• 2015-05-15
• |  Belgrade

DPF Debate: Serbia Too Small to Independently Create Foreign Policy

The debate on topic “Tradition and Geo-Political Position of Serbia as the Determinant Factors of Serbian Policy” was organized within the framework of project Democratic Political Forum.

Serbia is too small country to create foreign policy independently, and being on the crossroads of great forces interests, as it is stated at the event “Tradition and Geo-Political Position of Serbia as the Determinant Factors of Serbian Policy”, held as a part of the Democratic Political Forum project. 

Professor Dragoljub Mićunović says that Serbia is within the Balkans and the fact of this particular geo-political factor – connections between Europe and Asia, has led towards clatters of diverse influences and spheres in the fight for power.

“As not every man forges its owns fortunes and misfortunes, but being helped by others, so neither nation is the creator of its own history”, said Mićunović. 

He said that Serbia had an enormous potential to develop into a modern country and reminded that Dositej Obradović and Vuk Karadzić were in XIX century bringing the latest and most modern from Europe.

However, another tradition acted as well, creating myths from epics, and politics from myths, such was the case with Kosovo said Mićunović. 

Historian Predrag Marković also stated that Serbia is a small country that cannot choose a lot and lead an independent foreign policy, and also assesses the geo-political situation as the worse – with exception of 90s. 

It is because, he added, no great power has a particular interest for Serbia, but has it for our neighbors, who are, as he said, not so amiable towards us.

Professor Vukašin Pavlović, from the Faculty of Politics of Belgrade University, reminded that is frequently forgotten, when discussed about the liberalistic tradition of Serbia, that there is a “leader cult”, and that “authoritarian rather than democratic means of ruling had better success”.

“Every authority, here and everywhere else, which does not stand opposition and critical opinion, is working against itself”, said Pavlović. 

Discussing Serbian foreign policy, historian Slobodan Marković said that Serbia lost the opportunity it “eventually had” to independently implement its own foreign and defense policy, particularly because of the fact that after Bulgaria entered NATO, it has been surrounded by their member states.
 
“Serbia has no other possibility, but to reach an agreement with NATO; does not have to become a member of the Pact, but without it will find itself as a black hole in the sea of member states of NATO”, said Marković. 

Former ambassador of Serbia to USA, Ivan Vujačić had a remark that Serbia being at the “crossroads” should be an advantage, and that this type of situation was well utilized in the time of former SFRY President Tito. 

He deems Obama’s administration not particularly interested for Europe, with exception of Ukraine crisis and Eurozone crisis, but it is in their interest to keep the region of Western Balkans and Kosovo, which had been supported to gain independency, to keep a trouble-free zone.

Vujačić also stated that there are great expectations created from the relationship of Russian Federation towards Serbia, and adds that, if wanting to enter EU, will implement a policy of graduated distancing from Russia. 

Former ambassador of Serbia to Russian Federation, Jelica Kurjak stated that small countries cannot lead independent foreign policy, but do not have to behave servile and submissive. 

Ms. Kurjak has reminded the present public, which is constantly referring to the fact that Serbia is economically and energetically dependent from Russian Federation, whilst our country cannot “fill up the three stores of one shopping mall in Russia“. 

Debate was organized by Center for Democracy Foundation and Friedrich Ebert Foundation. 

Source: Tanjug

Participated at the Debate: Damjan Malbašić (BFPE), Vesna Pešić (sociologist), Zoran Stojiljković (FPS), Ivan Vujačić (former ambassador of Serbia to USA), Slobodan Vučković (CDF), Jelica Kurjak (former ambassador of Serbia to Russian Federation), Vukašin Pavlović (FPS), Nataša Vučković (MP), Natalija Mićunović (Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory), Dragan Šutanovac (MP), Neven Cvetićanin (Institute of Social Sciences), Boško Jakšić (Daily "Politika"), Nemanja Krajčinović (CSO Together Together), Ljubica Đorđević Vidojković (Center for Ethnicity Research), Slobodan Marković (FPS), Đorđe Vukadinović (New Serbian Political Thought), Dragoljub Mićunović (CDF), Predrag Marković (Institute for Modern History) and others.  

Center for Democracy Foundation​