It must also be added that in the Balkans, powerful geopolitical and nation­al interests of the USA, NATO, the EU, as well as the Russian Federation, Turkey, China, and Arab countries intersect. Internally, in the Balkans, there are national motives for the“Greater Albania” project, which aims to unite Kosovo, Albania, and parts of North Macedonia. Croatian interests are also present, with their most pronounced stance toward Bosnia and Herzegovi­na, as well as Turkish interests in BiH, Kosovo, and North Macedonia(Sub­otić, 2021). If we follow the extensive literature on this topic, it can be said that most peoples in Europe have had ideas and projects for their own“great states”: Greater Germany, Greater Bulgaria, Greater Croatia, Greater Albania, and even Greater Serbia. 28 How justified and well-founded these ideas are is a separate question altogether. It is also a fact that, as stated by Jovo Bakić in his research on the destruction of Yugoslavia, nationalism can also sharpen the awareness for noticing true injustices against the nation, which some­one from the outside, perhaps, has a harder time noticing since(although he is not a directly interested party) he may indirectly have certain conflict­ing interests or stereotypes(Bakić, 2011). For a long time, the articulated question has been what are the national interests or state reasons of Serbia and the so-called“Serbian national interests.” The strategies of national security(from 2009 and 2019) have, for the first time, articulated the most important national interests of the Republic of Serbia at the level of strate­gic documents. Serbia’s National Interests – Strategic Approach According to the National Security Strategy, national interests are defined as “ a lasting need and aspiration of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens ,” and “ are based on universal and national values that stem from the Constitution and the heritage of the Serbian people and all citizens living in the Republic of Serbia”(NSS, 2019: 10). The fundamental national values recognized by this document are:“ freedom, independence, peace, security, democracy, rule of law, social justice, human and minority rights and freedoms, equality and 28 When Serbia, after a period of lethargy in its national politics, intensified its religious-educational activities in Otto­man-controlled European territories during the last decade of the 19th century accompanied by the opening of a network of consulates and the establishment of bishoprics in Prizren(1896) and Skopje(1897, finally in 1902) Vienna diplomacy inter­preted its efforts to protect compatriots as an unequivocal expression of"Greater Serbian propaganda." The Habsburg monar­chy was known as the main accuser of Serbia, alleging that it was pursuing a"Greater Serbian policy" throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Scholar and historian Čedomir Popov, in his book Great Serbia: Reality or Myth, attempted to explain that this accusation was unfounded or at least misinterpreted. Chapter 2 – Case Of The Republic Of Serbia 87