EU Ambassador to Serbia Condemns Political Violence, Excessive Use of Force

Andreas von Beckerath(BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

In a meeting with representatives of the Quint countries and Serbian parliament speaker Ana Brnabic, Andreas von Beckerath, the head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, has condemned all form of violence against political opponents, police brutality as well as violence against journalists.

The meeting was held on Aug 18 upon Brnabic’s request, to discuss the current political situation and reforms in the field of electoral framework and media reform in Serbia.

Von Beckerath, according to a release from the EU Delegation, underlined the need by all parties to uphold the respect for fundamental rights, including the right of peaceful assembly. This, it is said in the release, also implies avoiding any kind of violence against political opponents and party premises as a means of political protests. 

He condemned all acts of hate and violence and called on all sides to de-escalate tension. Dialogue between stakeholders across the political spectrum was emphasized as the only way forward, as well as refraining from inflammatory rhetoric and disinformation on the ongoing protests.

The EU Ambassador further emphasized that police action had to be proportionate and respect fundamental rights, adding that any suspicion of excessive use of force needed to be duly investigated, including worrying reports about threats and violence against journalists. 

Ambassador von Beckerath stressed that Serbia’s EU path offered solutions to many of the main challenges Serbia was facing, including reforms in the field of rule of law, media freedom, electoral reforms, and creating an enabling an environment for civil society. 

In this context, the EU Ambassador welcomed the efforts by the parliament speaker to make progress on the selection of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) Council and on electoral legislation, including by implementing all of the ODIHR recommendations. He also stressed the need to ensure an inclusive and transparent process with participation of all relevant stakeholders, it is said in the release.