Libya–Serbia relations

Libya–Serbia relations are diplomatic relations between Libya and Serbia. Libya has an embassy in Belgrade[1] and Serbia has an embassy in Tripoli.[2]

Libya-Serbia relations

Libya
Serbia

History
Boris Tadić with Muammar Gaddafi

Muammar Gaddafi built a strong diplomatic relationship with Yugoslavia and then maintained it with Serbia.[3]

One of the more important connections was the arms trade, first between the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Libya, and then continuing with Serbia after the breakup of Yugoslavia.[4] Several aircraft of the Libyan Jamahiriyan Air Force which were captured or used to defend Gaddafi-loyalists were made by Yugoslav aircraft-manufacturer SOKO in present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5][6] Muammar Gaddafi maintained strong diplomatic with Serbia after Yugoslavia broke up in 1991-1995.[7] Public opinion in Serbia has been cited to be supportive of the Muammar Gaddafi regime.[8][9][10]

Libyan civil war

On August 25, 2011, Serbia officially recognized the National Transitional Council as the ruling government in Libya.[11] However, the relations with the transitional government were strained from the very beginning of the Libyan Civil War when five Serbs were captured by Anti-Gaddafi rebels under the suspicion that they fought as mercenaries for Muammar Gaddafi.[12] As of April 2012 all five still remained in detainment in Libya.[13][14] Libya al Youm then reported that more mercenaries had been flown in from Banja Luka.[15] The Serbian minister of defence, Dragan Sutanovac, denied reports that Serbian warplanes had bombed anti-Qaddafi protestors.[16]

Post-civil war

On 7 November 2015 two Serbian embassy workers in Libya were kidnapped by an unknown group, as reported by the Serbian foreign ministry.[17]

See also

References
  1. B92 - Zastava pobunjenika na ambasadi (Serbian) - August 23, 2011
  2. Kurir - Serbian Embassy has no information of captured Serbs (Serbian) - August 25, 2011
  3. "Libya's Balkan connections: Qaddafi's Yugoslav friends". The Economist. February 25, 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  4. LSE London School of Economics and Political Sciences - New meaning for an old relationship: Serbia's arms deals during Gaddafi's reign - December 20, 2011
  5. Airliners.net - Liyban Air Force G-2 Galeb (December 4, 2006) - Chris Lofting
  6. ABC News - NATO to take charge over No Fly Zone in Libya - March 24, 2011
  7. The Economist - Libya's Balkan connections - February 25, 2012
  8. Libya Revolt - 79% of Serbians gave support to Colonel Gaddafi Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
  9. The World - Gaddafi supporters in Serbia - April 8, 2011
  10. Facebook Pages - Support for Muammaer al-Gaddafi from the people of Serbia
  11. Novosti - Vlada Srbije priznala pobunjenike u Libiji (Serbian) - August 25, 2011
  12. Balkaninsight - Captured Serbs in Libya await their fate - September 15, 2011
  13. Alo! Zatoceni Srbi zivi i zdravi - March 28, 2012 Archived March 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. B92 - March 31, 2011 - Jos bez optuznice za uhapsene Srbe
  15. "نقلا عن راديو BIR أن طائرات تنطلق من مطار بنيالوكا بجمهورية صرب البوسنة تنقل مرتزقة صرب للمشاركة في قمع المتظاهرين في ليبيا". Libya al Youm. 27 February 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  16. "22 FEB 11 / 18:12:41 Belgrade Denies Serbian Planes Bombed Libya Protesters". Balkan Insight. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  17. В Ливии похитили двух сотрудников сербского посольства | In Libya two Serbian embassy workers were kidnapped. Komsomolskaya Pravda. Published 7 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
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