HE WILL NOT BE ABLE: Sometimes it is better to be silent

It seems to me that an objective observer in the very fruitful visit of President Aleksandar Vučić to Russia and his meeting with one of the greatest statesmen in the world, Vladimir Putin, can hardly see anything negative.

The primary goal of the visit was achieved – uninterrupted gas supply for Serbia was provided at a more than decent price, but also a high level of cooperation in other areas of vital importance for the state of Serbia, from Moscow’s unconditional support in preserving Serbia’s territorial integrity, through economic ties to cooperation. in the field of security and defense.

All in all, a moment which, if Vučić bothers you, is best kept silent, when you are no longer able to pay tribute to him for the achieved success, which is unequivocally useful for Serbia on countless levels. However, many among those who hate Vučić more than they love Serbia do not understand that silence is gold. From another Serbian, so-called cosmopolitan, society, this kind of attitude towards Serbia is no longer surprising, because they simply do not like Serbia, regardless of who leads it, regardless of whether the man’s name is Aleksandar Vucic or Zoran Djindjic, whom they spat at the time. today they make an idol of him. It is more surprising when the attitude that something that is good for Serbia does not work, because it benefits Vučić, comes from circles that present themselves as “patriotic”. And the strangest thing is when these two unite in such an endeavor.

Interesting, for example, is the synergy between the daily “Danas” and the leader of the “Oslobodjenje” movement, Mladjan Djordjevic, a man who presents himself as a top patriot and a great Russophile with serious connections in Russian political circles. “Danas” quite unexpectedly, as an uncompromising pro-Western newspaper, published a big headline “Cheap gas for expensive concessions to the Kremlin” on the front page of the meeting between Vučić and Putin. As I believe that there is not a sufficiently expensive concession to the Kremlin that would exceed the value of Russian support in preserving the territorial integrity of Kosovo and Metohija, I am glad that even other Serbs believe that this issue should not be taken into consideration at all.

BUT what are the concessions that cost more than gas? According to the daily “Danas”, “insistence on the Serbian refusal to impose sanctions on Russia” is in the first place. They are unaware that Serbia should not decide on such a step correctly and that gas is not an issue at all, it is true that it does not exist at all. First of all, for moral reasons, but also because of a number of other economic benefits that can be gained from economic cooperation with a country such as Russia. The second and third thing they mention is “the low price of ore rent and the privileged position of Russian companies in the construction of railway infrastructure”. Regardless of whether the price of ore rent is low or high, which is a relative thing that can be discussed, the fact is that Russia pays Serbia for the use of resources from Serbia, unlike many Western companies that pay for the use of part of Serbian resources. (if they pay at all) to some authorities of the false state of Kosovo.

“PRIVILEGED POSITION” in the construction of the railway structure in Serbia, if we can talk about “privileges” at all, the Russians won with a favorable loan, just as the Chinese did. We can look at this from another angle – Russian citizens could complain that the Kremlin is paying a low price for ore rent for Serbia with a low price of gas, or a role in the reconstruction of the railway. All in all, mutual concessions are the essence of successful cooperation in every domain, economic, political and even cultural.

THE DAY after the meeting in Sochi, “Danas” has a big headline “Vučić bought the price of gas only until the elections”. Yes, it is very strange that the duration of this agreement mostly coincides with the election date, but is it logical that Vučić insisted on that? A bigger success for him would certainly be if he provided that price in the long run. Maybe Putin insisted on that. He may not want to continue the same level of cooperation if someone who is less friendly (not to say hostile) towards his country comes to power in Serbia, as was the case, for example, in Moldova, where the price of gas increased significantly upon arrival. pro-Western bloc to power.

TWO days after the meeting, “Danas” is doing acrobatics, victoriously announcing that “the price of gas to Serbia, after all, is not the lowest”, although Vučić never claimed that. According to them, Belarus, Germany and Turkey have a lower gas price. I believe that the reason for the low price of Belarus should not be explained, while when it comes to Germany and Turkey, one should take into account not only the huge amounts of this energy that these two countries consume, but also the fact that they are direct importers of Russian gas and key points. for further distribution and sale of blue energy. Comparing us from these three countries, the journalists of the “Danas” newspaper only (unconsciously) added to the values ​​of Vučić’s success.

And MLADJAN Djordjevic? It is as if jealousy has eaten him so much that he cannot rejoice in something of pure benefit to the people who claim to love, but must look for some holes in it, so when he cannot find them he must invent them. Such is the claim that Vučić was not “as well received in Sochi as he claims”. There is nothing for Vučić or Đorđević to claim, we could all see that, usually with restraint, Putin himself pulled him into his arms. Point. It is interesting that in his claims, Djordjevic refers to writing, as he says, “a respectable ‘Kommersant'”.

“Kommersant” is as respectable as “Danas”, even “more respectable”, because while it can still be said that the Belgrade paper is not a “tycoon’s medium”, “Kommersant” certainly is. And yet, fiercely anti-Putin. Judging by that, while Vucic is hugging Putin, Djordjevic would hug Navalny.