Serbia future lies with Russia, not with West, hardline parliament speaker says

[Lucas Corso]

Serbia future lies with Russia, not with West, hardline parliament speaker says

MISHA SAVIC Associated Press Writer

Tuesday May 8th, 2007

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Serbia should quit striving for closer ties with the West and turn to Russia, the newly elected, right-wing parliament speaker said Tuesday, while feuding pro-democracy parties remained unable to forge a coalition government. Tomislav Nikolic, a leader of the ultranationalist Serb Radical Party and an admirer of late President Slobodan Milosevic, chaired the assembly after clinching the key post of Speaker during a tense overnight session that fully exposed deep divisions among Serbia's pro-democracy groups.
"Russia will find a way to bring together nations that will stand up against the hegemony of America and of the European Union," Nikolic told the 250-seat parliament. "I hope that a majority in Serbia will strive for membership in such an organization, not in the European Union."
His remarks reflected a rising anti-Western sentiment here, fueled by Brussels' decision last year to suspend pre-entry talks with Serbia over its failure to capture a war crimes suspect. Tensions with the West have been exacerbated by the possibility of Kosovo, a breakaway province in Serbia's south, gaining independence under a U.N. plan.
Serbia has won Russia's support in trying to prevent Kosovo's secession.
Liberal and moderate lawmakers expressed dismay over Nikolic's vision for their troubled country, but were still unable to agree on a coalition government that would keep at bay the increasingly popular Radicals.
The Jan. 21 elections produced a fragmented parliament but with a chance that pro-Western Democrats, led by President Boris Tadic, and the moderately nationalist Democratic Party of Serbia led by outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, can join forces and form a new Cabinet.
May 14 is the deadline to form a government or hold new elections, in which the Radicals, already the largest parliamentary group with 81 seats, could gain even more.
Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador Aleksander Alexeyev said he met with Nikolic to congratulate him on becoming the new speaker, and to convey a message that Russia is "always ready to cooperate with Serbia and strengthen ties on all levels."
Serbia's official goal of becoming an EU and NATO member remains blocked due to Belgrade's failure to extradite Gen. Ratko Mladic, a wartime commander sought by a U.N. tribunal for atrocities during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia.
Brussels has expressed concern over Nikolic becoming the parliament speaker, but held out hope that pro-European groups might prevail in forming a government.
EU's Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, said the bloc "remains fully committed to European perspective of Serbia," but was "troubled by the inability of the reform-oriented and pro-European parties ... to form a government."
Capturing Mladic depends on who controls security services in Serbia.
The Radicals and other nationalists regard the elusive commander as a war hero and openly refuse to even try to locate him, let alone hand him over to the U.N. tribunal in the Netherlands, where the Radicals' founder and still the nominal chief, Vojislav Seselj, awaits trial for his alleged role in the 1990s Balkans wars.
Also Tuesday, the Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights organization, said that "given the current political circumstances" it would not hold planned May 12 celebrations of Europe Flag Day in Belgrade. It did not elaborate.
Serbia is to take over the Council's rotating chairmanship on Friday.
"We are not going to interfere in a domestic political situation, but the Council of Europe Secretary General is concerned that the person elected as speaker of the parliament comes from a party run by an indicted war criminal and whose values are not in line with Council of Europe's values," spokesman Matjaz Gruden said.



Source: Serbia future lies with Russia, not with West, hardline parliament speaker says - Northwest Florida Daily News

[Crvena zvezda]

I find it ironic that it came from him. Around a year ago he said that he would support unconditionally Serbia joining the EU should Kosovo remain part of Serbia. Any comment made by the radical party should not be takenj seriously. They change their view the same way Michael Jackson's nose change when the wind blows.

Given that the EU/U.S. seem to support Kosovos dismemberment from Serbia. I believe the radicals will want to push Serbia to have closer ties with Russia, emerging powers and anti-American forces. They have stated that Serbia should not look to the west som much but to look to India, China and Russia. They also seem to want for Serbia to join the SCO (Shanghai Co-operation organization), the Non-alligned Movement, to have good relations with the developing world and to have good relations with all anti-American countries or countries critical of America (Mikolic has met Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro, they've also made good comments about Iran, Syria and others).

If they're serious about a policy like this, I support it. However, I don't think it is realistic for Serbia to follow such a policy considering were not close to Russia, Russia could easily abondon us for it;s interest and were surrounded on all sides by the EU and NATO and are now a landlocked country. The fact that we are landlocked means that realistically if were against NATO and the EU we can't become a Russian lackey and isntead we should adopt a policy of neutrality. Although I do believe we should join the non-alligned movement, the rest that the radicals want is unlikely (until were in a joint state with Montenegro again -- but this unrealistic any time soon).

[Crvena zvezda]

This was the U.S.'s response. They labelled this statement as being hate-speech.

U.S. criticizes "hate speech'" in Serbia 9 May 2007
WASHINGTON -- U.S. State Department expressed regret Tuesday that hate speech seems to have returned to Serbian politics.

Commenting on whether the election of Tomislav Nikolić as Parliament Speaker will “complicate diplomacy”, U.S. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said that “what was complicating some of the diplomacy was rhetoric used in the parliamentary debate.”

“According to the reports I have, the rhetoric is reminiscent of hate speech in Serbia common during Slobodan Milošević’s era when people were separated into traitors and patriots,” he said.

"Nobody at all wants to see individuals try to whip up nationalism in destructive ways," McCormack stressed adding, "That does not help Serbia move forward and help to build a more stable Balkan region.”

He added that the U.S. hoped that “in the wake of this particular parliamentary debate, emotions will cool, the rhetoric will be toned down, and that parliamentarians and Serbian leaders focus on how to better integrate Serbia into the rest of the world and into Europe as well as to help build a more stable Balkan region.”

Serwer: Serbia's democracy receives slap in the face

Daniel Serwer, director of the Balkans Initiative at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, said that "the election of Tomislav Nikolić, whose unreformed Radical Party participated in ethnic cleansing in the Balkan wars of the 1990s and whose president is on trial in The Hague, represented a slap in the face to all those - Serbs and non-Serbs - who have supported democracy in Serbia.

“This development is the direct result of the U.S. and EU failure to insist on transfer to The Hague of Ratko Mladić before Serbia's entry into Partnership for Peace,” he argued.

Speaking of the ongoing status settlement of Kosovo, Serwer said the situation in the Parliament was also “a clear illustration of why Kosovo cannot be restored to Serbian sovereignty, as it was time for the UN Security Council to act on Kosovo's status clearly and definitively.”

This is pure spin and pish. What hate speech? Where is the references and supporting evidence for these claims of hate speech?

Took part in ethnic cleansing? What? Was there some sort of Parliamentary field trip or junket to a Bosnian/Croatian/Albanian village where the MPs did a little ethnic cleansing before a light lunch and a photo call?!!

Fantastical and unsubstantiated claims. What this shows is a return to 90's anti-serb propaganda.

I wonder if they mean the Hate speech from the ethnic-Albanians who the FBI arrested;

"My intent is to hit a heavy concentration of American soldiers, light up four or five Humvees full of soldiers,"

?????