On June 3, 2024, conspiracy theorist Arianit Sllamniku, appearing on the show Kosova Today on Klan Kosova, made unfounded claims that NATO will invade Serbia.
"NATO's North Atlantic Alliance should be present in Serbia as it is in the countries surrounding Serbia... I believe that Camp Bondsteel will be relocated to the military base in Niš, where Russian forces are currently stationed... The soldiers from Camp Bondsteel, along with British and American soldiers, should be moved to the military base in Niš," Sllamniku stated.
In response, the moderator asked, "Does this imply the bombing of Belgrade?" Sllamniku replied, "No, absolutely not, it will be a ground invasion; I don't believe there will be any bombing." When asked, "NATO will invade Serbia?" Sllamniku confidently answered, "Yes, definitely."
This statement by conspiracy theorist Sllamniku was also disseminated by other media outlets, such as Bota e lajmeve, Veriu.info, BotaSot.info, Nacionale, under the headline: "Arianit Sllamniku surprises journalist: Bondsteel will be relocated to Niš, NATO will invade this state."
Photo: Klan Kosova
For this claim, Sllamniku did not offer any supporting facts or data. Officially, there has been no statement or announcement indicating the possibility of Camp Bondsteel being relocated to Serbia.
During the conversation in the studio, Sllamniku also promoted the idea of changing borders in the Balkans, where Albanians become part of a Greater Albania. "The idea of a Greater Albania is returning, as we mentioned at the start of the show, since Prime Minister Kurti recently had a mission in North Macedonia, the Preševo Valley, and Sandžak – suggesting that we are establishing borders and political, economic, and geostrategic influence in Albanian-majority areas." The moderator then asked if this would be done under Turkish oversight.
Sllamniku replied, "Absolutely."
This is not the first time conspiracy theorist Sllamniku has made unsupported claims. Earlier, he claimed that U.S. President Joe Biden had died and the person presenting himself as the president was his "twin brother."
Conspiracy theories are hypotheses or beliefs that suggest that certain situations or developments are the result of a plot by a powerful, hidden group. Such theories are often not based on verified facts, but rather on speculation, misinformation, and one-sided interpretations of events.
These unsubstantiated theories can be harmful, aiming to spread fear and create mistrust.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. “Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.”
