US expert on the Balkans Daniel Serwer has commented on the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) once again listing the Balkans as a stability problem.
Source: B92, Tanjug
Close the entire text of the article here
(Tanjug, file)
Serwer said that he did not think the document should make people in the Balkans "more afraid than they already are."
"There are lots of people in the Balkans concerned about instability there, and it's well within the power of people in the Balkans to prevent bad things from happening and to return to the more solid European path. There are countries trying to do that in the Balkans, certainly Montenegro is one of them," he said.
But even that effort bring risks because Russians do not like what Montenegro is doing, he said, adding that there was "no new news" in this survey for people in the Balkans.
"There's nothing in that report that people in the Balkans don't already know. There have been occasionally clashes, the clash in the Macedonian parliament for example, and that these things can expand and grow much worse seems to be quite obvious," he said, and added:
"You also have quite a few extremists in the Balkans, both Islamist extremists returning from oversees and maybe more importantly some local nationalist extremists, who are fond of weapons and clashes with their enemies. I think what's notable here is that the Council on Foreign Relations for the first time in many years has listed the Balkans as a problem."
The fact that it is in tier 3 of the survey has to do with the fact that there are much more important problems - "but it's the first time in a long time that the Council has listed the Balkans," Serwer continued.
Asked about the US interest in "Russia's growing influence in this region," he replied:
"I think people are concerned about it here, but not only in that region, they're concerned about it in what we used to call Eastern Europe, Poland, they're concerned about the Russian destabilization efforts also in the Baltic countries. I would say it is a global concern, and the Balkans is one of the regions."
According to the N1 website, he said that the Russians are "partially successful, but not too much."
Asked to comment on former High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina Wolfgang Petritsch's statement about that country being the weakest link in the Western Balkans, Serwer said the Austrian diplomat was "basically right."
"The peace process in Kosovo has actually gone a little faster that the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Bosnia-Herzegovina suffers from the constitution which makes the country extraordinarily difficult to govern. And that's very difficult to fix, because you need a two-thirds majority in parliament. So Bosnia-Herzegovina is the weakest link and the Russians like to attack the weakest link and you see them doing that in their support for Milorad Dodik in particular," Serwer said.
"The Hague Tribunal's verdict have not brought about any sort of reconciliation in the Balkans, they tended to increase rather than decrease tensions. That was certainly not the intention when the Tribunal was created," he said, when asked about the situation in the Balkans in the wake of the recent verdicts in the trials of Ratko Mladic and Jadranko Prlic et al.
Serwer is a semi-literate messenger for the CFR, a de facto US politburo. Previous problems prophetically listed by the CFR included Vietnam in the 1950’s, and more recently Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Georgia and Ukraine.
The US military industrial complex does announce the upcoming targets in its cross-hairs. Puppets in the Balkans should prepare for the tensioning of their strings.
(Amnesty Yugoslavia, 14 December 2017 10:02)
For nearly 50 years, the Balkans wasn't a problem. People across the Balkans (minus, of course, Albania) lived in peace, harmony, prosperity and, yes, democracy (imperfect, yet genuine) from Trieste to Constantinople and from Subotica to Crete.
Then suddenly one day came the infectious swarm of "non"-governmental minders, "transatlantic" think-tankists, "human rights" helpers and hand-wringers, "advisors", "activists", missionaries and "democracy"-peddlers, like Se(r)wer. Along came the occupation, the sanctions, hunger, misery, economic blockade, travel bans, social strife, ethnic cleansing, medieval religious fundamentalism, disease, corruption, neoliberal mafia, oligarchy and kleptocracy, dumbing down of indigenous culture, depleted uranium, human and weapons smugglers, white phosphorus, cassette bombs, highest suicide and cancer rates in Europe and quarter century of degrading misery all around.
And that was the end of peace and harmony in the Balkans. 25 years after the likes of Serwer, Engel, DioGuardi and similar western "experts" started "helping" the Balkans, we are still counting our dead, crippled, maimed, injured and missing.
Please, Mr. Sewer! Please! Abandon us for just one day. Leave us deprived and bereft of your boundless fatherly love and selfless charity for just one nanosecond. Because, Mr. Sewer, a day without your love is like the eternity of divine blessings, cornucopia of boundless bliss and manna directly from heaven.
(DEDA CVETKO, 14 December 2017 06:43)
Beggars can't be choosers !! Without your "lack of democracy" we would have a bloodbath.
Quick refresher from your "democracy" loving people:
[link]
.. or perhaps the Gulag.
Just because you know how to read, don't confuse yourself with Mr. Sorbonne... we're the beggars here, and I'm not putting down my defense system because your bosses (the goat-lover from the baboon village of Vicidol included) have short-term interests. I suggest you start reading history first, before you flatter yourself with other western conditions and feelings of 1st world-hopelessness
(Tironc, 14 December 2017 06:17)
"Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot "
Truth be told, on looking like an idiot he doesn't really have a choice, weather he comments or not.
(Sreten, 13 December 2017 16:27)
@ Sreten -Lol, you're right, he does look like a "sewer"...sewer drain, that is! Not his fault though, he can't help that, just like Vulin looks like "batman" and hardinaj looks like a Thugish child killer...this is out of their control;)
(Watcher, 13 December 2017 21:49)
What my boss says is that the very badly aged Mr. Serwer will need to justify his good salary, thousands of $ he receives any month just to write the crap he does. Besides interference is a good topic and instead of sexually harassing me any day here you can join the debate on this very good article written by my boss at the Sorbonne, a regular contributor to public intellectual debate: [link]/ tironc we live in 2017, I am a liberal tironc professional, more tironc than any other tironc here but also a little bit of a northern baboon!
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 19:44)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin.
(Tironc
Russia is interested in peace on Balkans while the US is exporting conflicts. Think about it and tell us to which water mill you've added water ?
(rote, 13 December 2017 19:37)
I do list Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as an a problem of stability since people can't be safe on outdoors events and bus stations, since kids are not so safe in the schools, since way too many people are asking for change and cigarettes on daily basis in the United States of America etc etc.
(George, 13 December 2017 17:54)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin. But I believe you, you are intelligent enough to do it for free ... sorry, I mean, "honored". Again, what does your boss think about this interference ?
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 17:05)
@rote kapelle, no your role is that of the drugged up hallucinator. Your job is to show us what’s like taking different types of acid and meth and then opinionating about Balkan geopolitics.
(Vari teneqen, 13 December 2017 16:15)
Sllushaj sjuda tej MYDAK, Im not your cousin to answer your idiocies so go call your parents or relatives next time you're here! Put it into your thick head, I dont need money to troll about Kremlin, its only a pleasure and major honor for me. Has been and will always be.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 15:55)
Yes, after Uncle Sam starts demanding Presidents not to sit on 2 Chairs and demanding them not to do business with other countries like China,UAE ,Belarus ,Turkey and etc, There is problems arising .
Uncle Sam and his buddy The "POMS",like to cause problems all over the world and blame other countries for problems.
Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot ))
(sasa.p from near Jagodina, Serbia, 13 December 2017 15:55)
Skënderbe 1444444 the guy in the article is talking about your St. Petersburg troll-farm managers. Care to share their thoughts on this matter ? Should you Russians continue to appear as anti-western Serbs in online forums ? If so, that is considered Russian attempts to destabilize the Balkans. Or should Berisha be lumped into this as well ? It seems you have done enough homework to warrant pulling Berisha into this mess.
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 14:05)
There is one good thing about joining the EU for Serbia (and the rest of the Balkans); it will not be the playground anymore for fools like this with wet neo-colonial dreams.
(John, 13 December 2017 12:12)
Yes, after Uncle Sam starts demanding Presidents not to sit on 2 Chairs and demanding them not to do business with other countries like China,UAE ,Belarus ,Turkey and etc, There is problems arising .
Uncle Sam and his buddy The "POMS",like to cause problems all over the world and blame other countries for problems.
Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot ))
(sasa.p from near Jagodina, Serbia, 13 December 2017 15:55)
There is one good thing about joining the EU for Serbia (and the rest of the Balkans); it will not be the playground anymore for fools like this with wet neo-colonial dreams.
(John, 13 December 2017 12:12)
For nearly 50 years, the Balkans wasn't a problem. People across the Balkans (minus, of course, Albania) lived in peace, harmony, prosperity and, yes, democracy (imperfect, yet genuine) from Trieste to Constantinople and from Subotica to Crete.
Then suddenly one day came the infectious swarm of "non"-governmental minders, "transatlantic" think-tankists, "human rights" helpers and hand-wringers, "advisors", "activists", missionaries and "democracy"-peddlers, like Se(r)wer. Along came the occupation, the sanctions, hunger, misery, economic blockade, travel bans, social strife, ethnic cleansing, medieval religious fundamentalism, disease, corruption, neoliberal mafia, oligarchy and kleptocracy, dumbing down of indigenous culture, depleted uranium, human and weapons smugglers, white phosphorus, cassette bombs, highest suicide and cancer rates in Europe and quarter century of degrading misery all around.
And that was the end of peace and harmony in the Balkans. 25 years after the likes of Serwer, Engel, DioGuardi and similar western "experts" started "helping" the Balkans, we are still counting our dead, crippled, maimed, injured and missing.
Please, Mr. Sewer! Please! Abandon us for just one day. Leave us deprived and bereft of your boundless fatherly love and selfless charity for just one nanosecond. Because, Mr. Sewer, a day without your love is like the eternity of divine blessings, cornucopia of boundless bliss and manna directly from heaven.
(DEDA CVETKO, 14 December 2017 06:43)
Serwer is a semi-literate messenger for the CFR, a de facto US politburo. Previous problems prophetically listed by the CFR included Vietnam in the 1950’s, and more recently Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Georgia and Ukraine.
The US military industrial complex does announce the upcoming targets in its cross-hairs. Puppets in the Balkans should prepare for the tensioning of their strings.
(Amnesty Yugoslavia, 14 December 2017 10:02)
@rote kapelle, no your role is that of the drugged up hallucinator. Your job is to show us what’s like taking different types of acid and meth and then opinionating about Balkan geopolitics.
(Vari teneqen, 13 December 2017 16:15)
"Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot "
Truth be told, on looking like an idiot he doesn't really have a choice, weather he comments or not.
(Sreten, 13 December 2017 16:27)
@ Sreten -Lol, you're right, he does look like a "sewer"...sewer drain, that is! Not his fault though, he can't help that, just like Vulin looks like "batman" and hardinaj looks like a Thugish child killer...this is out of their control;)
(Watcher, 13 December 2017 21:49)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin.
(Tironc
Russia is interested in peace on Balkans while the US is exporting conflicts. Think about it and tell us to which water mill you've added water ?
(rote, 13 December 2017 19:37)
Sllushaj sjuda tej MYDAK, Im not your cousin to answer your idiocies so go call your parents or relatives next time you're here! Put it into your thick head, I dont need money to troll about Kremlin, its only a pleasure and major honor for me. Has been and will always be.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 15:55)
Skënderbe 1444444 the guy in the article is talking about your St. Petersburg troll-farm managers. Care to share their thoughts on this matter ? Should you Russians continue to appear as anti-western Serbs in online forums ? If so, that is considered Russian attempts to destabilize the Balkans. Or should Berisha be lumped into this as well ? It seems you have done enough homework to warrant pulling Berisha into this mess.
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 14:05)
I do list Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as an a problem of stability since people can't be safe on outdoors events and bus stations, since kids are not so safe in the schools, since way too many people are asking for change and cigarettes on daily basis in the United States of America etc etc.
(George, 13 December 2017 17:54)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin. But I believe you, you are intelligent enough to do it for free ... sorry, I mean, "honored". Again, what does your boss think about this interference ?
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 17:05)
What my boss says is that the very badly aged Mr. Serwer will need to justify his good salary, thousands of $ he receives any month just to write the crap he does. Besides interference is a good topic and instead of sexually harassing me any day here you can join the debate on this very good article written by my boss at the Sorbonne, a regular contributor to public intellectual debate: [link]/ tironc we live in 2017, I am a liberal tironc professional, more tironc than any other tironc here but also a little bit of a northern baboon!
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 19:44)
Beggars can't be choosers !! Without your "lack of democracy" we would have a bloodbath.
Quick refresher from your "democracy" loving people:
[link]
.. or perhaps the Gulag.
Just because you know how to read, don't confuse yourself with Mr. Sorbonne... we're the beggars here, and I'm not putting down my defense system because your bosses (the goat-lover from the baboon village of Vicidol included) have short-term interests. I suggest you start reading history first, before you flatter yourself with other western conditions and feelings of 1st world-hopelessness
(Tironc, 14 December 2017 06:17)
Sllushaj sjuda tej MYDAK, Im not your cousin to answer your idiocies so go call your parents or relatives next time you're here! Put it into your thick head, I dont need money to troll about Kremlin, its only a pleasure and major honor for me. Has been and will always be.
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 15:55)
@rote kapelle, no your role is that of the drugged up hallucinator. Your job is to show us what’s like taking different types of acid and meth and then opinionating about Balkan geopolitics.
(Vari teneqen, 13 December 2017 16:15)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin. But I believe you, you are intelligent enough to do it for free ... sorry, I mean, "honored". Again, what does your boss think about this interference ?
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 17:05)
Yes, after Uncle Sam starts demanding Presidents not to sit on 2 Chairs and demanding them not to do business with other countries like China,UAE ,Belarus ,Turkey and etc, There is problems arising .
Uncle Sam and his buddy The "POMS",like to cause problems all over the world and blame other countries for problems.
Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot ))
(sasa.p from near Jagodina, Serbia, 13 December 2017 15:55)
"Daniel Serwer , you should have never commented on this topic and look like a idiot "
Truth be told, on looking like an idiot he doesn't really have a choice, weather he comments or not.
(Sreten, 13 December 2017 16:27)
@ Sreten -Lol, you're right, he does look like a "sewer"...sewer drain, that is! Not his fault though, he can't help that, just like Vulin looks like "batman" and hardinaj looks like a Thugish child killer...this is out of their control;)
(Watcher, 13 December 2017 21:49)
Skënderbe 1444444 the guy in the article is talking about your St. Petersburg troll-farm managers. Care to share their thoughts on this matter ? Should you Russians continue to appear as anti-western Serbs in online forums ? If so, that is considered Russian attempts to destabilize the Balkans. Or should Berisha be lumped into this as well ? It seems you have done enough homework to warrant pulling Berisha into this mess.
(Tironc, 13 December 2017 14:05)
There is one good thing about joining the EU for Serbia (and the rest of the Balkans); it will not be the playground anymore for fools like this with wet neo-colonial dreams.
(John, 13 December 2017 12:12)
"Honor" ? Ha! I asked my parents and they told me we Albanians don't have any cousins from Russia, especially no-one that gets $$ (because nobody wants rubles) from Kremlin.
(Tironc
Russia is interested in peace on Balkans while the US is exporting conflicts. Think about it and tell us to which water mill you've added water ?
(rote, 13 December 2017 19:37)
Beggars can't be choosers !! Without your "lack of democracy" we would have a bloodbath.
Quick refresher from your "democracy" loving people:
[link]
.. or perhaps the Gulag.
Just because you know how to read, don't confuse yourself with Mr. Sorbonne... we're the beggars here, and I'm not putting down my defense system because your bosses (the goat-lover from the baboon village of Vicidol included) have short-term interests. I suggest you start reading history first, before you flatter yourself with other western conditions and feelings of 1st world-hopelessness
(Tironc, 14 December 2017 06:17)
What my boss says is that the very badly aged Mr. Serwer will need to justify his good salary, thousands of $ he receives any month just to write the crap he does. Besides interference is a good topic and instead of sexually harassing me any day here you can join the debate on this very good article written by my boss at the Sorbonne, a regular contributor to public intellectual debate: [link]/ tironc we live in 2017, I am a liberal tironc professional, more tironc than any other tironc here but also a little bit of a northern baboon!
(Skenderbeu 1444, 13 December 2017 19:44)
I do list Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) as an a problem of stability since people can't be safe on outdoors events and bus stations, since kids are not so safe in the schools, since way too many people are asking for change and cigarettes on daily basis in the United States of America etc etc.
(George, 13 December 2017 17:54)
Serwer is a semi-literate messenger for the CFR, a de facto US politburo. Previous problems prophetically listed by the CFR included Vietnam in the 1950’s, and more recently Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Georgia and Ukraine.
The US military industrial complex does announce the upcoming targets in its cross-hairs. Puppets in the Balkans should prepare for the tensioning of their strings.
(Amnesty Yugoslavia, 14 December 2017 10:02)
For nearly 50 years, the Balkans wasn't a problem. People across the Balkans (minus, of course, Albania) lived in peace, harmony, prosperity and, yes, democracy (imperfect, yet genuine) from Trieste to Constantinople and from Subotica to Crete.
Then suddenly one day came the infectious swarm of "non"-governmental minders, "transatlantic" think-tankists, "human rights" helpers and hand-wringers, "advisors", "activists", missionaries and "democracy"-peddlers, like Se(r)wer. Along came the occupation, the sanctions, hunger, misery, economic blockade, travel bans, social strife, ethnic cleansing, medieval religious fundamentalism, disease, corruption, neoliberal mafia, oligarchy and kleptocracy, dumbing down of indigenous culture, depleted uranium, human and weapons smugglers, white phosphorus, cassette bombs, highest suicide and cancer rates in Europe and quarter century of degrading misery all around.
And that was the end of peace and harmony in the Balkans. 25 years after the likes of Serwer, Engel, DioGuardi and similar western "experts" started "helping" the Balkans, we are still counting our dead, crippled, maimed, injured and missing.
Please, Mr. Sewer! Please! Abandon us for just one day. Leave us deprived and bereft of your boundless fatherly love and selfless charity for just one nanosecond. Because, Mr. Sewer, a day without your love is like the eternity of divine blessings, cornucopia of boundless bliss and manna directly from heaven.
(DEDA CVETKO, 14 December 2017 06:43)