The Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, as a voluntary, independent and non-partisan association of citizens founded 25 years ago, has publicly expressed its opinions and positions on important social issues on many occasions. According to the Forum’s assessment today, these issues are:
The necessity of peacefully overcoming all divisions, distrust and socio-political crises by uprooting their causes and by confidence building measures stabilizing society and its development.
The top priority is safeguarding of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and resolving the issue of the Province of Kosovo and Metohija in accordance with the Constitution of Serbia, the basic principles of international relations and UNSC Resolution 1244.
EU membership remains an option presuming EU respect of international law, UNSC Resolution 1244 and the Constitution of Serbia in its relationship with Serbia, in other words, if the EU respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia as an old European state, victorious in two world wars, within which Kosovo and Metohija has the status of an autonomous province;
Serbia’s initiative is needed to put on the agenda of the UNSC the issue of implementation of all unimplemented provisions of UNSC Resolution 1244, and in particular: guaranteeing equal security and other fundamental human rights of Serbs, inviolability of state, social, private and personal property, return of the agreed contingents of the Serbian army and police to Kosovo and Metohija;
Maintain continuous intensive diplomatic activities aimed at annihilation of recognitions of illegal secession of Kosovo and Metohija, especially in cases of hasty recognitions adopted under clear external pressure;
Serbia should not accept strategic partnerships with countries or integrations that are against Serbia’s strategic interests, that is, against its sovereignty and territorial integrity. True partnerships may be sustainable only when partners mutually respect the principle of equality and reciprocity of interests;
Unambiguously and formally, before the competent international bodies, raise the issue of exercising the right to free, safe and dignified return, life and work of the expelled 250,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians to their homes and properties in the Province of Kosovo and Metohija. If someone disagrees, this must not be a reason for Serbia to give up or become passive;
As a state that resolutely and unwaveringly defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, it is necessary that Serbia declare null and void all documents, agreements under pressure, changes on the ground and all individual acts that are contrary to the Constitution of Serbia, the principles of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1244, from the moment of their enaction;
Serbia should intensify all activities that contribute to the mobilization of international support for respect and consistent implementation of the Dayton-Paris Agreement (1995), on the peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a lasting international legal document, the return of the seized competencies of the RS and the its protection as an equal entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with all original competencies, as well as with the right to special parallel relations with Serbia.
Serbia should support the initiative to abolish the office of High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, instituted 30 years ago, whose powers represent an expression of hegemonic, neo-colonial relations and a denial of the constitutional system of a member state of the UN, OSCE and other international organizations;
Good neighborliness and full openness to mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries and integrations that accept Serbia as an equal partner, with special appreciation of the countries traditional friends, allies and supporters to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia;
Serbia should reinforce a principled and consistent foreign policy, avoiding any illusions, twists or unrealistic interpretations of the essence and directions of unprecedented global changes. Affirm and elevate to the level of a constitutional principle, the strategy of active neutrality, a policy of balanced relations with all global factors, and especially with countries that support the vital interests of Serbia and cooperation, without preconditions;
Serbia has always been among the countries that struggle for peace, freedom, truth, law and justice, against aggression, expansionism, (neo)colonialism, revision of history, power politics and domination of the minority over the majority. Such historical experiences, including criminal NATO aggression in 1999, make part and parcel of the international identity of Serbia, which must be preserved as a pledge of independence and high international reputation of Serbia. Therefore, in the era of the most profound changes in the world – Serbia should be part of the global majority of humanity in which BRICS plus has a leading role as a factor in building a new, more just, multipolar, democratic world order, without domination and hegemonism;
Equality, national, cultural and spiritual identity of parts of the Serbian nation outside Serbia, Serbian diaspora remains Serbia’s long-term priority of growing importance. Strengthening mutual trust, togetherness and cooperation between the Serbian motherland and the Serbian diaspora – in the cultural, educational, economic, spiritual, humanitarian, informational and other fields is for the future of the Serbian people and Serbia;
It is necessary to reaffirm the traditional values of marriage, family, morality, solidarity, humanism and non-violence. Building of a truly humane and moral system of values requires, among other things: deeper changes in the education and upbringing system; in the responsibility and role of the mass media; revision of laws mostly passed under the tide of neoliberal ideologies that are not in harmony with the enduring values of Serbian culture and civilization and that do not enjoy the support of citizens;
It is necessary to strive to a more balanced structure of the country’s economic interests on the international level so that the country does not become too economically or financially overdependent of any one party.
Given the present disagreements, divisions and high tensions in society, it is necessary to declare a moratorium on concessions in the field of strategic minerals, agricultural and construction land, water and other national natural resources. The rush for short-term effects or healthy arrangements of unforeseeable risks must not overweigh necessity of a studious long-term, strategic approach;
In an atmosphere of excessive worship of foreign investments, donations, advisors, foreign values in general, we must ask ourselves – what a place in Serbia’s development strategy does play the policy of relying on domestic potentials, knowledge, intelligence – on human, natural, scientific potential – in industry, food production, strategic minerals, energy?
Serbia is certainly not threatened by the danger of autarchy, but the question is how aware are we of the consequences of the neocolonial risks, over-indebtedness and where this may lead us in the conditions of the deepening crisis of the neoliberal corporate system, the inevitable economic recession in Europe, and the growing danger of militarization and global conflict?
Resolute resistance and public condemnation of any foreign interference in the internal affairs and foreign policy of Serbia is necessary. It is unacceptable to remain silent about the blatant interference of certain Western countries in domestic and foreign policy, including interference in Serbia’s relations with third countries;
It is necessary to get rid of the tendency to appoint unqualified people to important state and other public positions, as well as people who publicly advocate positions contrary to official state policy. This causes great damage to the building of national trust and consensus, consistent functioning of the state system, the credibility and principledness of decision-makers.
It is necessary to stop the practice of privileging and financing from the budget, i.e. at the expense of Serbia’s citizens, the so-called NGOs that promote the interests of foreign countries and policies contrary to our national interests, i.e. the will of the citizens of Serbia. Considering the assessments of Serbia’s high officials that, the practice of interference by certain Western countries in the internal affairs of Serbia is spreading, through some NGOs, and that even activities aimed at destabilizing country are being channeled, through certain NGO, it is necessary to review the appropriate legal solutions and discontinue the current practice of of privileging and financing some NGOs that act as agents of foreign interests.
[Belgrade, January 30, 2025.]
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