Bosko Jaksic: Serbia on the Threshold of a Dangerous Phase, Europe Still Tolerating Vucic’s Regime

Political commentator Bosko Jaksic (BETAPHOTO/Media Center Belgrade)

Bosko Jaksic, a local political commentator, cautions that Serbia, after President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Belgrade, has moved further away from the European path, the shift being confirmed by a series of incidents and irregularities during  elections in Mionica, Secanj, and Negotin.

In a Dec. 1 interview with BETA, Jaksic warned that Serbia was on the threshold of “a dangerous phase,” as the authorities in Belgrade have not fulfilled a single promise they made to the EC leader.

“The Council of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) has not been installed, the national voter register has yet to be updated… The authorities in Serbia have responded to the European Commission’s demands in a very predictable way. As soon as warnings started to arrive from the European Union, criticizing repression in Serbia, the authorities curled up like a hedgehog, raising the spines, as they absolutely refuse to accept any criticism. Any well-intentioned piece of advice that could speed up Serbia’s path to the EU is not welcome, because this government does not want Serbia in the EU,” Jaksic said.

The political commentator is certain that the expectation that election terms could be improved for the national elections is completely unrealistic, because election rigging is now more intense than ever.

“The events in Mionica, Secanj, and Negotin are the latest confirmation that the current government has no intention of reforming anything in Serbia, let alone accepting suggestions from Brussels or the demands of students and protesting citizens. The way the elections developed in those three small towns is the way elections at the national level will look like,” he said.

When asked whether the Union and the European Commission might possess mechanisms to influence the conduct of the authorities in Serbia, Jaksic said that only a financial mechanism could have an effect.

“Funds from the European development plan are meant for the countries delivering tangible results in reforming their systems only. Serbia will increasingly need that money, because this government is finding it harder to borrow. On the other hand, the Europeans are still pursuing this irritating tolerance of Vucic’s regime,” Jaksic concluded.