Arbutina: Serbian unity has set off alarms - from Pristina to Sarajevo

Historian Bojan Arbutina assesses that the demonstrated unity at the All-Serbian Assembly has triggered alarms for many because the adopted Declaration defines problems and solutions that will lead to a better position for the Serbian people in the country and the region.

"In general, the Serbian people have always been targeted by certain neighboring nations. The mere fact that we managed to unite our entire people in the sense of gathering together, discussing, and thinking about our past, present, and future has certainly triggered some alarms in the region. Indeed, these alarms are set off even by less significant situations occurring in Serbia, such as strengthening the army, police, rule of law, and economic progress," Arbutina said for Kosovo Online.

Therefore, according to him, it was expected that many politicians in the region interpreted the conclusions of the Declaration, which define problems and solutions for a better position of the Serbian people in the region, in a different way than presented.

"The perspectives coming from Pristina, Podgorica, especially Sarajevo and Zagreb, are views that interpret this Declaration through the prism of the past and what has happened. But we can freely say that they have misinterpreted the text as a threat to their own interests," Arbutina said.

He assesses that Pristina and Podgorica are building their identities on anti-Serbian sentiments and theses.

"In Pristina, it comes from people who have formed a parastate, who are secessionists. Naturally, any mention of Serbian culture, tradition, and spirituality puts them in a position where they must react. And this loses the political logic of ignoring something and leads to an open attack. The same is true for Podgorica. With Sarajevo and Zagreb, we have decades of experience in these confrontations, so such reactions from our neighbors are very expected, and all in line with the heated atmosphere that has followed us since the beginning of the year, especially after the adoption of the Resolution on the so-called genocide in Srebrenica," Arbutina said.

He believes that the Declaration was important due to the current geopolitical and security situation in the region.

"It seems to me that the Balkans are starting to simmer, and that is why it was very important for our people living throughout this area to adopt this Declaration," he emphasized.

He notes that the All-Serbian Assembly primarily sent a message to the Serbs.

"And that is the most important message that was sent. A message of unity was sent, as all the political representatives of our people, all representatives of our associations, and the Serbian Orthodox Church, gathered at this Assembly, and a message was sent that our authorities have identified the most urgent problems we face. This includes the erasure of our identity, our culture, the seizure of our cultural heritage, the denial of our Cyrillic script, and the deprivation of political freedoms," Arbutina said.

At the same time, as he points out, a message was sent to the neighbors that Serbia and Republika Srpska would resolutely defend the rights of their people.

"The message to the neighbors is that the state of Serbia, that is, the Republic of Serbia and the Republika Srpska, will resolutely defend the rights of our people both in Serbia and in the Republika Srpska, as well as in the region. They will defend the rights of our people to political freedoms, their culture, and traditions. We will preserve, speaking of Kosovo and Metohija, our medieval monasteries, our spiritual heritage, and our cultural heritage. Speaking of Croatia, we will preserve our Cyrillic script, which has been under attack for decades, if we recall Vukovar and the tearing down of Cyrillic signs. Simply, regarding the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we will not forget the crimes committed against Serbs, and we will restore the dignity of the Serbian people wherever they live. And this Declaration does not only apply to our people in the Balkans but to our people wherever they live in the world," Arbutina concluded.