Igor M.

Journalist | Researcher : Geopolitics & History — Balkans & Eastern Europe. Polyglot. @IFGeopolitique

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

The commemorative plaque dedicated to Serbian and Jewish victims of the Ustaša concentration camps at Slana and Metajna on the island of Pag, unveiled in June, was destroyed this week.

It is the fourth such plaque to be destroyed since 1991.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Last night, on the main street of North Mitrovica—whose population is 92% Serb—Albanians from the south put on a boisterous celebration.

Could Serbs do the same in Priština/Prizren where thousands of them used to live?

They would, at best, get arrested.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Ukraine and Serbia face analogous situations.

If Kiev were to recognise Kosovo*, it would significantly weaken any principled argument against accepting the secession of Donbas.

Moreover, Serbia continues to produce ammunition that is used by Ukrainian forces.

[Dietmar Pichler @DietmarPichler1]

Heartbreaking to watch this, especially when we look at the recent meeting between President Zelensky and Vučić. There are not many countries in Europe (and yes, I recognize Kosovo as a country) that are so supportive of the struggle of Ukrainians against imperialist Russia. The big "Free Ukraine" banner in the center of Pristina is only one sign of it.

I had the chance to speak at a very high level in Kosovo about Russian propaganda and interference, also connected to its local partner in the Balkans, Serbia, which, for instance, hosts RT and Sputnik, among others. In Serbia, pro-Russian sentiment is widespread, as are propaganda narratives about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I myself saw such slogans, also after 2014. They even sell "Putin magnets" in souvenir stores.

Kosovo, on the other hand, has a population with a majority sharing pro-NATO and pro-EU views, while the situation is almost the complete opposite in Serbia.

Serbia is also a destabilizing force in the Balkans and sometimes shows no support for pro-Ukrainian resolutions at the UN level, for instance after the annexation of Crimea. Serbia also does not support sanctions against Russia, while Kosovo does support them.

Serbia was invited to the Ukraine-Southeastern Europe Summit in Odesa (while Kosovo wasn't), and then Vučić did not even sign the joint statement. He was the only participant who did not sign it.
https://t.co/zHy2bpKFoi

I myself, as an Austrian, was ashamed for many years that the EU, and Austria in particular, was so hesitant to help Ukraine and welcome its EU integration, while so much effort was put into friendly relations with Russia. Why ignore a friend and supporter while appeasing, yes, almost subjugating ourselves to an enemy?

The reason was obviously that they thought that if we embraced our enemy enough, it would turn into a friend, but that never happened. They did it because they considered Russia more powerful and important than Ukraine.

Now, some could argue that Serbia is more powerful and important than Kosovo, but Kosovo is a friend of the democratic world. Serbia, unfortunately, is not.

[Душан Дачић @Duyo96]

Tearing down the Ukrainian flag in Pristina after @ZelenskyyUa principled statement on Kosovo-Metohija province in Belgrade is a prime example of a childish behavior often seen amongst Bosniak and Albanian online communities.

This behavior has been regularly disregarded by Balkan experts™ and its core consists of the profound belief that the support from the Western states/elites/societies/individuals (or any other interested party) towards their nationalist goals (no matter how much those goals remain concealed beneath layers of the so-called Western values ​​and terminology appealing to them) is an ultimate form of valor and value based behavior with no self-interest, while support for Serbian goals (often shown in stark contrast) even in meager form is an expression of self-interested acts without any higher value.

This is the result of decades long media intoxication and it has permanently exposed mentioned online communities to the state of uncritical re-examination, such as one exposed here in the form of the one's own reasons for supporting Ukraine.

The expectation of a "reward" for such "support" becomes apparent when that reward fails to materialize, even in a case trivial such as one that occurred in Belgrade. Thus, the question of a "value based" motive for support is undermined.

Also, jokes on me for quoting a tweet from a engagement bait profile such as kos_data.

[Душан Дачић @Duyo96]

Now, you may remember this meme and the persona behind one of the characters, but I've checked what our ex-expert @KubaBielamowicz is doing these days.

He was one of prominent Kurti-aligned Twitter accounts with the "irrelevant breaking news" style of tweets, which flooded the space some years ago. That's "Gheg-Goebbels" Admirim style of tweets, which phenomenon I called "The Admirimization of Twitter" back in the day.

Alas, Twitter/X eventually changed the algorithm, thus making this style of engagement mostly obsolete and while other character evolved, Jakub did not.

It looks like his days of Balkan expertise™ have ended abruptly, since he deleted all of his posts and is now pursuing a career in Digital Assets and AI, I guess.

So, that last dash on my JAKUB meme really did age like fine wine.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Meanwhile, in downtown Priština:

[Clash Report @clashreport]

Reporter: Can Serbia still count on Ukraine’s position regarding the non-recognition of Kosovo’s declared independence?

Zelensky: We respect the territorial integrity of our partners. We respect international law.

Therefore, our position regarding what you mentioned—the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence—remains unchanged.

Likewise, we are grateful to our partners for respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, including, of course, that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.

Serbia’s position on this also remains unchanged.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Ursula would be proud 🥴

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Remarkable illustration of the EU’s cherished values as thousands of Croat chauvinists march through Knin celebrating the ethnic cleansing of Dalmatia's Serbian population, while openly intimidating the few who remain.

Nazi salutes complete the picture.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

As is typical of Turkish nationalists, the claim is a complete falsehood.

The notion of Enver charging “with a naked sabre” is untenable.

He fled in panic, barefoot and in his undergarments. See the memoirs of Commander Melkumov.

[Conflict @ConflictTR]

Hürriyet kahramanı Enver Paşa, 104 yıl önce bugün Kızıl Ordu mitralyözlerinin üzerine yalın kılıç koşarken şehit düştü.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Remarkable illustration of the EU’s cherished values as thousands of Croat chauvinists march through Knin celebrating the ethnic cleansing of Dalmatia's Serbian population, while openly intimidating the few who remain.

Nazi salutes complete the picture.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Nevenka Rajić (11), Žarko Rajić (9) and Darko Vuković (13), killed on 7 August 1995 during the bombing of a column of Serbian refugees by those whom Picula refers to as "Croatian defenders" .

He happens to be the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur for Serbia, btw.

[Tonino Picula @TPicula]

Dan pobjede i domovinske zahvalnosti te Dan hrvatskih branitelja sjećanje su na nemjerljivu cijenu života u slobodi. Operacija Oluja bila je prijelomni trenutak Domovinskog rata, a žrtva hrvatskih branitelja i stradanja civilnog stanovništva obvezuju nas da čuvamo mir, demokraciju i slobodu. 🇭🇷

[Mirko Radoš @frankblack2000]

1/3 The Sarajevo safari story wasn’t believed because it was credible it was believed because Western media spent almost 40 years demonising and Nazifying the Serbs - building a lens through which any (idiotic) accusation about the Serbs feels instantly true.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

The term "Serbian occupation" is not used in any official descriptions of the film.

It primarily appears in ethnonationalist Albanian social media commentary such as this one, for the simple reason that Kosovo has never been occupied by Serbia.

[Admirim @admirim]

🇽🇰 Kosovo selects "Dua," a film about a 13-year-old girl coming of age under Serbian occupation, as its official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 2027 Oscars.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Under Albania’s communist regime, Serb-Montenegrins were forbidden from using Serbian names, especially family names with the traditional Serbian suffix.

After the 1981 Kosovo protests, Serbs in Albania faced increased harassment and pressure to leave.

[Muhamet Hajrullahu @MetiHajrullahu]

Kuptimi i hapjes së një Konsullate të Përgjithshme të Shqipërisë në Bujanoc është i qartë: në Luginën e Preshevës (Preshevë, Bujanoc e Medvegjë) jetojnë shqiptarë që kanë nevojë për mbështetje institucionale dhe konsullore. Shqipëria ka njoftuar se synon ta hapë këtë konsullatë, ndërsa Serbia ka shprehur gatishmëri për reciprocitet.

Por çfarë nevoje ka Serbia për një konsullatë në Shkodër? Atje ka shumë pak, ose pothuajse fare, serbë apo malazezë.

Nëse kjo çështje reduktohet në një lojë politike të reciprocitetit, atëherë më mirë të mos hapet as në Bujanoc e pa ndonjë efekt.

Shqiptarët e Luginës nuk kanë nevojë vetëm për deklarata politike. Ata kanë nevojë për mbështetje konkrete: investime, ndihmë financiare, mbështetje arsimore e kulturore, si dhe një zë shumë më të fuqishëm të Tiranës zyrtare kundër pasivizimit të adresave dhe praktikave që shumë organizata i konsiderojnë si forma të spastrimit administrativ të shqiptarëve nga regjistrat civilë në Serbi.

Më pak simbolikë politike, më shumë veprime konkrete.

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Note that she carefully removed her previous profile description that presented her as a "genocide scholar".

[Arnesa Buljušmić-Kustura @arnesa_kustura]

I am, in fact, a much better person than you simply because I am not a genocidal maniac that worship genocidal leaders and celebrates genocides. Serbs can cry all they want in my mentions, I don’t care about your feelings.

[Никола Танасић @nikolatanasic]

Name a bigger downgrade

[Saša Radulović @SasaRadulovich]

"Најважније је да се грађани који су против власти не заведу да гласају за неке друге опозиционе колоне и листе, што би био излаз за власт. Људи треба да буду разборити и да не наседну на приче појединих медија и аналитичара, како тобоже постоји бирачко тело које неће гласати ако не изађу и опозиционе листе, чиме они јасно плаше народ.

Начин да се ова власт спаси јесте да се ојача опозиција науштрб студентског покрета, не би ли тако узела неки проценат од студената, и то је заправо једина карта преостала овој власти"

https://t.co/bmDslUosMh

[Outdoor In @IbarskiKolasin]

Back in 2013,with EU support,we built the first public beach on Gazivode Lake. Today, 13 years later, Ibar-Lepenac and the🇽🇰Police arrived with bulldozers to demolish it. We're truly ashamed of their evilness, and proud to promote love and progress instead of hate and destruction

[Марко Јакшић @jaksicmarko]

На снимку нису само мој стриц и брат и њихов хотел, на слици су сви Срби на Косову данас.
Сами. Утучени. Скрхкани.
Остављени од свих, док им се руши прошлост и уништава будућност.
Без разумевања међународне заједнице али и подршке оних који би морали увек да их бране, своје Србије.

Био сам данас са њима, иако нисам успео да им помогнем уз сав правно-политичко-дипломатски труд претходних 15 дана, да заједно поделимо заједничку несрећу, али сам имао и да им кажем “срећне вам ране јунаци, са поносом да их носите!”

[Igor M. @igorinparis]

Comptez-vous également vous exprimer sur la destruction illégale de propriétés serbes par les autorités albano-kosovares alors que les procédures judiciaires sont pourtant toujours en cours ?

[Benjamin Haddad @benjaminhaddad]

Magnifique visite du monastère orthodoxe de Gracanica, haut-lieu de la culture et de l’histoire des Serbes du Kosovo, qui illustre le caractère multi-ethnique du pays.

[Saša Radulović @SasaRadulovich]

Тихо уништење српских државних и националних интереса на Косову и Метохији се наставља. Ова власт изгледа "кува жабу" у име и за рачун ЕУ и "НВО хидре". Жаба је српски народ. Кувају га "медији" и громогласна тишина о ономе шта се дешава на Косову и Метохији заслугом "мудре" политике ове власти.

И поред свих страних снага на КиМ и политике ЕУ која је изразито анти-српска, власт има све полуге и начине да спречи да се ово деси. Власт има све полуге и начине потребне да извади из затвора све наше невине људе који седе по затворима квази-власти из Приштине и да спречи да било ко невин буде ухапшен. А то не ради. Већ ћути и за то ћутање добија пуну подршку ЕУ. Не, не подржава ЕУ студенте и не подржава "НВО хидра" студенте. ЕУ и "НВО хидра" подржавају ову власт и њену верну пратиљу про-ЕУ опозицију.

Срамота је подржавати ову и овакву власт. Њу као да не воде Срби, јер уништава све државне и националне интересе српског народа. Срамота је проналазити "оправдања" за ову катастрофалну, поданичку политику власти. Срамота је нападати студенте, а ћутати о овоме. Срамота и пред прецима и пред будућим нараштајима.

А ако нисте Србин или Српкиња, ако то не осећате у срцу, у венама, у души, онда ништа. извињавам вас се што сте случајно прочитали овај текст. Није била моја намера. А за убудуће, блокирајте овај налог, тако ћете најлаше спречити да вам се икада овакав текст појави поново.

Ако јесте Србин или Српкиња, посебно ако још увек подржавате ову власт, ставите прст на чело. Власт нас све ове године лаже да штити државне и националне интересе. Како да знате да лаже? Па погледајте само како смо од бусања у груди преко медија са "не дам Газиводе" стигли до тога да не можемо ни да посећујемо нашу културну баштину на КиМ без приштинског "водича". А следећи су просвета и здравство. Не дозволите да вас власт више прави будалама. Будите достојни ваших предака.