Serbia in the time of COVID-19: between "corona diplomacy", tough measures and migration management

The paper analyzes the specificities of Serbia’s response to
coronavirus. Two most important issues during the pandemic
were the role of the State and the management of migration
flows. Being placed in the China–Russia–EU triangle shaped
the response on the crises but also the image of the country
in the world.
Two phenomena shaped mobility patterns. Citizens returning
from abroad were caught between accusations of spreading
the virus and a plea for healthcare and other key workers from
the Serbian diaspora to help in Serbia. The issue of refugees and
migrants attracted significant amounts of positive public attention,
but in parallel with that xenophobia arose as a new attitude
as part of aggressive campaigns against them.