Picula: Serbia Entering Even Tenser Period than Present One

Tonino Picula (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

The European Parliament’s (EP) rapporteur for Serbia, Tonino Picula, has stated that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had started his election campaign as prime minister, although elections have not yet been scheduled, and that Serbia was entering an even tenser period than what it is presently experiencing.

“I am saying that it has been in an unproclaimed state of emergency for a year and a half now, since the collapse of the overhang in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Therefore, we can only expect further polarization in Serbia and an even greater attempt at domination by the ruling party and President (Aleksandar) Vucic,” he stated in a podcast with Boris Brezo. He further said violence in Serbia was notably worse than last year and that the situation in the country has become a reason for concern.

“Systematic work is under way on weakening all vital institutions that are important for any democratic order. Serbia is falling significantly behind in fundamental rights. Furthermore, the narrative that does not go in favor of the European Union has been stepped up and, if a completely uninformed person were to observe the political situation in Serbia at this moment, they would not be sure if that was an EU candidate country, or one preparing to sign agreements on long-term cooperation and friendship with Putin’s Russia or China,” Picula stated.

Speaking ahead of next week’s plenary session of the EP, when he is to present the report on Serbia before the MEPs, Picula said that Serbia was an increasingly polarized society with the significant weakening of democratic capacities and the institutional framework.