European Democrats’ Leader: End Repression, Start Reforms And Mediate End to Crisis In Serbia

Sandro Gozi (BETAPHOTO/European Democratic Party)

The crisis in Serbia can only end by a true reset of confidence between the citizens and the institutions, and that means three things – an immediate end of repression, concrete democratic reforms and the renewed and credible international engagement, stated the general secretary of the European Democratic Party, Sandro Gozi.

In an interview to BETA, Gozi said the immediate end of repression meant the release of the arbitrarily arrested people, a transparent investigation into police violence and guaranteeing the right to peaceful protests, because the first step toward dialogue “is making sure that people are not punished for expressing an opinion.”

As for reforms, Gozi said that Serbia had to fully implement the recommendations of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), to guarantee media freedom and create fair electoral conditions. “These steps are necessary before any future elections, in order to restore the citizens’ confidence that their vote really counts. International mediation can still help, but it must be different than in 2021,” stated Gozi, who is the leader of the centrist pro-European party, whose members of the European Parliament (EP) belong to the liberal group Renew Europe.

Gozi, who took part in a panel discussion in Belgrade on Sept. 18, titled “Serbia’s European Hour – Lost Time or New Chance?,” organized by the European Movement in Serbia, stated that the 2021 EP-mediated negotiations between the authorities and the opposition failed because there were no obligations, timelines or consequences in case of failure to keep the agreement, adding that mediation this time had to be linked with Serbia’s EU path: clear criteria, public reporting and suspension of funding or accession negotiations if agreements are not kept.