Green-Left Front to Petition Brussels for Personalized Sanctions Against Serbian Regime

Radomir Lazovic (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

On the evening of Jan. 20, co-president of the oppositional Green-Left Front Radomir Lazovic announced that the opposition will, in the near future, begin pressuring the European Commission to pass measures hindering the Serbian authorities’ “repression and crimes,” stating that personalized sanctions against members of the current regime will also be sought.

“That is a big measure and we will work on it. We will insist on it, because we think that people like [Parliament Speaker] Ana Brnabic, [Finance Minister] Sinisa Mali, [President of State] Aleksandar Vucic, [Crime Police Directorate Chief] Marko Kricko bear personal responsibility,” Lazovic told N1 TV.

In his opinion, the greatest opponent of Serbia’s EU integration is the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, which “declaratively supports EU [membership] but does nothing to make [integration] possible.”

With regards to the upcoming Jan. 22. European Parliament delegation visit to Belgrade, Lazovic opined that what is most important is presenting a good argument to the representatives of the European People’s Party (EPP), of which the Serbian Progressive Party is an associate member.

“Presenting our argument and having them decide to implement measures against the Progressives,” Lazovic clarified and added that his party would like best for the Progressives to be cast out of the EPP.

Asked about his expectations of the EP mission visit, Lazovic said he expects the mission, and the EPP in particular, to gain a clearer understanding of what is going on in Serbia. “I expect us to influence the EPP to remove the Serbian Progressive Party from its membership and to directly participate in resolving this crisis. To be present and to exert pressure,” Lazovic concluded.