Russian Foreign Intelligence Service: Unrest in Serbia Result of Subversive EU Activity, Goal Gov’t Loyal to Brussels

Protest in Belgrade on March 15 (BETAPHOTO/EMIL VAS)

On Sept. 15, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused the European Union and its member states of being behind the protests in Serbia in the desire to bring to power a compliant leadership loyal to Brussels by focusing on "brainwashing" youth through media outlets financed from Brussels.

In a post on its website, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service said that the unrest in Serbia, "with active participation by young people," was largely the result of "subversive activity" by the EU and its members. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service went on to say that the goal of the "liberal European mainstream" was to have a compliant leadership loyal to Brussels in the Balkans' largest country.

The agency, in charge of activities outside Russia, also stated that "Euro elites must be credited" with pulling off a lot -- the radicalization of youth turning from peaceful protests to revolutionary methods and violence, commenting too that the "color revolution scenario" that the West had successfully "tested" in many countries was not yielding the expected results in Serbia.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service also claims that "Euro elites" intend to use the anniversary of the "tragic events" in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, 2024 -- the trigger for large-scale protests, to "turn the situation to their advantage."

According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, "the focus is on brainwashing Serbian youth and promoting a so-called bright European future." The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service listed Serbian news outlets that according to its information received significant financial assistance through non-governmental organizations with ties to Brussels as FoNet, RAM, Vreme, Juzne Vesti, Slobodna Rec, Boom93, Podrinske, FreeMedia, SOinfo, FAR, Storyteller and the Link NGO.

The statement also reads that Brussels expects "pumping financing" into media outlets and NGOs to mobilize voters, get people out into the streets and end the "Serbian Maidan" in a "much-tested scenario."