Today, the Serbian capital Belgrade and the country’s second-largest city, Novi Sad, woke up to massive billboards celebrating the birthday of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

The billboards were put up by the pro-government conservative movement “Nashi”. The signs read: “Happy Birthday, President Lukashenko — Serbia Loves You.” According to the movement’s website, this is an expression of friendship and support from the Serbian people towards their “brotherly” Belarus and its president. The organization states that over the years Lukashenko has proven himself to be “a sincere and great friend of the Serbian people.” “In the most difficult moments for Serbia, Belarus has always stood by us, and President Lukashenko has clearly demonstrated through his attitude and actions that he sees Serbia as a brotherly country,” the statement reads.

The movement’s leader, Ivan Ivanović, who frequently appears on pro-government media in Serbia, said that this gesture was meant to emphasize the importance of traditional ties between Serbia and Belarus. “Our people understand very well what it means to fight for freedom and independence, and that is why we proudly say: Happy Birthday, President Lukashenko — Serbia Loves You!”

When asked how the billboards were financed, given that “Nashi” is an extra-parliamentary movement, Ivanović replied that their activities have been funded by supporters for years. “In Serbia, there are indeed a large number of Russophiles who are ready to contribute to many activities related to Russia and Belarus,” he added.

The far-right movement previously used similar billboards in 2022 to congratulate Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday.
| BGNES