EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON THE SITUATION IN SERBIA: We strongly condemn every act of hatred and violence, the right to peaceful assembly must be protected!

The European Commission is closely monitoring the developments in Serbia, where cases of use of force against demonstrators, mass arrests, and accusations against students for allegedly organizing an attempted coup d’état have been recorded.

“We are carefully following the situation. We strongly condemn every act of hatred and violence. The right to peaceful assembly must be protected,” said EU Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier.

In response to N1’s question whether the latest actions of Serbian state institutions are in line with the rules and values of the European Union, the Commission spokesperson did not directly answer, but reminded of the basic European principles.

“Police intervention must be proportionate and in line with fundamental rights, including the rights of all those arrested. We expect a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into allegations of excessive use of force, as well as respect for due process for all those detained,” Mercier said.

He reminded that “fundamental values are at the core of our common European project and must be respected. This refers, among other things, to freedom of assembly as a fundamental right.”

The European Commission has previously called on the authorities in Serbia to respect fundamental rights and standards that are part of the European integration process.

While Belgrade claims to be committed to the European path, messages from Brussels emphasize that the values of the European Union must be confirmed in practice.