- 27.02.2026 06:59
The Balkans: the past and prospects
On February 27, Tula State University hosted the presentation of the monograph by Serbian researcher Milan Stojanovic "The Balkans: Past and Prospects", published by the Balkan Diplomat publishing house.
The book was published with the assistance of the Russian-Balkan Center for Business Cooperation and Culture, as well as the Russian-Balkan Dialogue expert platform, which underlines the importance of bilateral humanitarian ties.
The event brought together students of history, teachers and anyone who is interested in the difficult fate of the region, which the author calls the "frontier between civilizations."
Invited experts, Candidate of Political Sciences Alexey Mikhaylovich Savvin and historian, lecturer of the Russian Society "Znaniye" Sergey Vladimirovich Fedoseyev, shared their thoughts on the book.
The book presented at TulSU, the speakers noted, is not a dry academic work. This is an attempt on a large scale, with the help of a "historical elevator", to consider the deep problems of the peninsula and to understand whether consensus is possible between the Balkan peoples.
The central idea of Stojanovic's work is that the future of the Balkans is still determined not only by themselves, but also by external players. The author harshly criticizes the established Western perception of the region as the "powder barrel" of Europe.
In his speech, historian Sergey Fedoseyev elaborated on the Byzantine roots of the Balkan civilization.
“Milan Stojanovic rightly emphasizes that the legacy of the Eastern Roman Empire is not just a historical fact, but a living driving force for all Orthodox peoples of the region,” he said. “ - It was Byzantium that gave the Balkans a spiritual core, which both the Ottomans and the Western powers later tried to destroy.”
Candidate of Political Sciences Alexey Savvin drew the audience's attention to the parallels between the Balkan processes and modern geopolitics.
— Stojanovic's monograph sounds incredibly relevant today, he accurately notes the EU's double standards: Europe needs the Balkans only as suppliers of cheap labor, and the countries of the region do not receive real equality.
The audience was particularly interested in the analysis of how the formation of nations took place in the Balkans. Stojanovich introduces the concept of "tuteyshiye" — people who, until the 20th century, did not even think in national categories, living within the framework of their village.
Sergey Fedoseyev added that a similar process was underway in Galicia, when the Austrians "woke up" the local population in order to use it for their own purposes.
Experts also discussed the phenomenon of "escape to religion," which Stojanovic writes about.
After the breakup of Yugoslavia, atheists or semi-atheists suddenly became devoutly Orthodox, Catholic, or Muslim believers.
As Alexey Savvin noted, "this is an escape from collective fear, the hope of finding support when politicians do not inspire confidence."
Summing up the meeting, Sergey Fedoseyev emphasized that Russia is historically connected with Serbia not only politically, but also culturally.
- “The phrase "There are 200 million of us and Russians," which the author cites, has been living among the people for more than a century,” he noted. — We must understand the Balkan specifics in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Alexey Savvin added that Stoyanovich's book is not only a look into the past, but also a warning: “The Balkans remain a place where the interests of all regional leaders collide, from Saudi Arabia to China.”
The organizers of the meeting at TulSU recommended the book to both novice historians and professionals, because it was written by an eyewitness and participant in many events in this long-suffering land.
Photographs by Mikhail Gindin
