Restoration of the Serbian Monarchy

[Natalie de Clare]

In just a couple of days they got 50,000 signatures. I believe they obtained over 150,000 signatures in 3 or 4 days:
50.000 SIGNATURES! | Удружење Краљевина Србија

Video in Serbian:
https://youtu.be/7JH3HHWn_Kw

 

[Marc23]

As a monarchist from Serbia, I must confess that there is no chance for that in near future.

 

[eya]

In just a couple of days they got 50,000 signatures. I believe they obtained over 150,000 signatures in 3 or 4 days:
50.000 SIGNATURES! | Удружење Краљевина Србија

Video in Serbian:
https://youtu.be/7JH3HHWn_Kw

Serbia's Monarchists Want King Back on Throne :: Balkan Insight

A monarchist lobby group, the Kingdom of Serbia Association, says it has collected over 120,000 signature of support for the restoration of a king - and plans to submit its petition to parliament soon.

 

[Blog Real]

I hope they succeed in restoring the monarchy in Serbia.

I contacted the Association of the Kingdom of Serbia for social networks and got the following answer:

Good afternoon, yes it is true, with closed televisions and other media, where we weren't presented in any news, we collected 123,500 signatures of support to change the Constitution of Republic of Serbia into the constitution of Kingdom of Serbia.

When we collect 150,000 signatures we have the right to address the National Assembly and ask for the change of the Constitution.

We believe that we will make success and restore the Kingdom of Serbia!

I hope they get the 150,000 signatures. It would be great for monarchist movements in Europe for the Serbian monarchy to be restored, I believe it is possible.
Anyone know if they have already achieved the 150 thousand signatures?

Is there any news about the possible restoration of the monarchy in Serbia?

I believe it is possible that some monarchies to be restored. We have to have hope. We monarchists have to do our part in our own countries.

 

[duke of poliganc]

is that right ?!

"After that, we will submit the initiative to parliament, and in case we have more than 150,000 signatures of citizens with the right to vote, it should lead to an automatic change to the constitution, without a referendum,”
the head of the NGO's Novi Sad branch, Nikola Grbic, said.

 

[Natalie de Clare]

It goes to Parliament soon:

Serbia's Monarchists Want King Back on Throne :: Balkan Insight

 

[Natalie de Clare]

If Serbia succeeds Europe will be watching close to see how well the country is managed and this could be the catalyst that brings back overwhelming favor for Monarchy in Europe. Thus, if it the Kingdom is restored I do hope that the now Crown Prince does exceedingly well in ruling the Kingdom because we may finally see a time where we finally get rid of that disease called Republicanism and elected rulers in Europe.

 

[Mbruno]

It goes to Parliament soon:

Serbia's Monarchists Want King Back on Throne :: Balkan Insight

Is there are any realistic chance that parliament would support the constitutional amendment ? I doubt it.

 

[Natalie de Clare]

As Monarchist we always work with doubt. However, there were quite a few members of parliament that "signed" the petition. We should "always" be supporting, advocating for, and endorsing Monarchy wherever we are irrespective if it's subjectively "doubtful" or "not likely."

 

[Marc23]

No!

Nobody even talks about it here in Serbia...

At this point it is almost impossible.

 

[Frozen Royalist]

Serbian Restoration Prospects?

So from what I have gathered from the most recent posts here, we should just give up on Serbia, don't try to spread the cause, don't voice the opinion, don't try to convince nay-sayers or people who think it's "silly", we should just give up on Serbia along with all other prospects of restoration in Europe and North Africa is the vibe I'm getting here.

-Frozen Royalist

(Sorry for Intruding but I think it is quite silly to just throw in the towel like what I believe some of the commenters are suggesting here.)

 

[Curryong]

Restorations of monarchies are always very difficult to achieve however, even if those monarchies were displaced by war rather than revolution. There has to be, in my view, not only a groundswell of support from the population but also the political will and power to put the necessary measures in place. (Without Franco being willing to accept a monarchy after his death for instance, the Spanish monarchy would, IMO have found it near impossible to return.)

Of course people should keep trying if that's what they believe in. However, if it's on the back burner of most Serbians' concerns and there is little support in Parliament, I wouldn't be holding my breath any time soon for the Serbian Royal family, or indeed any of these monarchies to come back.

Quite frankly I believe that hoping for a return of the Hapsburg line as monarchs of Austria or for the Serbian or Bulgarian kings to be reinstated is flogging a very dead horse indeed. To mix the metaphors, too much water has gone under the bridge for it to happen.

Even in Romania, where the royal family are quite popular we are unlikely to see a Romanian monarchy back in our lifetimes.
Jmo.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

My neighbours Vladimir and Ana are Serbs. They live here in the Netherlands to work as ex-pats in high technology. When I start about the Serbian royals they laugh their asses off. But of course they are well-educated metropolitan folks so maybe they are not representative for "the Serbians". My guess is that an official recognition in the state protocol à la Portugal is the best they can hope for.

 

[Marc23]

My neighbours Vladimir and Ana are Serbs. They live here in the Netherlands to work as ex-pats in high technology. When I start about the Serbian royals they laugh their asses off. But of course they are well-educated metropolitan folks so maybe they are not representative for "the Serbians". My guess is that an official recognition in the state protocol à la Portugal is the best they can hope for.

Well, it's completely truth...90% of the people you ask in the streets would laugh that someone is even interested in the monarchy.

Most people don't even know the names of the royals and are not even so interested.

 

[Blog Real]

I think Serbia should know the Royal family.

 

[Marc23]

I think Serbia should know the Royal family.

Generally, they are not interested in them. When you say you are interested in royals that sounds funny and somehow strange.

Maybe, if there was someone who would be generally respectable and seen as sort of leader, monarchy cause would be more respectable.

 

[Frozen Royalist]

Okay I don't get it, the opinion polls have been showing restoration support at 49.8% and those against at 44.6% in one from 2015, 39% in favor and 32% in a poll from May 2013, a 2011 poll with 64% in favor of restoration, and there was one at 26% from 2016. Do you guys just keep running into the 44.6% from 2015, the 32% from May 2013, the 36% from 2011, and the 74% from 2016 or something because talk about unlucky.

-Frozen Royalist

 

[Marc23]

Okay I don't get it, the opinion polls have been showing restoration support at 49.8% and those against at 44.6% in one from 2015, 39% in favor and 32% in a poll from May 2013, a 2011 poll with 64% in favor of restoration, and there was one at 26% from 2016. Do you guys just keep running into the 44.6% from 2015, the 32% from May 2013, the 36% from 2011, and the 74% from 2016 or something because talk about unlucky.

-Frozen Royalist

The polls are not reliable source of anything, they can be fixed very easily, depending on who is doing it and why.

The reality is that people in Serbia don't even think about restoration of monarchy for various reasons. They have much bigger problems than that, they see monarchy as something "silly" because their mind is much closer to the politics from the last 70 years and they think monarchy is not necessary at all.

Also they don't see Crown Prince as someone who would be "the leader". They make fun of him, his Serbian language sounds very funny and awkward when he is trying to talk, often making mistakes which get totally different meaning when you mix letters. This doesn't help the monarchy cause at all. Ordinary people don't think he is "Serbian enough" for them, saying that now for many years he lives in Serbia and he still hasn't properly learnt it.

He has so many gaffs while speaking Serbian language that some of them became antics.

For example, people were talking that Prince Charles better spoke few sentences in Serbian when he was on a state visit than our Crown Prince who lives here for 17 years.

You have other situation when the Prime minister of Serbia says that Crown Prince doesn't want to pay the bills for electricity and this also goes as the bad image of the "Serbian monarchy":

There is also this situation when the royal family buy plane tickets for economic class and they always demand to be transferred to business class, trying to smuggle luggage for free etc.

 

[Frozen Royalist]

Okay okay, I've got an idea. Does the crown prince have any brothers or cousins that can speak the Serbian language flawlessly and are relatively popular because I think it would be popular to just hand leadership of the Serbian Royal Family to somebody that can actually make something out of it.

-Frozen Royalist

P.S. I still don't understand what anybody would have to gain with fake opinion polls when it comes to monarchism, I mean they should know it's an uphill battle as it is and it is rather difficult to put monarchists in parliament so why go through the trouble of making a bogus poll like the ones I talked about?

 

[Marc23]

Okay okay, I've got an idea. Does the crown prince have any brothers or cousins that can speak the Serbian language flawlessly and are relatively popular because I think it would be popular to just hand leadership of the Serbian Royal Family to somebody that can actually make something out of it.

No, no male royal cousin(CP doesn't have siblings) can speak Serbian, except his female cousin Princess Elizabeth. Her late brother, Prince Alexander also spoke well Serbian, but he was living in Paris and most people didn't know him. Prince Tomislav, uncle of our CP was also speaking Serbian very well and lived at the end of his life in Serbia. And was very much loved by people.

As for popularity, except Crown Prince, nobody is even known here, I mean people haven't heard of them and 99% of Serbians don't know their dynasty in a way that there are many male Karadjordjevic dynasty members living around the world.

So, in reality, CP Alexander is the only who is interested in keeping royal image alive. When he passes, I am scared to think what will happen. Probably, most royal belongings would be sold.

P.S. I still don't understand what anybody would have to gain with fake opinion polls when it comes to monarchism, I mean they should know it's an uphill battle as it is and it is rather difficult to put monarchists in parliament so why go through the trouble of making a bogus poll like the ones I talked about?

Me neither, as monarchy is so very far away from reality in Serbia, almost no chance, but you still have banquets and balls in the royal palaces, CP couple are still invited to some happenings, so there is a bit of "royal" still in Serbia. It's not like they are so pushed aside. It's just that they don't know and they just don't know the people of Serbia and in what kind of way to approach them in order to gain something.

 

[Blog Real]

With a majority of the population supporting the restoration, and with the support of the Orthodox Church. The parliament at this time is mostly in favor. They will discuss soon the process of the possibility of a referendum.

Will Serbia have a chance to restore the monarchy soon?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

With a majority of the population supporting the restoration, and with the support of the Orthodox Church. The parliament at this time is mostly in favor. They will discuss soon the process of the possibility of a referendum.

Will Serbia have a chance to restore the monarchy soon?

It will never be a "restoration" as that is turning back the clock. It will be a new monarchy. After all the Constitution is completely different, as are the institutions of State and even the territory is not the same as today's Serbia is only a part of the former kingdom.

I can not see younger and more progressive people voting for a monarchy. In a modern state there is no place for men in black with long beards to meddle in politics (the Orthodox Church). The young want to progress, to advance, to join the EU.

The older Serbians, the more conservative countryside and certainly the Church wants to keep the country in the influence zone of Mother Russia. When the Church and nationalistic parties rally behind the former Crown Prince, the yonger generation will resist.

They want to get out the backwardness wich led to the tragic wars in the 1990's. When the former Crown Prince supports Serbia to join the EU, he will see opposition from the same unholy alliance which still esteems the Serbian warlords Milosevic, Mladic and Karadzic as heroes of the Serbian fatherland.

No, forget it. It will not happen.

 

[Marc23]

With a majority of the population supporting the restoration, and with the support of the Orthodox Church. The parliament at this time is mostly in favor. They will discuss soon the process of the possibility of a referendum.

Will Serbia have a chance to restore the monarchy soon?

Based on what you assumed this?

There is not a slightest chance for that at the moment. Never say never, but I am afraid, this story for Serbia is finished. As for the Parliament, I work in the Parliament, I would know in the first place if anything is going on. Nobody thinks seriously about monarchy.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

If there is any thrive and desire in Serbia, then it is to become "normal", to join the EU, to join NATO, to become a country finally going forward to a modern European State. With Serbians no longer logging behind in prosperity, in comparison with former Yugoslav states like Croatia or Slovenia which have made giant steps forward. We see inert and stand-still Serbia.

That is the thrive. And not the monarchy. And there is a FIERCE opposition against this thrive. By the Orthodox Church (with which the former royal family cuddles) and by pro-Russian forces. If there is any desire for a monarchy, it comes from these circles. They will be the losers. Serbia WILL join the EU, they will develop, bloom and finally free themselves from the suffocating communist and nationalist past.

 

[Marc23]

If there is any thrive and desire in Serbia, then it is to become "normal", to join the EU, to join NATO, to become a country finally going forward to a modern European State. With Serbians no longer logging behind in prosperity, in comparison with former Yugoslav states like Croatia or Slovenia which have made giant steps forward. We see inert and stand-still Serbia.

That is the thrive. And not the monarchy. And there is a FIERCE opposition against this thrive. By the Orthodox Church (with which the former royal family cuddles) and by pro-Russian forces. If there is any desire for a monarchy, it comes from these circles. They will be the losers. Serbia WILL join the EU, they will develop, bloom and finally free themselves from the suffocating communist and nationalist past.

Well, it's very hard to say what people in Serbia generally want. There are groups, but not so much one desired opinion.

In previous years going into EU was generally more desired than today. It is reflected by Brexit and other things happening in EU. Based on that, today we have the biggest opposition party in the Parliament which is openly against Serbia going into EU, while in recent years it was not the case...And they were chosen into the Parliament by people of Serbia who voted. This Radical party didn't "exist" in political scene in the last 10-15 years, but when their leader was released from Hague, everything changed for them and his party suddenly became the biggest opposition party at the moment. The Hague trial proved to be a very big political commercial for him.

There is also big opposition against NATO in our country as many people were killed during Nato bombing which happened in 1999. More than 2500 people were killed and almost 13000 people wounded in the bombing, almost all infrastructure was either destroyed or damaged, many people left their homes and still haven't got back due to political situation.

So it's not easy for politicians to go out there and say, going into NATO is a good thing as many people still have "open wounds" because of this bombing and remember it well. It would be the start of self destruction for any politician in Serbia who would openly dare to say that, as that would open many other unsolved questions.

And yes, you are right, having still many problems in the country is the major thing why almost nobody thinks about monarchy. People struggle to survive and don't have time thinking so much about such things as monarchy movement. It requires a lot of energy and effort to get there and people can't afford to spend it on such thing as "bringing the monarchy back".

I would personally like Serbia to become monarchy again, but in real life, there is almost no chance for it in recent future.

 

[Blog Real]

Yes, but we have to hope that the monarchy will be restored one day.

 

[Cory]

The polls seem to favour the Royal Family even if some of the politicians would not be convinced easily

 

[Marc23]

The polls seem to favour the Royal Family even if some of the politicians would not be convinced easily

The polls can easily be fixed as it is based on sample.

Believe me, there isn't even any kind of real wish for the monarchy at the moment among the people. The image royal family has with all it's feuds, almost nobody speaking Serbian and almost nobody even living in Serbia(except CP Alexander and Princess Elizabeth) is not helping the cause and ads to the anti-monarchy climate.

 

[Cory]

The polls can easily be fixed as it is based on sample.

Believe me, there isn't even any kind of real wish for the monarchy at the moment among the people. The image royal family has with all it's feuds, almost nobody speaking Serbian and almost nobody even living in Serbia(except CP Alexander and Princess Elizabeth) is not helping the cause and ads to the anti-monarchy climate.

It is certainly important they live in the country and they speak the language very well.

 

[Marc23]

It is certainly important they live in the country and they speak the language very well.

Serbia was very proud that they had their native dynasty and not imported German one, unlike most countries in the Balkan region.

Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Hungary were ruled by the Habsburgs, Romania by Hohenzollerns, Bulgaria by Saxe-Coburgs, Greece by Wittelsbachs and Schleswig-Holsteins, Albania by Wieds etc. It was always pointed out that, unlike these countries Serbia never had foreign sovereign, so Serbian people expect from his "King" to be more Serbian than the others, to be the role model of an leader, soldier so that they could be associated with him, respect him and at the same time fear him.

For Serbian that can't be said for someone who doesn't know the language, has feuds with other members of the family, allows to get booed in public, make really hilarious mistakes while speaking and doesn't live in the country.

It is remarkable how Crown Prince Alexander is respected by foreign royals and people abroad, while in Serbia he just can't find "that" connection with people and they make fun of him and in general do not respect him.

Unlike for example, Prince Tomislav, who wasn't an angel at all. He was a great womanizer, had many mistresses, but never allowed this to be widely known, was in high regard with the people, always dignified, he spoke Serbian and was always the favorite Serbian Prince as he knew what things Serbian people fall for.