Political wunderkind

In Serbia, finding widespread public support for topics such as Kosovo's independence and NATO membership is not exactly easy. Nationalism is still strong in the Balkan state, and liberal pro-Western advocates are in the minority. But recently, that minority has been getting more attention - all because of a twelve-year-old boy named Rastko Pocesta.

As a young pro-Western social activist, Pocesta has gained fame through articles he's published on blogs and Facebook, which campaign for Serbia to join the European Union and NATO. He also supports the independence of Kosovo, despite the Serbian government's stance that it is not a separate country.

"Serbia should be a country in which human, civil, political and minority rights are maximally respected," Rastko said. "It should be a country which is not seen through the wars in the 1990's and the war crimes but by its involvement in international affairs."

Rastko added that Serbian membership in the EU would bring economic stability and prosperty. The young activist also believes NATO membership would help improve the security of all Serbs.

Harsh feedback

Despite his young age, Pocesta is not immune from violent threats made via the Internet. Ultranationalists within Serbia have begun to take notice of his work and say he's betrayed Serb values.

One post on the forum of a right-wing group known as Obraz read; "We should break this kid's bones, and then his ideas."

Obraz considers any pro-Western Serb to be a traitor, since NATO bombed the country during the Kosovo war in the late 1990's.

Ultranationalists still have a strong presence in Serbian society, as they regularly take part in street protests. In 2008, after the United States declared its support for Kosovo's independence, the American embassy in Belgrade was set on fire.

Pocesta has been given official protection, but says the threats will not stop him from doing his work.

"I'll continue being a human rights activist and I'll never step down, no matter what threats," said Pocesta. "If I step down, it will be the failure of democracy in this country. It's the worst thing that can happen."

Mladen Obradovic, the general secretary of Obraz, did not think the violent threats on the group's website were serious, but nevertheless does not approve of Pocesta's views.

"There is something wrong with this boy," said Obradovic. "But I hope, since he's still very young, that there is enough time for him to become a better pupil, a better Serb, a better Christian, a better person."

Political tug-of-war

Pocesta's story reflects a larger political struggle within Serbia, with one liberal side keen to move on from the past, and the other remaining fiercely nationalistic.

Serbia's pro-Western government applied for EU membership at the end of last year. The EU boosted Serbia's bid by unfreezing a free trade agreement with Belgrade as well as allowing visa-free travel throughout the Schengen zone

However, Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008 still remains an issue between the EU and Serbia, as all but five EU members now recognize Kosovo as an independent state.

Pocesta does have at least one fan within Serbia's government, Marko Karadzic, the State Secretary for Human Rights. Karadzic says he shares Pocesta's desire to eradicate the remnants of Serbia's violent past.

"You still have those violent groups and they simply don't see themselves in a system where you have rules," said Karadzic. "This is completely unacceptable because we have to show that we have learnt about the evil of war and violence and that we are going to fight against it."

Author: Mark Lowen (mk)
Editor: Susan Houlton