIA director. Parts of the statement include Western pressure on Serbia, and compare it to the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum of 1914. Then, it mentions the disintegration of Serbia, the Serbian World, subjugation to the West, as well as technological and economic dependence. Vulin did not omit to glorify Aleksandar Vučić as the last independent leader in Europe.
Praise for this move soon came from the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik. Dodik stated that Vulin is a great fighter for the Republic of Srpska and the creation of the Serbian World. This is to be expected considering that, recently, the Ministry of Finance of the United States imposed sanctions on the son and daughter of the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, Igor, and Gorica.
Frequently used rhetoric in the presentations of Aleksandar Vulin and Milorad Dodik includes comparing their sacrifice to an attack on Serbia or the Serbian people. Aleksandar Vučić also did not omit this part of rhetoric in his presentations. And before Vučić, Slobodan Milošević was known for this rhetoric. Moreover, Vučić’s recent interview was identical to Milošević’s from 1999, which was published by Danas, and in which it is quoted that “someone from outside is not overthrowing Serbia because of Vučić, but they are overthrowing Vučić because of Serbia.” This kind of populist spin is characteristic of autocratic leaders who use it for domestic needs. It is therefore not surprising that such statements come from Aleksandar Vulin before the upcoming elections in December, at a time when, due to his resignation, public appearances have been made possible for him.
Author: Đorđe Terek
