Finally, the results obtained from the expert survey confirm the dominance of preserving internal stability and security(18 experts believe it is“of key importance,” while 13 consider it“very important”). Behind them are the preservation of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as economic development and overall prosperity. Similar to the public opin­ion, EU membership is at the bottom of the hierarchy. However, this does not mean that experts consider this interest marginal, since a clear majority of 20 experts state that this interest is either very important(13) or of key importance(7), while an additional ten experts believe it is at least partially important(Krstić& Jović, 2024:507). Civil War and NATO Aggression The civil wars in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s represent one of the most difficult periods in recent European history. After decades of shared life, the country experienced deep ethnic and political divisions that led to armed conflicts and the disintegration of Yugoslavia. Slovenia and Croatia declared independence in 1991, which triggered wars in those states. The Croatian War of Independence lasted from 1991 to 1995, involving ethnic cleansing, mass civilian casualties, and international mediation, while the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995 is considered the blood­iest conflict in Europe after World War II. During this period, mass crimes, the genocide in Srebrenica, and ethnic cleansing were carried out by various actors, leaving deep scars in the region. 33 A particular challenge was the conflict in Kosovo, which was a key moment in the development of conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. As early as the 1980s, Kosovo Albanians demanded greater rights and autonomy, and in 1981 they organised mass demonstrations that led to clashes with authori­ties and repressive measures. In the subsequent period, Kosovo experienced the abolition of its autonomy, and tensions and violence between Serbs and Albanians escalated. During the 1990s, Kosovo Albanians demanded inde­pendence, with some advocating unification with Albania. 33 Much has been written about the disintegration of the SFR Yugoslavia, but despite the obvious facts, there is still doubt regarding the reliability of the available knowledge about the true causes, essence, dynamics, and consequences of the violent breakup of SFR Yugoslavia. As Miroslav Hadžić notes, there is a lack of a quality and objective debate on that war, and instead, a political and ideological debate about World War II is constantly conducted, which nearly forcibly revises that historical pe­riod(Hadžić, 2004). In line with this, it can be said that the 1990s shaped the foundations of authoritarianism, lack of trans ­parency, and abuse of power, which are reflected in modern Serbian society. Chapter 2 – Case Of The Republic Of Serbia 93