Opposition Party: Serbia’s Downgrade in Report on Civil Liberties Stems from Agenda of Violence

Branko Miljus (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Freedom and Justice Party Presidency member Branko Miljus said on Dec. 10 that Serbia's downgrade in an international report on civil liberties was the result of "an agenda of violence and capturing institutions."

"Serbia has long not compared with developed democracies, but with countries like Pakistan, Zimbabwe and El Salvador, and that is the result of the agenda of violence and capturing institutions. This confirmation of collapsed fundamental civil liberties should surprise no-one, because the Serbian Progressive Party cooperates closely with the Communist Party of China and brags about copying their model of efficient partisan governance," he said.

Serbia has dropped in the assessment of civic liberties from the Obstructed category to the Repressed category, the Civicus Monitor international research platform, which monitors civic liberties in 198 countries and territories worldwide, announced on Dec. 9.

"The Vucic regime is responsible for Serbia's decline in rankings of democracy, media freedoms and civil rights, striving as it does, according to the Civicus Monitor report, to stifle any form of dissent, as protesters face police violence, attacks by groups closely associated with the ruling party, mass arrests, surveillance and retaliation," Miljus said.