Serbian Academy of Science and Arts (SANU) Vice Director and Director of Byzantine Institute, Academic and Historian Ljubomir Maksimovic told RTS the Academy published the Collection of texts as a response to President Vucic’s call to take part in internal dialogue on Kosovo.

Maksimovic also refuted allegations SANU is not sufficiently involved in social and political life of the country saying that “SANU is not a political organization.”

Speaking about political pressure against Serbia’s neutrality, he said the so-called dilemma “between East and West” is fake, adding Serbia is not bound “with the chains of the past.”

“Romania and Bulgaria are an excellent example of this. Both countries are more “Byzantine” in their civilizational essence than Serbia, and both joined NATO and EU, without conditions that set before Serbia now. Therefore, speaking that historic influence on “East or West” dilemma has decisive impact is simply inaccurate,” Maksimovic pointed out.

He reminded that the influence of Byzantine, e.g. East on modern Serbia is foremost related to Orthodoxy and culture, while all other laws (civic and civilian) came from the West, RTS reported.