Serbia in the time of COVID-19: between “corona diplomacy”, tough measures and migration management

ABSTRACT

The paper analyzes the specificities of Serbia’s response to coronavirus. Two most important issues during the pandemic were the role of the State and the management of migration flows. Being placed in the China–Russia–EU triangle shaped the response on the crises but also the image of the country in the world.

Two phenomena shaped mobility patterns. Citizens returning from abroad were caught between accusations of spreading the virus and a plea for healthcare and other key workers from the Serbian diaspora to help in Serbia. The issue of refugees and migrants attracted significant amounts of positive public attention, but in parallel with that xenophobia arose as a new attitude as part of aggressive campaigns against them.

KEYWORDS:

• Coronavirus diplomacy
• state
• quarantine measures
• return migration
• refugees
• Serbia

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the project Migration, Integration and Governance Research Centre (MIGREC) funded under H2020-EU.4.b.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interests was reported by the authors

Notes

1. The USA supplied 6,000 coronavirus tests to Serbia, which was immaterial in comparison to aid provided by the three players documented here.

2. At its most severe, the curfew was imposed every working day from 5 pm to 5 am, with a complete restriction of movement during weekends and the Easter holiday period.

3. Since 2000, the EU has donated over €200 million and loaned a further €250 million to strengthen the healthcare system in Serbia (Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia 2020).

4. The Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Army were responsible for the outdoor security service, organization of basic needs regarding accommodation and personal hygiene, and the external disinfection of the fairgrounds. Medical treatment of patients in the temporary hospitals was undertaken by the Ministry of Health.

5. Three South Korean-owned factories in the southern cities of Vranje and Leskovac are postulated to be new foci of coronavirus infection. After multi-day protests in early April, these factories finally reduced workplace numbers in response to public pressure. However, after increases in the numbers of infected workers in these factories in mid-May, unions drew attention to the factories’ responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Migration, Integration and Governance Research Centre (MIGREC); [European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation programme under Grant Agreement no. 857261].