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Russians are massively opening businesses in Serbia

2022-08-14 19:50:47Biznes SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Russians are massively opening businesses in Serbia

The "Krov" neighbourhood centre is located in a narrow apartment under the roof of a building in central Belgrade. The main wood-lined room is reminiscent of a party cellar as in the 1970s in West Germany. Normally, cultural initiative activists meet here in the Serbian capital. Today, about 30 young Russian women and men are sitting in portable chairs in an improvised scene. It's Russian. Whoever wants is given a microphone and allowed to sing.

"I came here in April from Moscow," Ilya Piksner, who organized the Open Mic meeting, says in conversation. "I came with a one-way ticket, one-way ticket, along with my associates and the cat." Along with actresses Illy manages a recording studio, producing radiphonic materials from music to advertising. "Since the attack on Ukraine on 24 February the situation in Russia has become increasingly unbearable. We just had to leave."

Shortly after illy's invasion with friends and colleagues helped from their studio via Telegram and other messenger services Ukrainians threatened to leave the Russian capital. "One of us p.sh. She helped a young girl through the chat, teaching her how to drive, so that she could get her family out of the war zone. Her mother had suffered a panic attack and could not drive herself." Such activities are considered treason in Putin's Russia, and traitors are threatened with several-year sentences.

However, Ilya could not remain indifferent without undertaking anything against the war in Ukraine. "This conflict is very, very close to me," he explains, "many of my friends and colleagues are from Ukraine, their relatives live there, some even have Ukrainian passports. I have to help these people. But after a few weeks it became clear that such activities in Russia are at risk. "Fear, which one time anyone can knock on our door, was added day by day. The regime since the annexation of Crimea in 2014 has become increasingly aggressive. It is clear that now that Putin is waging war, the situation is getting even worse."

Over 1000 Russian founding firms

But why do they choose serbia? The government in Belgrade, although it has condemned Russia's offensive war, has not supported the imposition of sanctions against the regime in Moscow. Much of Serbian opinion feels connected to Russia because of slavic language and common Orthodox faith, and it is not only the far right in the Western Balkans that openly supports Putin's war.

However, as of the end of February, it is estimated that 30,000 to 50,000 Russian citizens have been deployed in Serbia. Official data does not, but is certain, that since the beginning of the war against Ukraine tens of thousands of Russians have opened bank accounts in Serbia. Also, over 1,000 firms, with owners with Russian passports, have registered near Serbia's Chamber of Industry and Commerce, most of them in the Information Teconology sector.

Visa-free travel

"I decided to come to Serbia, because it is one of the few countries, where Russians are allowed to travel without a visa," explains Katya Khazina. "But despite this it is a little schizophrenia, that Putin's opponents come to the very country, where many people support Russia's regime", says the 34-year-old moskovite. "But I stand this, because I know this is nothing compared to the difficulties, which people have to deal with to escape the fighting in Ukraine."

In Russia Katya works in a publishing house dealing with women's problems. For years she has regularly protested against putin's regime. In Belgrade, the activist has joined the non-governmental organization "Women in Black", since the 1990s she has been protesting the wars in Yugoslavia and since February they have been protesting Russia's war in Ukraine. Even Putin's Serbian supporters regularly demonstrate – for the Moscow war and a Victory of Russia.

"Lack of knowledge of Russia"

"Serb reports to Russia are strange," Katya explains. In fact, in Serbia very few learn Russian, almost no one has ever been to Russia. "Serbs don't even know many prejudices that many Russians have towards them, which p.sh. They experience them as very slow workers in the supply of food, or who live to a very low standard." The love of many Serbs for Russia consists mainly of "the lack of knowledge of life in Russia – without talking here about the repression, brutality, which the Russian regime exerts not only in Ukraine, but also against its citizens, and also how massive propaganda is".

Of many in Belgrade Katya does not expect anything. "In the protests we organise regularly come about 50 or maximum 100 Russians from those living in Belgrade," she told DW. "Most Russians have come to Serbia, because they no longer work spotify and Netflix at home," she adds disappointed. "Among them are many apolitical people."

Not all Serbs love Russians

In fact, the Facebook group "Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Serbs together against war" has only 3624 members. "However, explains group manager Peter Nikitin, "most of our group come from either Serbia or other countries in the Western Balkan region." The purpose of the presence on facebook is first, to inform Serbian opinion of activities with the participation of Russians against the war in Ukraine." Nikitin calls this "Contra-Propaganda."

Opinioni serb e ka mjaft të nevojshme të ketë informacione për rusët dhe Rusinë, sepse krahas rusofilisë së përhapur në masë, në Beograd shpejt takon edhe njerëz që kanë një aversion të thellë kundër gjithçkaje që ka të bëjë me ish-Bashkimin Sovjetik. Kamarieri në restorantin "Mala Slavija" thotë, se i „urren njësoj si rusët edhe ukrainasit": "Ata nuk dinë të sillen dhe mendojnë, se meqënëse kanë shumë para mund t'i lejojnë vetes gjithçka që duan", thotë ai. Ai madje as që do ta besojë, se në Serbi ka edhe shumë nga shtetet post-sovjetike, të cilët nuk i përkasin kësaj kategorie njerëzish.

Shumë serbë gjithashtu nuk e pëlqejnë faktin, se të sapoardhurit nga Rusia po e ngarkojnë tregun e banimit. Serbia është vend i vogël krahasuar me Rusinë, shumica e serbëve pas fundit të „ekzistencës së socializmit real" i blenë banesat dhe banojnë vet në to. Që përpara fillimit të luftës në Ukrainë në Beograd qiratë kanë qenë të larta.

"A po pushtojnë rusët Beogradin?", pyeste në prill 2022 gazeta bulevardeske Blic. "Rusët po blejnë banesa dhe shtëpi pushimi dhe as që duan t'ia dinë për çmimet", shkruhet në artikullin e Blic. Sekserët e pasurive të patundshme në Beograd janë dyfishuar që pas sulmit rus ndaj Ukrainës./DW


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