Russian woman is a “security risk”
Serbia expels Putin critic
February 5, 2024, 10:03 p.m
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Even after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Serbia maintains close relations with the Kremlin. At the same time, many Russian Putin critics also live in the country. The government in Belgrade repeatedly takes action against them. Now it hits a translator who has spoken out against the war.
Serbia continues to take action against politically undesirable foreigners. The Russian Elena Koposova, who has been living in Serbia for four years, has to leave the country within 30 days, as she and Serbian human rights activists announced. Her application for permanent residence in Serbia was rejected. Serbia’s Interior Ministry informed Koposowa that she posed a security risk.
The Russian is a translator by profession. In March 2022, she co-signed a call for a demonstration against the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in Belgrade. “This decision is the latest in a series of measures recently taken by the Interior Ministry (Serbia),” wrote the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCBP), which is supported by Western sponsors.
In July 2023, Russian peace activist Pyotr Nikitin was detained for two days at Belgrade airport while attempting to enter the country, but was allowed to enter after public criticism. A month later, Belgrade denied entry to former Montenegrin deputy prime minister Jovana Marovic on the grounds that she “endangered the security of Serbia and its citizens.” Marovic, a critic of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, represents pro-European positions.
The Belgrade Center for Security Policy suspects that this harassment is due to the continued influence of the former director of the Serbian secret service BIA, Aleksandar Vulin. Vulin is considered a loyal follower of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. He maintains good relations with Moscow, while Vucic wants to give the impression that he is navigating between the West and Russia. In November 2023, Vulin resigned as BIA boss. In July 2023, the USA put him on the sanctions list.