Translated by Ollie Richardson

20:45:31
11/04/2017

tass.ru

The Republican senator of US Congress from the State of Arizona John McCain visited the countries of the Balkan region on the eve of the signing by the US President Trump of the protocol on the entry of Montenegro into NATO. As the press service of the government of Serbia reported, during a meeting with the Prime Minister Vucic, senator McCain discussed “the preservation of regional and global stability, and also bilateral relations between Serbia and the US”. However, according to experts, the main goal of the visit was to intimidate the countries of the region with the influx of migrants, to “monetize” as much as possible the results of recent American aggression in Syria, to put pressure on the Serbian government for its ties with Russia, and to solemnly report to Montenegro about the ratification by the United States of the protocol on its accession to NATO.

McCain’s “migratory bludgeon”

Within the framework of the visit to the Balkans the senator at first visited Slovenia, where he took part in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the recognition by America of the country’s independence. During a meeting with the President of the country Borut Pahor, McCain pointed out the importance of cooperation with NATO, having threatened them with Islamic extremism. “Our relations, especially in NATO, are now more important than ever after the cold war,” stated the senator, having emphasized that “only in cooperation with the Alliance will Slovenia be able to overcome such threats as radical Islamism”.

The republican once again accused Russia of cyber warfare in the American elections and of the desire to interfere with elections in France. He also raised the Ukrainian question, having declared that “Putin seeks to restore the Russian Empire”, that’s why Ukraine needs to be provided with weapon for protection.

The straightforward program of the visit was repeated in Croatia. Here the senator arrived under the pretext of celebrating the 25th anniversary of the recognition of independence of the country by the United States. During a conversation with the President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and the Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, he repeated words about the importance of cooperation for the sake of preserving regional stability, and once again negatively spoke about Russia and Syria.

McCain visited Serbia under the official pretext of discussing the “Kosovo question”, however during a press conference with Vucic he started accusing Russia of participating in chemical attacks in Syria, and also of aggravation in the region, in particular in Montenegro. McCain complained about the fact that he worries about the region and Russian intervention because “two world wars began in the Balkans”. Then he started again to threaten with the “migratory bludgeon”. His speech in Belgrade revolved around Serbia being on friendly terms with America, otherwise the country will be overwhelmed by crowds of migrants.

“Mosul and Raqqa will be taken, because of which many people will rush to Europe. In this regard our cooperation and our joint doctrines are very important in the fight against terrorism, and in opposition to the threat of terrorism both in Serbia and in the US,” claimed the American senator.

In the opinion of observers, who consider McCain as the “Secretary of State of the shadow American government”, his visit to the region, including other things, pursued the aim of political “monetization” of the American missile strikes on the military airfield in the Syrian province of Homs. Having used force, the US hurried to strengthen “without delay” the effect of the actions, having sent the main “hawk” of Congress to the most troubled region of Europe.

Blackmailing Vucic

McCain’s arrival to Serbia is an attempt to blackmail the government of Vucic, demanding the termination of cooperation with Russia. Such an opinion was voiced in a conversation with the correspondent of TASS by the patriarch of Serbian politics, the leader of the Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Šešelj.

“In my opinion and according to my information, senator John McCain came to Belgrade with the aim of pressuring Vucic so that he stops or significantly reduces cooperation with Russia. McCain especially insists that the Russian Humanitarian center in Niš doesn’t receive diplomatic status. It is obvious that it is a big shame for Serbia that McCain comes here, and earlier — Biden, even earlier — Tony Blair, and many others that were the most furious supporters of the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. This is about the greatest enemies of the Serbian people, and the largest official representatives of the country like Aleksandr Vucic accepting the visit, in addition – with such a warm heart, of haters of the Serbian people — this is humiliation for Serbia,” stated Šešelj.

As if on the wave of a magic wand, the mass youth protests that began in Serbia after the presidential elections, which were unanimously won by the Prime Minister Aleksandr Vucic, became a lever of blackmail. “McCain’s visit is connected with the elections in Serbia. What occurs on the streets of Belgrade and what McCain does is, in my opinion, directly connected. In the demonstrations on the streets of the cities of Serbia there are, probably, many honest and worthy people, but in general this protest movement, the organiser of which is unknown, points to the fact that here it involves powerful forces,” said the leader of the Radical Party.

According to the head of the Serbian Radical Party, these forces will try to blackmail Vucic, having called into question the honesty and legitimacy of the latest elections: “I have not had contact with him, but I think that now he is under direct pressure, whether the demonstrations will continue, or whether they will be radicalised, expanded, and transformed into violent actions in the event that he doesn’t accept their (the West’s) demands in relation to cooperation with Russia, and also in other questions, for example, on the existence of Republika Srpska”.

In an interiew with TASS, Šešelj also assumed that McCain’s visit to the Balkans is connected with the situation in Montenegro. “So, during the visit to Belgrade, the senator attacked President Putin in connection with Montenegro. The majority of the population living in Montenegro is Serbian, but the regime there is mafia, and all elections in Montenegro were falsified in the most cruel way,” he added.

After Serbia in the program of the senator is Montenegro, where he intends to arrive on Thursday, April 13th.

On the eve of McCain’s arrival to Podgorica, the company Radio and Television of Montenegro released a statement in which it is said that the US President Donald Trump signed the protocol on the acceptance of the country in NATO. “The message on the signing will be published late at night or tomorrow morning American time,” reported Radio and Television of Montenegro, adding that by signing the protocol the ratification by the United States of the procedure of Montenegro’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance is officially complete.

In the US Senate McCain was one of the chief lobbyists for the ratification of the protocol on the entry of Montenegro into NATO. Ratification was actively opposed by two republican senators — Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Paul even blocked the carrying out of a vote on the ratification of the protocol on the simplified procedure offered by McCain, who in reply accused his colleague of “working for (Russian President) Vladimir Putin”. It is noteworthy that McCain no less fervently in 1999 demanded to begin the bombing of Yugoslavia, and at the time he was opposed by Ron Paul, Rand Paul’s father.

It is clear that tomorrow’s arrival of McCain in Montenegro will be presented by the authorities of the country as the coming of a prophet, who opens the door to a bright future for the country. It is obvious that McCain will repeat the same accusations against Russia in unison with a chorus of anti-Russian statements by the Montenegro authorities.

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