Serbia
Tuesday 20 November 2018
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“Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blasted the US senators’ appeal not to support Prokopchuk as ‘intervention in the voting process’ and 'an attempt to exert pressure on Interpol.'”
Members of the U.S. Congress belong to one of the three branches of the American government. Their opinions are a normal part of the democratic process, and do not constitute interference -- and certainly not intervention -- in INTERPOL’s selection of a new president. -
“We love and are proud of President Vladimir Putin, because he is a friend of Palestine and not only Palestine, but all the people who are seeking freedom. President Putin succeeded in restoring Russia’s authority in the international arena and forced all to respect Russia.”
Independent polls show trust and respect for Russia and its president has significantly decreased globally. Under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, Russia has suppressed insurgencies in Chechnya and in Syria. Moscow has lost its membership or voting privileges in multiple international organizations. -
"Eight votes that were necessary to secure a qualified majority were ensured by …means of blackmailing, threats and bribing opposition parliament members. Three of them, purely by chance, were released from arrest on that same day. Two others, who had open cases investigated by special prosecutors, were promised freedom. Others received corrupt financial offers in exchange for 'the right vote.’ Parliament members were locked in their rooms, their cell phones were seized - this is very much in line with the spirit of European democratic practice. It is noteworthy that the U.S. ambassador was in the parliament until the end of the meeting, which leaves no doubt as to who led this process."
The Macedonian Foreign Ministry, a member of parliament and the U.S. State Department have all issued statements denying the allegations – the U.S. calling them “absurd.” The Russian claims are not backed up with evidence, however, our specific questions were not addressed. -
“The way the referendum is formulated is scam in itself… There is a strong opposition in Macedonia now; the President has said he’s against the referendum, so it will change a lot… What a lot of the Balkan countries are expecting is that by entering the European Union, they will get subsidies… I think most of them couldn’t care less about NATO, as it doesn’t have a good image over there.”
Contrary to the author’s claims, a majority of Macedonians supports Euro-Atlantic integration and joining the EU and NATO. -
Putin’s “Surgeon” of the Night Wolves Issues “End of the World” Message to Slovakian President Kiska
“Let us remind you, dear President, that the headquarters in Slovakia was not opened by the Russian citizens, but by the Slovaks themselves. And offices in Europe are opened not on the initiative of Moscow, but on the initiative of the citizens of European countries themselves who have searched for the truth and found it in the Night Wolves, and not in your hypocritical and unprincipled satanic world order.”
The Night Wolves have been essential to Vladimir Putin’s domestic and foreign policy objectives, including propaganda campaigns. They fought as mercenaries in Ukraine and fomented a failed coup in Montenegro. Since 2012, the club has received millions of rubles in government funds for projects promoting Russia’s agenda in Eastern Europe, especially in the Balkans. -
“Croatian President Thanks Putin for Fighting Acts of Hatred at World Cup."
FIFA has fined several countries for fan and player behavior during the World Cup, including Russia. The article also leaves out other things discussed by the two presidents. -
“[T]he main objectives of Russia here are the building of economic cooperation with mutual benefits and the maintenance of sustainable cultural and humanitarian ties with the Balkan peoples. All this certainly applies to Albania. Any other speculation about Russia's ‘aggressive plans’ or ‘expansionist appetites’ is nothing more than part of a major Western strategy to portray Russia as an imaginary enemy of NATO and the EU.”
Russia has annexed foreign territory, is involved in several regional conflicts, and has reportedly been meddling in sovereign countries’ domestic politics, including in the Balkans. Moscow has repeatedly said it sees NATO as an enemy and a threat to Russia’s national interests. -
“Russia is ready to host the World Cup. The stadiums are open. The cops are polyglots. That is a quick recap of many years of work.We're not going to lose face in front of the planet. It’s not for nothing we terrified [the planet] with a missile. In general, all is well. But there is only one “but”: Our team, frankly, is sh-t.”
The International Federation of Football Association, the world soccer authority better known as FIFA, ranked Russia’s national team #70 and labeled it a “worst mover.” -
"As you know, nothing in international relations lasts shorter than gratitude, and I would like to thank you once again for what you did in 2015, when you literally saved the Serbian people -- who were and are the people who suffered the most over the last century -- from the stigma of genocide, when you vetoed the British resolution in the U.N.”
The Serbs not only did not suffer “the most” from 20th Century conflict but it was the Serbian troops who massacred thousands during Bosnian war. Ten UN Security Council members voted for resolution recognizing these atrocities as an act of genocide. Russia vetoed the resolution. Serbs made up one-fourth of the deaths in the 1990’s Balkans conflicts. More than two-thirds of the killed were Bosnian Muslims. -
“Because during the Cold War there were channels of communication. And there was no obsession with Russophobia, which resembles genocide through sanctions."
The United Nations defines genocide as the deliberate destruction of a specific group, and lists five types of actions toward a specific group that qualify as genocidal. None of these apply to the financial and travel restrictions the United States imposed on Russian government officials and tycoons. -
"On February 3, while flying over the Idlib de-escalation zone for controlling ceasefire regime observance, [a] Russian Su-25 pair lead-aircraft was hit by a missile launched from a MANPAD.”
Experts have challenged the Russian Defense Ministry’s claim that the Su-25 shot down in Syria’s Idlib province was on a “ceasefire observance” mission, pointing to video footage showing that the Russian fighter jet launched an airstrike approximately 15 seconds before it was hit by a shoulder-fired missile. -
[This is] A dull student report about how we assaulted democracy in all countries at once. Boring, my friends. Wake me up in five years when they find nothing and reluctantly acknowledge that there was no Russian interference.
Evidence of Russian interference in the affairs of European countries through a variety of means has been well documented.