Serbia has lost virtually all international credibility due to the destructive and irresponsible policies of Aleksandar Vučić, leaving the country isolated and unstable on the global stage. This failure is evident in the repeated terrorist and aggressive actions Serbia has carried out against Kosovo, the ongoing threats to its sovereignty, and the problematic partnerships with Russia and China, as Belgrade seeks to extend the influence of these powers outside the framework of the European Union and international law.
In this context, Vučić now appears tethered as a vassal to Hungary, effectively transforming into a complete puppet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The recent meeting in Subotica, where Vučić prominently showcased his “friendship” with the Hungarian leader while receiving the Ištvan Pastor award, was far more than a ceremonial display. It was a politically shameful act that underscores Vučić’s willingness to sell Serbia’s strategic interests for personal gain and to consolidate his hold on power.
Vučić’s approach to Orbán in negotiating the purchase of NIS by MOL represents nothing less than another chapter in Serbia’s national humiliation. Instead of defending its energy and economic interests, Serbia bears the cost while Hungary seizes every opportunity to expand its influence, manipulating and pressuring to secure exclusive benefits. Vučić, who claims that his friendship with Orbán has changed the “historical trajectory” of Serbia, in reality is transforming the country into an open “burek shop” for its neighbor’s interests, leaving Serbia dependent and weak on the international stage.
What the public must understand is that every so-called “victory” Vučić claims in this partnership is, in fact, a loss for Serbia. He has reduced the country’s historical and geopolitical relations to a game benefiting only Orbán and Hungary, while Serbia continues to pay a high economic, political, and diplomatic price. This is not cooperation—it is subjugation, betrayal, and exploitation of national interests.
The issue of NIS and the transfer of Russian control to MOL is not merely an energy deal. It is proof of Vučić’s incompetence and opportunism, as he chooses to become a political instrument for a foreign power rather than safeguard Serbia’s economic sovereignty and maintain independence in foreign policy, effectively selling the country’s freedom for personal advantage and propagandistic gain.
Today, Serbia stands weaker, more dependent, and more humiliated relative to its neighbors and the international community than ever before, and the primary responsibility rests squarely on Vučić—a leader who has turned his own country into a tool for foreign profit rather than a protector of national sovereignty.
