Mirovic: Progressives Not Behind Posters, There Is Freedom of Expression in Serbia

Igor Mirovic (Beta/Milos Miskov)

Serbian Progressive Party Vice President and Vojvodina Premier Igor Mirovic has said that the Progressive Party is not behind the putting up of posters with a photoshopped front page of weekly NIN and the headline Zvezdan Jovanovic Officially Receives NIN Award, adding, "that is how it is in our country, there is freedom on Twitter, in putting up posters... it shouldn't be taken negatively right off the bat."

"The Serbian Progressive Party is not behind that but, simply, it should be understood that there is freedom of expression in Serbia, we've seen that on the front pages of NIN. Therefore, that means anyone can express their opinion in public speech, put up a poster. Look at what's being done on social networks. Every day I get a message where someone insults me etc.," Mirovic told daily Danas.

He went on to say that "if we want to build a society of rules, codes, a society of criteria, then we should all adhere to that."

"If one segment of society, be it politicians, members of the Twitter community or journalists, does not adhere to that, then we enter a sphere of general criticism, general freedom, which is no big deal, we just need to know that the same rules apply to everyone. It's better if we stick to certain criteria and, where the NIN front page is concerned, admit that a mistake was made, the published admitted it, and then say - all right, I often make mistakes and then admit, we made a mistake and then turn in a different direction. Just as putting up posters with any kind of content that bothers or insults anyone is something that should be criticized," the Progressive Party vice president said.

He added that he did not know who had put up the controversial posters and that he would "directly present my view on putting up posters" if he found out who had done it, but as the author of the article noted he also relativized the entire matter by saying that "that is how it is in our country, there is freedom on Twitter, in putting up posters... it shouldn't be taken negatively right off the bat."