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| Times, Dec. 1, 2014; Vincent L. Morelli, Serbia Background and US. Relations Congressional Research Service, Oct. 16, 2017. In January 2017, Serbia and Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a natural gas line between the cities of Sofia and Nis, contributing to regional efforts to diversify energy supplies away from Moscow. Bulgaria, Serbia Agree to Work on Pipeline to Cut Reliance on Russian Gas Reuters, Jan. 19, 2017. Joe Parkinson & Georgi Kantchev, Document Russia Uses Rigged Polls, Fake News to Sway Foreign Elections The Wall Street Journal, Mar. 23, 2017. In addition, Reshetnikov was sanctioned by the United States in December 2016 for his role in a bank that financed the government of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. Ibid. 482 The Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies, Eyes Wide Shut Strengthening of Russian Soft Power in Serbia Goals, Instruments, and Effects, May 2016 (citing ‘‘Soft Power of Russia in Serbia—Possibilities and Perspectives, NSPM Nova Srpska Politicka Misao], Dec. 15, 2014 (in Serbian. lence, or intimidation, the ability of the country to significantly counter Russian propaganda may not be possible. The government of Serbia has an important role to play in fostering an environment where press freedom can thrive. Russia also exerts considerable influence through Serbia’s energy sector. In 2014, Russia provided 40 percent of the natural gas consumed in Serbia, and, in December 2017, Serbia’s state-owned natural gas company, Srbijagas, announced that it would increase imports from Gazprom by 33 percent in 2018. 477 Russia’s energy dominance also extends to Serbia’s domestic oil, where Gazprom has majority ownership of the national oil company. 478 While the cancellation of the South Stream project (see Chapter 4) caught Serbia and other countries in the region by surprise, there are indications that Serbia could be invited to participate in its replacement, Turkish Stream, Russia’s proposed pipeline deal with Tur- key. 479 While the EU and United States are working with Belgrade to diversify its energy resources through projects like the Bulgaria- Serbia Interconnector, Serbia’s viable short-term diversification options remain limited. 480 Russia is able to engage with the citizens of Serbia through cultural institutions, including the Orthodox Church, civil society associations, and under the guise of humanitarian assistance. Leonid Reshetnikov, a retired lieutenant general in the Russian intelligence service SVR and then director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, spoke at a 2015 conference in Serbia entitled Balkan Dialogue—Russia’s Soft Power in Serbia Reshetnikov has been described by former senior government officials in the Balkans as a propaganda fist and the right hand of Mr. Putin in their countries. 481 He commented on the roots of the orthodox bond between Serbia and Russia We have forgotten that we area civilization that is anal- ternative to the Anglo-Saxon civilization. Our mission is to carry our civilization into the world and to propose our view. Our soft power is to be loyal to the principles of the Orthodox civilization. That is the idea we should have in mind when we talk about the influence of Russia. Why do Serbs and Russians so easily find a common language Because we have the same root, we easily find a common language with the Serbs. 482 VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:06 Jan 09, 2018 Jkt PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 S:\FULL COMMITTEE\HEARING FILES\COMMITTEE PRINT 2018\HENRY\JAN. 9 REPORT FOREI-42327 with DISTILLER 85 483 See Ibid. at 71-73. 484 Ibid. at 82-99. 485 Ibid. at 84. For more on Nashi, see Chapter 2. 486 Ibid. 487 Ibid. at 88-89. 488 Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center, About http://en.ihc.rs/about (visited Dec. 19, 2017). US General Russian Center in Serbia is Not Humanitarian In Serbia Today, Nov. 16, 2017. Lt. Gen. Hodges retired in December 2017. Statement of Hoyt Brian Yee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, US. Department of State, Southeast Europe Strengthening Democracy and Coun- Download 0.63 Mb. Share with your friends:
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