Vula Tsetsi and Rasmus Nordqvist MEP were visiting Serbia to show solidarity with the peaceful protesters and the Green-Left Front party. On Friday, they held a press conference in the National Assembly in Belgrade with the co-presidents of the Green-Left Front, Biljana Đorđević and Radomir Lazović. Tsetsi repeated the Greens’ call for fair and free elections in Serbia. Later on Friday, Tsetsi and Nordqvist travelled to Novi Sad to show solidarity with the Serbian people who were peacefully protesting against the closure of the university in Novi Sad.
In a late-night address on television on Friday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić repeatedly referred to the Green delegates as ‘scum’ and threatened to prosecute them: “(...) the representatives of the European Parliament (....) from the European Green Party (...) Some scum have gathered there, the scum that cannot rule even in their own countries (...) Those who have come to demolish Serbia from the outside, from abroad have to know that we will fight back stronger than they thought (...) I respect Ursula von der Leyen, I respect Antonio Costa, but this scum from the European Green Party (…) the worst kind of scum that came to support the violence in Novi Sad. I have to tell them that they will be prosecuted in line with the laws of Serbia and nothing more than that. No more, no less than that.”
Vula Tsetsi, Co-chair of the European Green Party, responds:
"A President who once labelled peaceful protesters as ‘terrorists’ and now calls a Member of the European Parliament and a European political party delegation ‘scum’ has crossed every line of democratic discourse.
Freedom of speech cannot be attacked, nor can hate speech be tolerated from the Head of a Republic. Vučić’s threat to prosecute is even more alarming, as it undermines the rule of law.
By portraying European visitors as threats to Serbia’s stability, he is attacking all democrats. What we witnessed is the authoritarianism that Serbian citizens face daily. Our solidarity is with them, their courage in defending democracy deserves support, not hostility. The European Union cannot remain silent.”
Rasmus Nordqvist, MEP and member of the European Green Party Committee, added:
“The people of Serbia are standing up for their democratic right and freedom in a country which is a legitimate EU candidate. We came to show solidarity with the fight for freedom of assembly, a free press, against corruption and for transparency - all fundamental parts of a democracy. We Greens will not be intimidated by Vučić’s threats or insults. Having witnessed first-hand how Vučić is embracing authoritarianism, we reiterate our call for the European Commission, the European Parliament, and Council to address the situation in Serbia.”
Background
Next Tuesday 9 September the European Parliament will discuss the ongoing use of force against protesters in Serbia, in the plenary session in Strasbourg.
Vučić’s SNS party is an Associated Member Party of the European People’s Party (EPP).
