The most open conflict of opinions, stances, and geopolitical interests on the media scene in Serbia, and more broadly in Republika Srpska, and to a much lesser extent in Montenegro, began on February 24, 2022, when Russia announced the start of the Special Military Operation (SVO). At the same time as experts who presented the situation regarding the Ukrainian conflict returned to the scene, the media were flooded with a wave of NATO lobbyists whose task was to aggressively support the Ukrainian side.
NATO lobbyist deluge
The confrontation of views, or rather, an attempt by one side to discredit and undermine the arguments of the other, whose objectivity could not be criticized, had its own subtext—a legion of commentators was engaged to follow YouTube shows, articles, and analyses published on websites and social networks. Television programs, usually broadcast live, are sometimes regularly and sometimes less regularly uploaded to YouTube. This is often the case with YouTube channels, some of which are very popular and have a large number of views. Comments under these shows often turn into debates, can be liked, and those with the most likes are at the top of the list. Over time, it became evident that organized bot teams were tirelessly operating on this platform. In this context, it is worth noting that public opinion in Serbia and Serbian territories (Republika Srpska, and even Montenegro), which traditionally harbors sympathy for Russia and the Russian people, encompasses approximately 90% of the population, in any case, not less than 80%. This statistic has been mirrored in the comments over the years where Russia is the topic, with NATO sympathies reflected in only 10 to a maximum of 20% of all Serbian citizens (including national minorities).
If it doesn’t exist in Zagreb, it exists in Belgrade
With the onset of the military conflict in Ukraine, relatively free representation of experts and analysts (of whom only a part included so-called “pro-NATO lobbyists”) was allowed in highly influential media. This fact caught the attention of a broader region, in fact, the entire South Slavic area (including even Bulgaria). Official Croatia found itself in a particularly delicate situation. As a NATO member and a Catholic country, Croatia showed less sympathy and understanding towards the Russian side in the conflict. Specifically, the Croatian state leadership, along with the most significant part of the political and social elite, supported aid to Ukraine and practically positioned itself as an allied side in this conflict. To maintain the enthusiasm for sending aid and adhering to this political course in relation to domestic public opinion, the media promoted the narrative of a certain Ukrainian victory, supported by NATO and extensive Western assistance. The stakes in this advocacy game included analysts who often appeared in leading Croatian media—from former Defense Minister General Ante Kotromanović, retired General Slavko Barić, to Professor Robert Barić of the Faculty of Political Science for Security, former Foreign Minister Miro Kovač, and others. However, a significant part of the Croatian public wanted to follow the analyses of Serbian experts on the same topic, revealing a huge difference in the perception of the situation and further forecasts of developments on the front.
(New) Croatian stormtroopers
At that point, a good portion of pro-Ukrainian commentators from Croatia engaged in confronting the Serbian side on Serbian YouTube channels, portals, and websites. The attempts to discredit Serbian experts who predicted Russia’s success became increasingly aggressive and vulgar. It became evident that part of the media warriors involved in commenting on the Ukrainian conflict in Serbian territories had acquired their “accomplices” from Croatia and even the Bosnian Federation, who, through a massive number of comments, promoted the Ukrainian and NATO side. The comments were written through fake accounts with Serbian names and in Cyrillic, mimicking the Ekavian dialect, or more often in authentic Croatian dialect with pseudonyms that somewhat hinted at the national identity and origin of the comment author. The comments invariably supported the pro-NATO analysts present in Serbian media. Whether this was the work of some ultraright NGOs financed by NATO and Western branches, or if Croatian intelligence was behind it, is hard to say definitively. There are indications that in some cases, there are elements of both.
Strange mathematics
In Serbian territories, entire “Soros teams,” along with representatives and activists of the so-called Other Serbia, joined this confrontation—of course, with appropriate financial compensation. Considering the insignificant sympathy that NATO and the Ukrainian coup government enjoy in Serbian territories, it is likely that sponsors, financial and logistical, are various pro-NATO and pro-Western structures. These assumptions are grounded in facts. For example, before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the approximate ratio of comments and support for the pro-NATO option in Serbian territories was one to ten. This is evidenced by comments, likes, and views on YouTube appearances of Darko Trifunović, Darko Obradović, and other pro-NATO experts.
However, with the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, a new set of pro-NATO analysts in the media emerged overnight, with very thin expertise and presentation quality, as discussed in my previous articles. Their shortcomings were compensated by the large space allocated to them in the media and sometimes even by monopoly. To this, one must add the logistical support of organized bot teams from Croatia, the Muslim-Croat part of the Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Soros-funded Other Serbia circles in Serbian territories.
A lawsuit in the sleeve
The most conspicuous activity of bot commentators from Croatia and Soros circles in Serbian territories was on the YouTube channels of Kurir Television and KTV Zrenjanin. Many televisions blocked the ability to post comments under their YouTube channels where already broadcast television programs were uploaded. It also happened that YouTube channels of televisions were occasionally or permanently shut down due to organized lawsuits and pressures from bot teams. This was the case with Television Vesti, and even the show “Aktuelnosti” broadcast on Happy Television, which was eventually restored or temporarily operated on the Odysee platform. Sputnik Serbia was also targeted, with its YouTube channel periodically blocked due to organized YouTube lawsuits and similar provocations.
Despite these repressive measures, the viewership of these shows remained high. Interestingly, the very popular TV Informer, concerning the topic of the Ukrainian conflict and international relations, faced similar problems. On several occasions and under various pretexts, this TV station’s access to YouTube was blocked. The explanations varied—from lawsuits, even individual ones, for unauthorized use of music and footage from private collections to organized mass lawsuits by bot teams with explanations of disturbing public opinion, violating the interests of certain national groups, and so on.
NDH or Russia — The treatment is the same
Similarly, the Croatian diaspora, with probable support from Croatian and perhaps pro-NATO services, has been blocking YouTube shows for years where Croatian Ustaše and the genocide committed against Serbs in the NDH are discussed.
Thus, the paradox is that in Serbian territories, bot teams from Croatia, the Muslim-Croat part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as individually from other anti-Serbian environments in the Balkans (Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija, etc.), who use a common Serbo-Croatian language, as well as bot teams of Soros supporters and other subsidized Other Serbia groups, are operating together in comments and logistics. This is likely connected not only to a shared value system in the form of support for NATO geopolitics but also to funding from the same centers of power.
To be continued…
