Year: 2020
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The strengthening of the strategic partnership between Serbia and Russia has come at a time when policymakers and analysts in NATO and EU countries have become increasingly critical at the reluctance of Belgrade to play by the "Western book".Serbia is refusing to legitimize both the unilateral secession by Kosovo Albanian leaders and the redefinition of the Dayton Accords aimed at further reducing the autonomy of the Republic of Srpska (Republika Srpska) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.Furthermore, it continues to reject NATO membership and anti-Russian EU sanctions and declarations.As a result, fingers are pointed at Kremlin's "malign influence" over Serbia and the Serbs in the Western Balkans in general, including in the fields of politics, economy, communication, energy, and defence.This influence extends into a synergy between Serbian and Russian interests and resources.Thus, it is not just Russian activities, but the whole array of Russo-Serbian cooperation that is considered a "hybrid threat".The paper analyses which strategic frames use think tanks from the EU/NATO countries to portray the evolving state of Russo-Serbian cooperation.The results point to elements of a strategic narrative painting Serbian-Russian cooperation as a "hybrid threat" through the consistent use of a threat frame in relation to key areas of political, security, informational, economic, religious, and non-governmental cooperation.The strategic narrative is, in turn, an integral part of strategic communication aimed at promoting the interests of the EU and NATO in the region.
Author: Aleksandar Mitić
Institution: University of Belgrade
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W3097199501