UDC 339.9(497.11)’’18’’
Biblid: 0543-3657, 61 (2010)
Vol. 61, No 1137, pp. 69-83
DOI:

Izvorni naučni rad
Received: 24 Dec 2009
Accepted: 01 Jan 1970

FROM GARAŠANIN TO MILOVANOVIĆ: FIFTY YEARS OF GEOPOLITICAL THINKING IN SERBIA OF THE 19TH CENTURY

Lopandić Duško (Viši naučni saradnik, Evropski pokret u Srbiji), dlopandic@yahoo.com

The article “From Garašanin to Milovanović – Fifty years of geopolitical thinking in XIX Century Serbia“ deals with two important texts written by two well known Statemen and diplomats in Serbian foreign policy of XIX Century. The “Nacertanije” (The Project) was the work of Ilija Garasanin, a long-term serving Serbian Prime minister and Foreign afairs minister in the middle of XIX Century. It was the “secret project” designed at the foreign activities of Serbia and having in aim the liberation and unification of Serbian and South Sčavs lands. This policy had a crucial role in Serbian history until the 1th World War. Milovan Milovanović was Serbian Foreign afairs minister in the beggining of XX Century, during the well-known “annexation crisis” of Bosnia and on the wake of two Balkans wars (1908–1912). Milovanović’s article “Our foreign policy” from 1894. represents the continuity of geostrategic thinking in Serbia of that time, which have been started by the ”Nacertanije”. Milovanović have anticipitated in detail the context in which Serbia will find itself two decades later – in the wake of 1th World War: coallition with Russia, conflict with Austria-Hungary, the key issue of relationship between Serbia and Bulgaria for the outcome of the “Eastern question” in the Balkans. In conclusion, the text shows the flexibility of Milovanović’s diplomatic pracice, which, put in the context, may be compared with some aspects of today’s Serbian international situation (claim for application of interantional law and legality in international relations, struggle by peaceful means for interests of a small country, facing sceptical great powers, etc).

Keywords: Serbia, foreign policy, 19th century, Načertanije, Ilija Garašanin, Milovan Milovanović, geostrategy, diplomacy, small countries and great powers