Socrates

Serbia voted for freezing Russia's membership in organisation for human rights UNOHCR. It was natural consequence of continuously violation of them in Russia where opposition politicians get poisoned, people jailed for holding banner against war and journalists could end up in long time prison if they report something which Putin doesn't like. Destroying cities in Ukraine, alleged massacre in town of Butcha, hijacking kids from orphan institutions etc... just add more reasons for that move.

I was happy to see that and hoped it means turning of policy in our country, but soon after president talked on television it was enforced move by west who blackmailed us with forbidding oil import if we don't vote like that. There is some decision in EU that countries whose oil industry is more than 50% in Russians ownership can't import Russian oil over EU. Only country which satisfies this condition is Serbia where NIS is in Russian hands with more than 50%. EU should decide to make exception and let Serbia import it. They then said if you vote like we want we will make this decision important for you. That is how they moved this government from barbarism to civilization. That was big disappointment for me. Why do they need to use such means to make us make right decision ? Is it that hard to stand on side of civilization against barbarism ?

That lead me to philosophical question on which each one of us should answer honestly. Question is "Would you rather live in very big country where you have no freedom and human rights and live on the edge of existence because ruling tyranny wants you to have only to eat and drink and nothing more while people in charge swim in luxury or you might prefer to live in smaller country where you have freedom, human rights and live life of normal person ?"

My answer is resolutely and decisive wish to live in smaller country with human rights. Thus I don't look at Kosovo like land I must have inside my borders or if not I cease to exist. Isn't river Marica for centuries in Bulgaria and wasn't battle of Marica in 1371 where we lost big state more significant loss than battle on Kosovo in 1389 ? Did we exist in last few centuries without it ? Yes we did! Did we exist before 1912 and liberation of Kosovo ? Yes we did! You stop existing only if you lose your people and stubborn defending virtual sovereignty over Kosovo only lead to lower life standard and people leaving country in search for better life elsewhere...

If big democratic powers from free world decided it should be state we should accept it no matter how big non justice we think that is and go forward in future, develop our country, make better life standard. Big powers decide about borders, they always did and always will. We have great relationship with Albania, 50,000 of people from our country went there on summer holiday last year and didn't have any problems. Why can't we have such relations with Kosovo ?

If we are free and with high standard country everyone around would like to join their country with us, if we are dark dungeon without human rights where people live bad of course everyone would love to separate and escape from us. If we confront with big powers of free world because of territory Milosevic lost in 1999 for foggy support of our territorial integrity coming from non free powers like China or Russia we're just risking to become dark dungeon under sanctions and losing more of our territory and having worse life standard which is main trigger for more separatism.

In short it's nice to be on side of civilization against barbarism, but it's sad you must be forced to be there.