The Federal Government of Germany warns the Government of Serbia that it must respect the principles of the rule of law. Freedom of assembly must be guaranteed.
The German government has requested clarification from the authorities in Serbia regarding the attacks on demonstrators and journalists during the anti-government protests. Especially bearing in mind that Serbia is a candidate for EU membership, the country is “obliged to adhere to the principles of the rule of law,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin stated. In this context, the Federal Government also insists on ensuring the freedom of assembly.
“We are following the situation in Serbia very carefully,” said Deputy Government Spokesperson Steffen Mayer. Mayer rejected the accusations that Berlin is ignoring the shortcomings of democracy in Serbia for the sake of economic interests.
“There can be no talk of silencing it,” he said. The reason for these criticisms is the joint plan of the Serbian government and the EU to open one of the largest lithium deposits in Europe in Jadar in the west of the country. Let’s remember, massive protests were held against that mine.
During the protests against President Aleksandar Vučić and his government, there have been repeated violent clashes between demonstrators and the police, as well as between demonstrators and Vučić’s supporters in recent weeks. Independent media in Serbia link the latest escalation with provocateurs from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Allegedly, with the help of the police and security services, they are causing violent incidents at demonstrations, Zeit.de reports.
Numerous arrests and injuries
The waves of protests began back in November of last year, when 16 people died in Novi Sad after the roof of the railway station collapsed. The demonstrations then began with the demand to discover the causes of the accident, and later turned into a massive revolt against the authorities and widespread corruption. The largest protest so far was held in mid-March, when about 300,000 people took to the streets, mostly students and young people.
Protests have strengthened again in recent days, not only in Belgrade but also in Novi Sad and Valjevo. On that occasion, there were numerous arrests and injuries. The police were accused of excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests. In addition, anti-government demonstrators have been repeatedly targeted by masked supporters of the authorities.
Last week, Vučić announced harsh consequences for the protest participants. He repeatedly stated, without any evidence, that the months-long demonstrations were allegedly orchestrated by the West, with the aim of destabilizing Serbia. “Our country is in great danger, they have endangered all our values, normal life, and every individual,” Vučić stated.
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Source: Nova.rs, Photo: ATAImages