Today’s elections in Serbia different from the others. Their main intrigue is not who will be the winner. In a confident victory of the now ruling Serbian progressive party Vucic, the President does not doubt, probably, no one — neither in Serbia, nor even in the world. The only question is — how Aleksandar Vucic will dispose of this victory and what will be his main choice, which he will do immediately after this election.This choice is associated with Kosovo. In the West from the Serbian President is waiting for the soonest normalization of relations with the former Serbian province, which declared in 2008 independence, which was recognized by about a hundred countries. The choice of the President of Serbia awaits Russia, which opposed the formation of the normalization of relations of Belgrade and Pristina, which will open for Kosovo and Serbia’s road to EU and NATO. Preserving the current status quo will allow Moscow still really to influence the course of the Balkan geopolitical game.Photo: Dmitry Azarov, Commercantes to continue the same comparison, Alexander Vucic have to play blitz, where time on critical moves he has to spare. The next day after the Serbian elections for the answer on Kosovo to the Serbian President will come to the emissary of the EU, Miroslav Lajcak. The day after the decision of homework, the terms of which Mr. Vucic on the eve briefed the head of Russian diplomacy Sergei Lavrov, the President of Serbia will carry to Moscow to check his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Finally, at the end of the week answer Aleksandar Vucic on Kosovo expected in Washington President Donald trump and his special representative Richard Grenell.The situation in which today the President of Serbia, in chess called zugzwang — where any move of the player leads to the deterioration of the position. Will Alexander survived the Russian position will quarrel with the United States and the EU. Succumb to the persuasion and pressure of Washington will lose the partnership with Moscow. Definite bet on the EU will result in at least serious frustration of the US and Russia.However, the importance of choice for Aleksandar Vučić not only the risk to quarrel with one or several key international players in the Balkans. The arrival of his party to power in 2012, when the President became the mentor of Mr Vucic, Tomislav Nikolic, and he himself took the post of first Vice-Premier, took place largely thanks to the support from the outside. Brussels then even congratulated the candidate of the Serbian progressive party victory even before results were released elections. The logic of the support was simple. In the West felt that to normalize relations with Kosovo (and in fact, to recognize its independence) can only moderate Serb nationalists. So all these years the West supported and Aleksandar Vučić and his party, despite their obvious authoritarianism.The President of Serbia decided to further strengthen its position by playing off the European, the Russian party. And the warnings of what to sit on two chairs uncomfortable and risky, simply waved. And even pulled a third chair — the Chinese.And now the Kosovo choice this whole Aleksandar Vucic threatens to destroy. If this happens, it will be difficult to sit in the seat of the leader of Serbia.
