In the midst of a political crisis in France, Emmanuel Macron was due to undertake a delicate trip to Serbia on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 August. Although the Elysée Palace is very cautious about the reasons for this surprisingly timely visit, the French president could take advantage of his meeting with his Serbian counterpart, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, to announce the completion of a contract for the sale of twelve Rafale fighter jets in Belgrade. “Our hope is that this matter will be resolved during the president’s visit.”confirmed the Elysée on Wednesday 28 August.
On the same day, his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic also said in an interview with Agence France Presse (AFP) that he intended to sign this contract during the visit. “It is a huge contract for our country and it is not a small contract even for France”Vucic also spoke on Monday of agreements on the issue, after having previously mentioned a figure of three billion euros, which the Elysée refuses to confirm. “electricity” with EDF, while Serbia plans to revive its nuclear industry.
Macron is also expected to visit a museum and an economic forum dedicated to artificial intelligence in Novi Sad, the country’s second city, on Friday. But it is the Rafale that is attracting the most interest in Serbia, while the Serbian army so far only has old Soviet Mig-29s at its disposal. Vucic, who has already visited Paris twice this year, has been promising for months that the contract with Dassault is almost complete. The French side, on the other hand, has been much more discreet on the matter. The export of Rafale to this country known for its proximity to Moscow and its sometimes belligerent aims towards its Balkan neighbours raises many questions.
This contract is “a strategic choice” of Serbia which is part “a logic of connection to the European Union” —the Elysée pleads. How does France intend to ensure that Rafale technologies will not be transferred to Russia or used to put pressure on neighbouring Kosovo, whose independence Belgrade has not yet recognised? “ Obviously there are clauses that regulate the transfer of such material.”We evacuated at the Elysée, refusing to go into details.
European anchorage in doubt
Even if Emmanuel Macron’s advisers often assure that the head of state is not fooled by the excesses of Vucic, who has ruled his country of 6.6 million inhabitants with an iron fist since 2012, halting almost all the reforms needed to join the European Union, it is clear that the French president periodically shows his sympathy for this two-metre giant who loves to use transactional diplomacy with the great powers, be it Russia, China or the West.
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