National Democratic Party of Yugoslavia (21st Century Crisis)

The National Democratic Party of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Национална демократска странка Југославијa, Nacionalna demokratska stranka Jugoslavija) also known as the National Democrats is a political party in Yugoslavia.

Sitting on the center-right of the political spectrum, the party is a nationalist party that espouses Euroslavism, a Slavic nationalist movement that combines Slavic nationalism and Europeanism, in other words, a form of Slavic nationalism without Russian domination or one that does not cater to, and as matter of fact, opposes Russian interests.

The party advocates for the entering of Yugoslavia into the European Union, and actively opposes both American and Russian influence in Yugoslavia, stating that "Slavic culture, and the Slavs, are of Europe, and are a completely European people."

Members of the NDPY supported Miroslav Lokar and Ivo Josipović's presidencies.

The party also high ties with Europeanist parties, especially those in Ukraine and Bulgaria.

The party forms part of the Nationalist Coalition of Yugoslavia, a collection of nationalist parties in Yugoslavia.

Despite the Progressive Party of Yugoslavia being left-wing, the National Democrats see the Progressive Party as being a "key partner", as both parties share the same goal of entering Yugoslavia into the European Union.

It is currently Yugoslavia's third-largest political party.

History
The party was found in 2000, by progressive nationalists who were tired of being a "typical Russian puppet, that is often marked by corruption, a large but poor-quality military and overall lack of standards of living".

The party's militant wing, known as the New Yugoslav Insurgent Army, played a key role in deposing of Slobodan Milošević, and ridding Yugoslavia of his family. These people retained much of the Yugoslav nationalism, despising NATO but favoring the economic benefits of being a European Union member state.

Todor Bukejlović ridiculed and criticized Russia for housing The Milošević family, also at the fact that Marko Milošević was a known criminal, terrorist and even rapist.

He stated, "We are tired of Russia and NATO treating us like their little playground and trying to make us a puppet of either. Enough is enough."

Bukejlović attributed the party's goals of Josip Broz Tito's decision to make Yugoslavia a friend of Moscow, but not a member of the Warsaw Pact, favoring extreme Titoist and Balkanist ideas. The extreme Titoists were communists who were anti-Soviet and wanted Yugoslavia completely independant of all Soviet influence. The party also considers itself to be a descendant of the various Austro-Slavic movements, including the Obrenović dynasty, a pro-Austro-Hungarian Serbian royal dynasty.

Although originally opposed to the regime of Miroslav Lokar, the party grew to support Lokar, who moved Yugoslavia into the European Union's economic sphere of influence, and began a media push to make Yugoslavia a European Union state.

While the party agreed with Lokar's anti-NATO views, it did not view itself as pro-Russia, and opposed Russian influential dominance as much as NATO's.

Bukejlović stated, "We Yugoslavs, need to rule ourselves, not NATO, not Russia or anyone else."

Petar Stoyanov of Bulgaria supported the National Democrats. However, the National Democrats were less interested in what Bulgarians were saying about them.

In 2004, the party endorsed Miroslav Lokar in the presidential elections.

Russia
The NDPY states that while it "...definitely supports positive, cordial and friendly relations with Russia, it is actively opposed to Russian swallowing of the Balkans, or of Eastern Europe for that matter." On Russia's Slavicness, the Russia the party states, "Given that Russia obviously is a Slavic nation, of course they are family, and we see them as such. But I must stress, they are a different Slavic group, we serve the Yugoslav people before anyone else, Slavic or non-Slavic. On a political paradigm, we see Russia no differently or more than we see a country like Germany, partners only due to mutual benefit."

The NDPY is opposed to Russian military presence in Yugoslavia, and on the Kosovo issue, stating that "Yugoslavia and Albania need to solve the issue alone, without constant Russian, or American interference."

The NDPY has actively and openly opposed Russia, including the 2012 Russia-Ukraine Border Agreement, stating that it believes Donetsk, Luhansk, Donbass and Crimea to be rightfully Ukrainian territory.

Stronger and even more racist proponents of the NDPY claim that Russia is "no longer Slavic", and "ceased to be Slavic" during the days of the Soviet Union."

Dušan Jurasović, a spokesperson for the NDPY stated, "Lenin and the Soviets hijacked Russia, and turned it into a Mongolic and Asiatic nation. They may speak the language, but really, all that is left of Russia's Slavic past is its language. The people of Russia aren't truly Slavic, they ceased being Slavic after 1922, and even before 1922, the Russian population was already getting mixed with Tatars, Germans and Asians."

Russian nationalists have accused the NDPY of propagating hostilities against Russia and trying to divide the Slavic peoples. Fyodor Borisov, a member of the Nationalist Party of Russia stated, "These so-called National Democrats or whatever are not real nationalists, but NATO puppets using nationalism. No Slav should be pro-NATO."

However, Neko Matković, a spokesperson stated, "Nobody here is wanting Yugoslavia to enter World War III against Russia or anything like that, that is crazy. At the same time, we will be ready to combat Russian aggression, it's not different than what the Ukrainians are struggling with deal with. Just look at Yugoslavia all over, Russia has bases all over our nation, picking us apart as if we were some little colony of theirs. What we are pushing for is a Yugoslavia under Yugoslav control and influence, not Russian. This is Yugoslavia, not Russia."

Matković, while on a trip to Russia, was interviewed and told Russian reporters, in Russian, "Remember, we support friendly and cooperative relations with Russia, only if it benefits both of us and of mutual benefit, not some ruse by Moscow to elevate their national ego. I love Russia, for Russia definately has a glorious history, and in no less can I love Yugoslavia. Allowing Yugoslavia and the Balkans to be swallowed by Russian interests benefits Russia and only Russia, not Yugoslavia."

Roman Catholicism
The party views Roman Catholicism as having played a vital role in the history of the Slavs, unlike other Slavic nationalists.

The party stated, "Although we definitely value the role of the Eastern Orthodox Church in the history of many Slavic nations, we also have to understand, that not all Slavs have roots in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Croatians, Slovenians, Poles, Slovaks and Czechs are Catholics and have their heritages deep into the Roman Catholic Church, we come to honor that. They are no less brothers than our Eastern Orthodox ones. Our goal is to bring both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox people."

The party supported Pope John Paul II's visit to Yugoslavia, and Yugoslav membership into the Catholic Commonwealth.

NATO
The National Democrats are not necessarily pro-NATO, but do support cooperation with NATO as necessary, especially in combating Russian aggression. However, the National Democrats stated that they are still opposed to Yugoslavia being a NATO member state. Party members argue that NATO was never trying to destroy Yugoslavia, but more so eliminated "tyrannic dictators and war criminals". A spokesperson for the party stated, "We are not trying to enter Yugoslavia into NATO, we opposed any such military superpower alliances. But more so, we favor cooperating with them to ensure stability and help fight domestic and foreign threats." The party also stated the need to differentiate between NATO and the European Union. "People must come to see, the European Union and NATO are two different things. To be become part of one, doesn't mean becoming part of the other. NATO is a military superpower alliance, the European Union is an economic alliance. Our economy has so-improved via the latter, which can then get the money to fund a strong and non-corrupt military."

They supported President Ivo Josipović's move to westernize the Yugoslav military, and move Yugoslavia farther into NATO's orbit.

In turn, Ivo Josipović touted the National Democrats as a "viable alternative" to Vladimir Matijević's pro-Russia United Yugoslavia Party.

In the 2015 Yugoslav Federal Elections, the National Democrats endorsed Ivo Josipović for another term.

Media and Publishing
The party has its own publication and news agency, known as Slovoda Jugoslavija, or "Слобода Југославијa" in Cyrillic, which literally translated to "Freedom Yugoslavia" in English. The party does broadcasts, newspapers and online news formats as well.

Criticisms
Other nationalist parties in Yugoslavia have criticized the National Democrats as being a "party of traitors and hypocrites".

Maxim Stojanović, a spokesperson for the rivalling pro-Russia United Yugoslavia Party stated, "These National Democrats, or whatever, are traitors to the core. They claim that their party is not built on hostiity against Russia, yet their entire campaigns are filled with anti-Russian propaganda. Russia is the only reason why even still exist today. The dare call themselves nationalist?"

In 2014, Russian president Vladimir Putin criticized the party as being phonies, and NATO agents. Bulgarian president Krasimir Karakachanov, a former supporter stated that he takes back anything positive about the National Democrats.

He stated, "I used to regard the National Democrats of Yugoslavia as brethren nationalists, but they have shown their true colors. They remind me of the Right Sector of Ukraine, they are fake nationalists."