Serbia's Future

Preelection graffiti: "EU? No Thanks!" - Serbia on January 20 held the first round of a presidential election that comes as the country's breakaway province of Kosovo is preparing to declare independence. With many observers considering the election to be a referendum on Serbia's EU ambitions, RFE/RL asked Belgrade residents whether they see their future with Europe or with Russia, and why the Kosovo issue is such an emotional one for Serbs.

1 Preelection graffiti: "EU? No Thanks!" - Serbia on January 20 held the first round of a presidential election that comes as the country's breakaway province of Kosovo is preparing to declare independence. With many observers considering the election to be a referendum on Serbia's EU ambitions, RFE/RL asked Belgrade residents whether they see their future with Europe or with Russia, and why the Kosovo issue is such an emotional one for Serbs.

Radivoje Peles, pensioner - "I'm not sure if Serbia itself knows where it is. It is much further away from the EU than it was just after its democratic reforms. This is why Serbia is today -- thanks to some of our politicians -- moving more toward Russia." ..."Serbian society is at a level of development in which some relations are organized as in a tribal community. The majority of people don't know the truth or don't have any power to see the truth. So they emotionally attach themselves to certain things because that is the only option they have left."

2 Radivoje Peles, pensioner - "I'm not sure if Serbia itself knows where it is. It is much further away from the EU than it was just after its democratic reforms. This is why Serbia is today -- thanks to some of our politicians -- moving more toward Russia."

..."Serbian society is at a level of development in which some relations are organized as in a tribal community. The majority of people don't know the truth or don't have any power to see the truth. So they emotionally attach themselves to certain things because that is the only option they have left."

Natasa Radojevic, student - "It seems to me that Serbia today is closer to Russia. Many years will have to pass until Serbia gets closer to the EU." ..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because Kosovo is part of Serbia and because Serbs live there. My father is from Kosovo. Those who don't have any relatives there they don't really know what Kosovo means to Serbia."

3 Natasa Radojevic, student - "It seems to me that Serbia today is closer to Russia. Many years will have to pass until Serbia gets closer to the EU."

..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because Kosovo is part of Serbia and because Serbs live there. My father is from Kosovo. Those who don't have any relatives there they don't really know what Kosovo means to Serbia."

Tomislav Milenkovic, economist - "Serbia is completely divided on the issue [of whether it wants to be closer to the EU or to Russia]. That question isn't crystal clear among politicians, and even less among citizens." ..."[Kosovo's] a huge emotional issue due to historical, traditional, and cultural reasons, due to ancestry and orthodoxy, and also due to the sacrifices of the Serbian people for Kosovo. I cannot explain to myself what attaches me to Kosovo and what it would mean to me if Kosovo would separate from Serbia. Kosovo is built into the consciousness of Serbs and it is difficult to change that."

4 Tomislav Milenkovic, economist - "Serbia is completely divided on the issue [of whether it wants to be closer to the EU or to Russia]. That question isn't crystal clear among politicians, and even less among citizens."

..."[Kosovo's] a huge emotional issue due to historical, traditional, and cultural reasons, due to ancestry and orthodoxy, and also due to the sacrifices of the Serbian people for Kosovo. I cannot explain to myself what attaches me to Kosovo and what it would mean to me if Kosovo would separate from Serbia. Kosovo is built into the consciousness of Serbs and it is difficult to change that."

Ratka Obric, pensioner - "I'm afraid Serbia's closer to Russia. Everything points at that." ..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because of long-held myths about Kosovo. These myths have been nurtured for a long time, so now it's very difficult for citizens to understand what the truth is."

5 Ratka Obric, pensioner - "I'm afraid Serbia's closer to Russia. Everything points at that."

..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because of long-held myths about Kosovo. These myths have been nurtured for a long time, so now it's very difficult for citizens to understand what the truth is."

Milka Vukocevic, sports trainer - "Serbia is in the same place it was 10 years ago -- it isn't close to the EU or Russia." ..."The reason [Kosovo is an emotional issue] is -- flamboyant ego. The Serbs are proud and that is why they don't want to give away something they consider theirs. However, I don't think that behavior will bring anything good to the people of Serbia."

6 Milka Vukocevic, sports trainer - "Serbia is in the same place it was 10 years ago -- it isn't close to the EU or Russia."

..."The reason [Kosovo is an emotional issue] is -- flamboyant ego. The Serbs are proud and that is why they don't want to give away something they consider theirs. However, I don't think that behavior will bring anything good to the people of Serbia."

Sasa Budimovic, shipper - "It's seems to me that we are closer to the EU. But whether that is a reality or not, that I don't know. To be more precise -- I wish we were closer to the EU." ..."The Serbs are an emotional people. We react by heart. Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. We were born in a country with Kosovo as an integral part. Kosovo is our integral part that can't be cut off so easily."

7 Sasa Budimovic, shipper - "It's seems to me that we are closer to the EU. But whether that is a reality or not, that I don't know. To be more precise -- I wish we were closer to the EU."

..."The Serbs are an emotional people. We react by heart. Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. We were born in a country with Kosovo as an integral part. Kosovo is our integral part that can't be cut off so easily."

Danijela Varsakovic, hairdresser - "I think we are in outer space, in some kind of a vacuum. Not here, not there, not anywhere." ..."I have no problem accepting the secession of Kosovo. I don't understand people who attach themselves to Kosovo emotionally, I really don't."

8 Danijela Varsakovic, hairdresser - "I think we are in outer space, in some kind of a vacuum. Not here, not there, not anywhere."

..."I have no problem accepting the secession of Kosovo. I don't understand people who attach themselves to Kosovo emotionally, I really don't."

Stevan Filipovic, film director - "Serbia is closer to Russia. It's even closer to Russia than it should be." ..."If you insist on something for years -- and you insist aggressively -- you create an emotional problem. But if you look at that problem rationally, then it won’t be a problem anymore; except for the people from Kosovo."

9 Stevan Filipovic, film director - "Serbia is closer to Russia. It's even closer to Russia than it should be."

..."If you insist on something for years -- and you insist aggressively -- you create an emotional problem. But if you look at that problem rationally, then it won’t be a problem anymore; except for the people from Kosovo."

Tanja Matic, NGO activist - "I think that [Serbia] is equally far from the EU and from Russia. If we judge by frequent public speeches, it seems that Serbia is closer to Russia. But on the other hand this country is on its European path and can't be stopped." ..."Nationalism started to emerge from [Kosovo] in the 80s. The majority of our politicians have used the media and their public speeches to exaggerate the importance of the Kosovo issue for the Serbs. These are all myths, but people become emotionally attached to such myths."

10 Tanja Matic, NGO activist - "I think that [Serbia] is equally far from the EU and from Russia. If we judge by frequent public speeches, it seems that Serbia is closer to Russia. But on the other hand this country is on its European path and can't be stopped."

..."Nationalism started to emerge from [Kosovo] in the 80s. The majority of our politicians have used the media and their public speeches to exaggerate the importance of the Kosovo issue for the Serbs. These are all myths, but people become emotionally attached to such myths."

Ivan Buncic, IT manager - "[Serbia's future] is definitely closer to the EU. Prime Minister Kostunica, who advocates the closeness with Russia the most, doesn't have much support among citizens." ..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because of ignorance and manipulation. Serbs are an uneducated people. More than 70 percent of them are functionally illiterate and therefore easily manipulated."

11 Ivan Buncic, IT manager - "[Serbia's future] is definitely closer to the EU. Prime Minister Kostunica, who advocates the closeness with Russia the most, doesn't have much support among citizens."

..."[Kosovo is an emotional issue] because of ignorance and manipulation. Serbs are an uneducated people. More than 70 percent of them are functionally illiterate and therefore easily manipulated."

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Serbia's Future