Russia has significantly increased its negative influence in the Balkans and aims to destabilize the region, warns European activist of Bosnian origin, Igor Blazevic. In an interview for KosovaPress, he emphasizes that for the first time in recent history, the Russian presence in the Balkans is serious and poses a direct threat to regional security.
According to him, Kremlin’s influence has not traditionally been this strong in this part of Europe, but recent years have brought a noticeable change. Blazevic describes Russia’s aggression against Ukraine as a genocidal act and part of a long-term strategy to destroy the European order. He also warns of new authoritarian alliances and risks threatening peace and democracy across the continent.
“Russia now has considerable influence. Historically, Russia did not have influence in the Western Balkans. Since Tito’s time, this region has somehow protected and freed itself from Russian influence. Now, in recent years, Russia and its negative influence have returned. In fact, I would say that for the first time in recent history, this influence is seriously present in this region. Russia’s interest here is not to stabilize things, but to destabilize them. And at any given moment, Russia is capable of creating instability, which it is currently fueling toward an even more serious conflict. Thus, the Western Balkans is one of the vulnerable and fragile areas at the moment,” he said.
According to activist Igor Blazevic, the region is particularly fragile at this stage of the new global division.
“These [risks] are unpredictable. But I would say it is possible, even very possible, that there could be an even more serious destabilization in this part of the world. Because currently we are truly not in a new multipolar order, but in a multipolar chaos. We are facing serious global rivalries and competition for a new division of the world. And when a new division of the world occurs, the disturbed regions in the middle — and we are one of those regions — are usually very sensitive to serious destabilization and possibly war,” he said.
Blazevic also mentions China’s support as a factor strengthening the Kremlin and warns of major risks threatening peace and democracy in Europe.
Authoritarian alliances [Russia, China, Iran], kleptocracy [composed of entities controlled by oligarchs and plutocrats with significant economic and political influence], and the conservative, illiberal far-right [often packaged in religious forms, which alienate society from freedom] are the three forces that, according to Blazevic, threaten the world.
“We are now globally in a much more serious situation, not only facing the threat posed by Putin’s Russia. Now we have three different forces or three different alliances with synchronized interests. One alliance is what I would call the authoritarian alliance: Russia, China, Iran. The second alliance is what I would call the kleptocratic alliance, which is much broader than the authoritarian one. Thirdly, we have a serious wave of a conservative, illiberal, right-wing movement, which I would truly call a social movement happening in many countries of the world, usually packaged in one religion or another, which also alienates society from freedom. These three forces are cooperating with each other. They are helping one another. This means that democracy, freedom, Europe, peace are under a very, very serious threat — not just a threat, but under a very serious attack. The attack is happening, and we will spend a lot of time defending ourselves. And it is by no means certain that we will succeed in defending ourselves,” he said.
Blazevic extensively discusses the war in Ukraine, which he describes as a genocidal and neo-colonial aggression against a neighboring country.
“Russia is conducting a neo-colonial genocidal aggression against a neighboring country, with all the shocking and destructive consequences that the very word ‘genocide’ entails. Russia truly wants the Ukrainian identity to be destroyed and wiped out. On the other hand, this is only part of a much larger strategy that Russia — but not only Russia — is carrying out against Europe. This is not just a war against Ukraine; this is a war against Europe, a war against the world order we have had since World War II. It is a very serious matter, and it will not end soon. Neither will Russia’s aggression against Ukraine end soon, nor will Russia’s effort to destroy the post-World War II order,” said Blazevic.
He also talks about the role of Serbia and its president, Aleksandar Vucic.
“Yes, you know, Vucic is someone who plays on Putin’s side, let’s put it that way. He has been quite clever in doing what Lukashenko did for a very long time: playing all sides — with Europe, with Russia. But essentially, Vucic is in the Russian camp, Putin’s camp. And now, when he feels threatened within his country, he will rely even more on Russia and China and will abandon that fake game he previously played with Europe,” he said.
Blazevic calls for deeper awareness and more decisive measures to protect the world order and regional stability. In this context, as he says, rebuilding civil society and internal resilience are more important than ever. /N. Jakupi
