Avni Islami raises the alarm: From Banjska to the “Serbian World,” Belgrade is threatening the security of the Balkans

Security professor Avni Islami has warned that the policies and actions of Serbia’s leadership pose a serious risk to regional security. His assessment includes the attack in Banjska, the sabotage of the Ibër-Lepenc canal and the promotion of the concept of the “Serbian World.”

Islami also reacted to Milan Radoičić’s public appearance at an SNS rally and to statements by Aleksandar Vulin. According to him, these developments highlight political links that could contribute to the destabilization of the region.

According to the professor, developments in Serbia at the start of the election campaign should not be viewed merely as an internal power struggle. He considers them signs of a geopolitical agenda that could directly undermine the security of the Balkans.

From the perspective of national and strategic security, Islami describes the situation as evidence of a dangerous policy in which state sponsorship of terrorism is intertwined with the use of hybrid warfare.

He assesses that a full clarification of the circumstances surrounding Banjska, together with the sabotage attacks against critical infrastructure, including the Ibër-Lepenc canal, points to the existence of a clear state chain of command.

For Islami, Milan Radoičić’s appearance on the campaign trail in support of Vučić’s structures shows that the acts of aggression were not isolated actions. According to him, they were organized operations supported logistically and politically by the official authorities in Belgrade.

He also sees Aleksandar Vulin’s promotion of the platform known as the “Serbian World” as part of the same picture. In his assessment, this platform constitutes an open call for changing borders and undermining the sovereignty of neighboring states where Serbian communities live.

Islami describes this concept as a hegemonic doctrine and an instrument of hybrid warfare aimed at encouraging separatism and internal destabilization in the region.

Meanwhile, Vulin’s statements about Serbia’s ultimate orientation toward Russia, according to Islami, demonstrate Belgrade’s intention to serve as a satellite and a bridge for expanding Moscow’s influence into the heart of the Balkans. He warns that such a strategic alliance increases the risk of espionage, cyberattacks and possible military provocations.

Under these circumstances, when Serbia’s state structures are, in his view, openly aligning themselves with perpetrators of violence and radical doctrines, our security institutions must strengthen operational vigilance. Islami also calls for every step to be coordinated with the strategic allies, NATO, the United States and the European Union, as regional security is facing a serious challenge.