Can I have a “who hates who” in former Yugoslavia? 😄
Posted by lingeringneutrophil@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 93 comments
I’m professionally involved with both locals and expats from the area and I need a “who hates who” guide to the former Yugoslavia offspring:
my understanding is Kosovars hate Serbians.
Croats hate Serbians . Serbians hate Kosovars.
Slovenes hate Croats if I remember correctly? Or is the border thing no longer an issue? Do they hate Serbians now?
Who do Bosnians hate again? Was it Kosovars or am I muddling it up?
Do you all collectively hate Russia now and it’s all good, or is Serbia ruining it again?
Dear former Yugoslav friends, if you could guide us, uninvolved parties, into the intricacies of your mutual antipathies so that we don’t commit an atrocious faux-pas when making connections and sharing, it would be tremendously appreciated. Peace and love to you all 💙
Sheb1995@reddit
Stereotypically speaking:
Croats and Serbs hate each other.
Bosniaks and Serbs hate each other.
Croats and Bosniaks hate each other (although I will say in my observation, the hatred is more between Bosnian/Herzegovinan Croats and Bosniaks rather than Croats from Croatia).
Albanians and Serbs hate each other.
Croats and Slovenes have a love/hate relationship. Slovenes have okay relations with, but look down on, everybody else.
Albanians and Macedonians dislike each other.
Montenegrins typically get on with everybody, they have maybe cooler relations with Albanians and in recent years they have distanced themselves from Serbs also.
theopp3r@reddit
Croatians hate serbians, bosnians hate serbians, albanians hate serbians. kosovars hate serbians. Serbians hate everyone. Romanians hate bulgarians and vice versa. Slovenians mind their own business. Macedonians pretend to exist when they are either Greek, kosovars, bulgarians or albanian.
Each of these people lives in the same block in Muntzer, DEU
allanq116@reddit
Croats had concentration camps for Serbian kids in WWII, Bosniaks had their SS battalion, Albanians, Bulgarian and Hungarian governments were German allies.
Dumb Serbs decided to be on the right side of history and paid dearly in WWII.
Germany decided to give Serbia to those countries.
Truly, the only people really hated by Serbs are Croats. Serbs view them as very vicious. Reason: My Croatian friend said: "It is not a sin to kill a person. The sin is to kill a person and the not to confess it to a priest." They used Catholic religion as their justification for the killings.
So when in 1992. Bosnian tied their flags with Croatian fashists flags and against their Serbian cousins. Serbs lost their mind and said:"not again."
I have both Croatian and Bosniak family, neighbors and friends. We still love each other, but people of former Yugoslavia chose war. They elected evil people, knowing what will happen.
Serbs and Montenegrians are related. Half of Serbians are originally from Montenegro and Raška. Myself included.
Elegant_Trash_3372@reddit
I'm Macedonian, and out of all of our Ex-Yu comrades, I love all of you guys 🇲🇰❤️🇧🇦🇭🇷🇲🇪🇷🇸🇸🇮
TheSwazzer@reddit
Everyone hates everyone
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Lol I certainly hope not, but sometimes it sure feels that way to an outsider
Still_counts_as_one@reddit
Before the war, no one really hated each other, during the war, it was purposeful cruelty on the victims to make sure the people would never get along again. I’m half Bosniak and half Croat from Herzegovina, to this day, I get a slight twitch when someone says they’re Serbian. I know it’s weird to understand and I do my best not not let it affect me until they start spouting nationalistic speech and symbols
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
I don’t blame you at all, the transgenerational trauma is absolutely real! The war was devastating… I just wonder if there is a bit more to it historically… like you can trace the World War II to Hitler, but it really can be traced all the way back to the first world if you think about a bit more contextually.
I honestly never understood why the nations in that region don’t get along, it seems like it would be in everyone interest do unite against the greater forces…
nebuddyhome@reddit
They got along during Yugoslavian.
My father is Bosniak and mother is Macedonian, they married in Yugoslavia, and moved to Canada from Yugoslavia, and for most of my life told me I was Yugoslavian(ethnicity).
So it wasn't all hate before the wars.
korana_great@reddit
In ex-YU:
Serbs hate everyone, everyone hates Serbs.
That's about it.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
It’s all because of the war in the 90s or is there more to it?
TitsForLife@reddit
Serbs are kinda like the English are in Great Britain
nebuddyhome@reddit
That's sort of a good analogy honestly.
Except all the bad shit has happened much more recently so their reputation is worse.
However I'd say the English were much worse towards the Irish.
korana_great@reddit
Well yeah, basically. 90s wars were basically Serbs vs everybody
jokicfnboy@reddit
We dont hate macedonians and they dont hate us. Also we dont hate montenegrins, only just milonegrins.
radule987@reddit
First of all: Bosnian ≠ Bosniak Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian - nationality Bosniak, Serb, Croat - ethnicity
In reality, no one hates anyone (if we disregard current tensions between us and Kosovo Albanians).
For the sake of stereotype, list goes like this:
-Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks hate each other -Serbs and Albanians hate each other -Slovenes and Croats dislike each other -Macedonians and Albanians dislike each other -Montenegrins are neutral towards all but they take stance with Serbs
*Albanians within former Yugoslavia, not the ones from Albania.
Online: we just like to troll each other.
AllMightAb@reddit
*Albanians within former Yugoslavia, not the ones from Albania.
The ones from Albania are not excatly friendly to you guys either
perkonja@reddit
I wouldn't say so, honestly
AllMightAb@reddit
Mate this divide and conqueror strategy you serbs have tried to imploy ever since the borders have been drawn is getting old, differentiating Albanians from Albania witn Albanac and Albanians from former yugo as šiptar, trying to cause religious divison amongst us, etc etc, hasn't worked and never will.
Just because you go to Albania for the summer, and the Albanians are nice to you because they're overcharging you and taking your money doesn't mean they like you.
kimmielicious82@reddit
don't Albanians call themselves "shqiptar"? why is that now a bad thing? I don't know about Albanians from Albania but if different terms are used it would be easier in a conversation if it does make a difference whether you talk about Albanians from Albania or from ex-yu. since Albanians use the word themselves: why do you see it as offensive? (that's the vibe I'm getting)
AllMightAb@reddit
You know as well as I do that its a derogatory word you people have used to offend Albanians, iam tired of you people playing dumb, i come from a municipality in Montenegro that has Albanians, Boshniaks and Serbs, the Boshniaks and Serbs known for a fact that that word is offensive and don't use it infront of us cause they know they'll get their teeth kicked in otherwise, meanwhile you peope online play dumb and say otherwise.
kimmielicious82@reddit
don't include me in "you people"! as you can see I was born to parents of both sides in a completely different country! so who am I in "you people" according to you, please?
also I have had other interests in life that don't include history which for me is not easy. (on the other side I don't even have to explain myself to you for not knowing some things and therefore not being hateful at all. I love that I can see people without hate.)
again: why do "you people" proudly call yourself "shqiptar" then!? my whole Albanian side of the family does that.
dmsc03@reddit
How does it feel to be a mythological creature? By that I mean, half human & half serbian!
alternative_optionz@reddit
Racist pos
dmsc03@reddit
That's still better than being slavic....
AllMightAb@reddit
Jesus Christ....
Here this is from ChatGBT:
"The term "Šiptar" might be used differently by Albanians to refer to themselves, but it's essential to understand that the perception of a word can vary depending on who uses it and in what context. The term has a complex history and has been used in different ways by different groups.
In the past, the term "Šiptar" was used by some Serbs in a derogatory and offensive manner when referring to Albanians. This usage became associated with negative stereotypes and prejudices, leading to its offensive connotation.
"As an AI language model, I must clarify that using the term "Šiptar" to refer to Albanians is considered offensive. The term has historically been used in a derogatory manner and is seen as a form of ethnic slur. It's important to be respectful and use appropriate and neutral language when referring to people of different ethnicities or nationalities. It's always best to use the preferred terms used by the individuals or communities themselves.
perkonja@reddit
Albanians are not overcharging anyone, it's affordable as hell. I don't understand how do you get angry about the fact people in Albania are nice to tourists and don't discriminate based on nationality, like, it's a positive thing lol. I guess you don't think it should be that way.
AllMightAb@reddit
Considering your country is filled with mass graves of killed Albanian civilians that you re-buried in order to hide your war crimes, no i dont think it should be that way, but money talks unfortunately.
BetterPhoneRon@reddit
You probably say it because many Serbs go to vacation in Albania and nobody bothers them. The thing is, even if you went to Kosovo, as long as you didn’t try to provoke, you’d be treated the same as in Albania. It’s just your government propaganda that makes it seem like Kosovo is the wild west.
perkonja@reddit
Oh, I definitely do believe Albania is safer than Kosovo. The war had to have left an impact, which is understandable.
dmsc03@reddit
That is so not true! I hate every slavic invader in balkan, regardless whether they are a good person or not!
boshnjak@reddit
This is definitely sugarcoating. There’s plenty of hate going around in the Balkans still, just last month in Bosnia we saw Bosnian Serbs in Srebrenica celebrating the anniversary of the genocide and singing songs praising Ratko Mladić. Two Serb students were expelled from a Sarajevo university for making hateful posts towards Bosniaks online and were even given a scholarship for a school in Serbia I believe. There’s plenty of hate.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Good grief!! I probably would have lost it if I were to witness something like that
BiH5@reddit
Initially many get pissed, but it happens so often it’s numbing.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
It’s truly horrific. I did not know it happened, there should have been far wider awareness and repercussions. WTF is those people’s problem… They should just be arrested and prosecuted for hate crime. Makes me really upset
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Why do Serbs hate Croats again? Wasn’t the first kingdom Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia?
And why do Bosniaks hate Croats…? I don’t remember this one.
I guess Montenegrins are the most well behaved children? 😀 maybe along with the Macedonians that honestly I don’t know much about?
It seems to go all the way to the Ottoman Empire, I’m just curious if any of you see a potential solution aside the EU swallowing the region as a whole.
I personally don’t, but I’m curious if there are any creative ideas when it comes to international relations on Reddit 🤭
ur-nammu@reddit
We don't really. Yes, things are politically charged because of the electoral reform and both sides have abused the issue to their maximum effect in order to garner more nationalist votes instead of changing anything for 10+ years. But, things have been slowly changing lately because both sides are tired of the endless nationalist rhetoric and blockade.
I wouldn't say tensions between Croats-Bosniaks are high at all compared to Bosniaks-Serbs. Croatia's commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide vs. how Serbia handles the subject, Čapljina (80%+ Croat city in Hercegovina) renaming a street after Srebrenica victims, puts the differences between Croats and Serbs into perspective for a lot of us.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Thanks. It’s easy to forget how horrific the war was… I mean it didn’t help anyone or anything in the end (aside Bill Clinton and maybe Madeleine Albright), but I don’t understand why the issues never really changed even some 20 years later. What’s the missed opportunity others could learn from
BiH5@reddit
I would add that Croats and Bosnians dislike each other when compared to “hating” Serbs. However the argument for “hate” is very much possible.
pretplatime@reddit
Yeah, that's why Serbs take down Croatian flags off the poles when they visit us. Strange way of saying "I love you"
Fickle-Message-6143@reddit
One incident pumped up by media, the same way Bosniak ultras attacked Serb children on tournament in Sarajevo or when cars with Serbian plates are vandalised on Croatian coast.
Yea i don't think that we love each other, but don't think that we hate each other. The truth is we are staying neutral to positive as much we can.
pretplatime@reddit
I was waiting for the "one isolated never-happened-before incident" trope.
No, it is not just one incident. It happens so often that future flag poles will be coming with a lock on them. That's how often it happens
Magistar_Idrisi@reddit
It really doesn't happen that often. Neither do Serb tourists get attacked often (when was the last time? I don't even remember).
Stverghame@reddit
Downvotes are there because you are one sided, not because of the things you said. When whole Balkans are mentioned, it is fair to mention every presentation of hate, while you, yet again showcase Serbs only, because you truly believe only Serbs are capable of shit and hate. That's why you are downvoted, because as always you lack simple function of objective and unbiased thinking.
So, while we're at it:
Because this happens ''way too often'' according to you, do you believe we should collectively put sellotapes on mouths of children from Split so we could prevent these definitely not ''one time incidents'' where they yell how they want to kill Serbs? I am sure this is a way stronger display of hate than some random guy taking down a flag. Don't you agree Pretty? Or you're in your -U- era once again? Maybe we should sellotape fingers of all Split inhabitants just in case, so they can't hold hammers to crash cars with Serbian carplates, and at the same time they can't hold a spray can to paint a -U- on a building. Yeah, sellotape does wonders in supressing Croatian hate.
pretplatime@reddit
You're once again talking about stuff I never said.
Where did I say that "only Serbs are capable of hate"? Can you please find me that quote?
I'm just answering to the original comment that said "there's no hate in real life" and I said there is - surely from both sides
ODIU3PM@reddit
Quality work, hahaha. This "dislike" about Slovenians is a good attempt, but only an attempt. To us Croats, Slovenes are nice, but we find them funny, which does not go unnoticed by Slovenes, so they don't like it. But they also love us, so "dislike" is too hard a word.
HabemusAdDomino@reddit
I'm Macedonian. We hate no one, but everyone hates us.
AllMightAb@reddit
You definitely hate Albanians, you guys are still salty that after the 2001 conflict Albanians control half your country.
Kristiano100@reddit
Let’s be honest, it’s criminals that control the country, Albanian or Macedonian notwithstanding.
tomgatto2016@reddit
There's not as much hatred as it's presented... Right now we tolerate each other, maybe in the future it will get better, maybe worse. It's definitely waaaay better than in the past, no doubt about it
perkonja@reddit
you're just annoying tbh
AllMightAb@reddit
Its the truth, North Macedonia is defacto federalized, just not dejuro.
Tricky_Signature_764@reddit
Well we don’t, we’re actually quite fond
HabemusAdDomino@reddit
Kosovo je srce Srbije
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
I honestly forgot about you guys: what’s your deal? Are you kind of sorta like a Kosova where some countries recognize your existence and some don’t, and there is some ancient claim to your land by somebody else that keeps everyone in perpetual anxiety about what’s to come?
I don’t mean this as a joke, I’m genuinely curious
HabemusAdDomino@reddit
Greece claims our national identity Bulgaria claims our language Serbia used to claim our church
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
So what are you left with…?
HabemusAdDomino@reddit
Nothing. Which is probably the point.
ShelbyNL@reddit
We love you bro lol
HabemusAdDomino@reddit
I love you, too. <3
Barbak86@reddit
I hate Montenegro! Why? just so people can't claim no one hates Montenegro!
Jakup Ferri mor ku je, thrrasin malet me Piskamë, Tridhjetë krena i ke pre, Me shtatë plagë po rri në kamë!
goldman303@reddit
There’s a hate triangle between Bosniaks (Muslims) Croatians and Serbs. Kosovars and Serbs hate each other. Idk about Slovenia (maybe some Issue w Croatia?? Idk they generally chillin like villains rn) and I don’t think any of the yugos hate Macedonia, except Kosovo maybe bc of the Albanian stuff. And then some issue w them and Serbs bc of the church business. No one seems to hate Montenegro. And everyone hates Gypsies sadly
koxxlc@reddit
Yugoslavia was serbocentric even before WW2 and did dissolve because of "Bigserbian" nationalistic tendencies after Tito's dead, so every other nations has something to say against Serbs. At the other hand, Serbs always like to take slight suprematistic stance, usually to compensate their inferiority complexes.
perkonja@reddit
For ex-Yu, two-sided beefs are: - Serbia & Croatia - Serbia & BiH - Serbia & Montenegro - Croatia & BiH - Slovenia & Croatia maybe?? idk
pretplatime@reddit
...and the common denominator is?
Stare-oids@reddit
I have to ask because I’m honestly curious, but do you have a job or social life or something? You are commenting on ever post I have ever seen in this sub and constantly trying to start arguments. Do you need attention?
Jebaji_ga@reddit
Yes he does it for attention. He's a troll and is probably a weak loser in real life so he types tough things on the internet so he can feel big and strong.
Its easy to read him. Probably showers once a week, never had a gf, either really skinny or really fat etc.
pretplatime@reddit
Czechia is waiting for you
Jebaji_ga@reddit
Moms dinner is waiting for you
pretplatime@reddit
Czech republic is waiting for you
Tricky_Signature_764@reddit
What does that even mean?
pretplatime@reddit
I live in my mom's basement and I have no friends. I didn't get enough attention as a child so I need it now
perkonja@reddit
You'll get a direct answer when you ask a direct question.
Agnanac@reddit
If you take out the politicians spewing toxic shit about territory, Slovenia and Croatia is basically just banter between two nations that spent almost a millennium as part of the same countries/federations/whatever. Yeah there are still idiots on both sides that take it seriously, but I wouldn't call it a beef.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Sorry I got the wrong message- so is there no tension between the two peoples these days? Just checking as I do remember it being a thing. Shitty politicians are pretty much ubiquitous. Ask me how I know.🤓😜😝
Agnanac@reddit
Well there was that whole piran bay fiasco that ruffled some feathers on both sides, but only politicians still use that rhetoric to fan flames between nationalists. I'd go as far to say that out of all ex-yu nations, Croats and Slovenes get along the best.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Yes, that! Thank you, I knew it was something about the coastline.
Well, that’s a pretty strong statement and I wonder if it all comes down to the EU membership after all?
Agnanac@reddit
Well if a country was your neighbour for a thousand years and the only grievance you have against them is a border dispute about 2km of land, I wouldn't say that we started getting along recently.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
I don’t think either country existed 1000 years ago…
Agnanac@reddit
Are you trolling mate?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Carniola?wprov=sfla1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counts_of_Celje?wprov=sfla1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Croatia_%28925%E2%80%931102%29?wprov=sfla1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatia_in_personal_union_with_Hungary?wprov=sfla1
Please inform yourself before denying history of entire countries, it makes you sound ignorant at best and downright irredentist at worst.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Seems like a lot of love for Serbia… yeah, the Slovenia/Croatia thing is a bit confusing - to my knowledge the language isn’t mutually understandable but as you say, used to be give or take one country for a century. I heard something about the border being the reason, that’s all I know about that
Tricky_Signature_764@reddit
Hating takes too much work, but if you want a breakdown of ethnicities which now and again have points of contention, here you go:
Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) - 90s war Bosnian Croats and Muslim Bosnians (Bosniaks) - war, current govt makeup and the bridge Serbs and Croats - wwii and 90s war Serbs and Kosovo Albanians - Kosovo Northern Macedonians and Albanians - 2000’s war Northern Macedonians and Greeks - names Slovenes and Croats - border issues
Representative-One96@reddit
Balkan mentality i hate u , u hate me . You are baddd , I‘m baddd lol . Work together in Germany lol and we see how we are more closer with balkan ppl than others .
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
I mean in the US the former Yugoslav people seem to get along pretty well, but that’s true so for a Palestinians and Israelis so… it just seems like the war didn’t really solve any of the tensions that were bubbling during Tito’s era and it was a war that nobody won.
I’m genuinely just curious if the expansion of the European Union and the overall economic progress has changed anything when it comes to the mutual relations
Still_counts_as_one@reddit
Now, they get along now. I wasn’t that way for a long time, probably around 2005ish things started calming down
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
I can see that, I mean the wounds from the war remain pretty raw for the affected generation for at least 10 to 15 years after the war ends, and some never heal. With respect to the US, I don’t think the Vietnam war damage had ever been repaired on either nation’s side and that it was a half a century ago…
Discipline_Cautious1@reddit
Serbs from Bosnia
Serbs from Serbia
Serbs from the rest of the world
Croats from Herzegovina.
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
So this is likely due to the genocide in the 90s, right? I get that part. But what’s up with the Croats?!
Discipline_Cautious1@reddit
It's a love-hate relationship.
Sarkotic159@reddit
What about Croats from the Lika and Kordun? Or do you only spit on those Herzegovinian peasants?
Aggressive-Sport-262@reddit
Boiii - nothing but love <3
lingeringneutrophil@reddit (OP)
Sure hope so 😜😀
Jebaji_ga@reddit
Nobody hates each other. The only ones who practice that stupid shit are teenagers and football hooligans.
The internet is just a very toxic place wether its Balkans or anywhere. People say stuff on a keyboard they would never even whisper in real life.
Instead of asking on reddit (toxic place) go to Sarajevo, Zagreb, Belgrade. Walk around and ask this question and get your real answers. Most will laugh at you