Serbian Radicals Ask for Russian Centre in Vojvodina

Head of the Serbian Radical Party MPs' group in Vojvodina's parliament, Djuradj Jaksic, told BIRN that his party has asked the province's authorities to earmark funds in the next year's budget to open a second Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Centre in the country.

 "Three MPs from the SRS [Serbian Radical Party] visited the Centre [in Nis] recently and talked about the possibility of opening a Centre or an office of it in Vojvodina, so we initiated that at the last [Vojvodina] parliament session," Jaksic explained.

The US fears that the first Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Centre, in the southern city of Nis, could someday be used for espionage purposes. Half of its staff are Russians.

But the centre, which opened in 2012, insists that it is involved in the provision of "emergency humanitarian response, the prevention of natural disasters and technological accidents and the elimination of their consequences".

Jaksic said that concerns about possible espionage uses are "nonsense".

He added that during their visit to the centre, the Radical Party MPs saw "excellent organisation in case of emergencies by the centre, which is the best in Europe".

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Hoyt Brian Yee told the Senate on June 15 that the centre was a concern for the State Department because of what it could become if Serbia fulfils Russia's request and gives the centre's staff special status and immunity.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zaharova said on June 22 however that Yee's accusations were "absurd".

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said in July that the status of the centre will soon be clarified. 

Jaksic said that the Radicals would press ahead with their attempt to get a second centre...