Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić has said that Serbia under President Aleksandar Vučić was the biggest source of instability in Southeast Europe, arguing that the country’s new government must distance itself from the Greater Serbia policies associated with the 1990s.
“In the interest of peace and stability, the new Serbian government, which has yet to be formed, must distance itself from Aleksandar Vučić’s Greater Serbia policy, or rather from the policy of Slobodan Milošević in the 1990s,” Anušić said during a visit to the United States, according to a statement from Croatia’s Ministry of Defence.
Speaking at Harvard University during an address on security in Southeast Europe, Anušić described Serbia under Vučić’s leadership as “the biggest source of instability in Southeast Europe”.
The Croatian defence minister also highlighted the role of Croatia and the United States as factors contributing to regional stability, particularly emphasising the importance of the American presence in NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.
“For Croatia, the stability of Southeast Europe is a matter of national interest, particularly the preservation of stability and peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is crucial for the security of our entire neighbourhood,” Anušić said.
Anušić is on a two-day visit to Harvard University’s Institute of Politics at the invitation of Natalie E. Reyes, a former US ambassador to Croatia.
His remarks come amid political changes in Serbia and renewed discussions about the future direction of the country’s foreign and regional policies.
