Thewesternbalkans.
According to an information from the European Commission, The institution categorically rejected the accusations of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service that the European Union and its member states are behind the student protests in Serbia aimed at overthrowing President Aleksandar Vučić.
From Brussels, they described these claims as “false” and qualified them as “yet another disinformation campaign.” “The accusations that the EU or member states are fuelling the protests are simply untrue. This is yet another attempt by Russia to spread disinformation and hostile political rhetoric against the EU, its member states, and candidate countries,” said European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier. He emphasized that this narrative is further reinforced by a number of Serbian media, which raises concerns in Brussels.
The European Commission noted that such insinuations fit into the broader picture outlined in the 2024 Enlargement Package, which states that ‘manipulations and mixing of foreign information, including anti-European narratives propagated by multiple media, as well as the dissemination of disinformation, remain a worrying issue that needs to be urgently addressed.’ The statement adds that the Serbian government must take greater responsibility for curbing disinformation and has so far not provided sufficiently active and objective communication regarding the EU and the country’s accession process. The European Commission reminded that Serbia is a candidate country for EU membership.
Comments: Russia scares Serbia with ‘Ukrainian scenario’ on Monday, September 15. The SVR released a position stating that, according to received information, the riots in Serbia, which actively involve young people, are a byproduct of ‘subversive activities’ by the EU and its member states. The Russian report further claims that with the support of the media, the European Union is preparing a „Serbian Maidan“. This reaction was absolutely necessary because European Union neither has the capabilities (respectively, special services), nor does it have the personnel in Brussels to organise an event like „Maidan”, similar to that in Kyiv. Here, the SVR has somewhat overstepped and underestimated the intellectual capabilities of both the people in Serbia and the rest of the people reading the news. The level of the reaction is also very appropriate.
