EUROPEAN LEFT
The European Left Party stands with the people of Serbia in their struggle against an increasingly authoritarian regime.
Since 2014, Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have embarked on a deliberate and calculated campaign to consolidate power, stifle dissent, and enrich their cronies. Opposition parties have been systematically undermined, public media has been transformed into a propaganda arm of the state, and a suffocating monopoly over the public sphere has been established, effectively silencing critical voices and limiting the space for independent thought.
Likewise, the December 2023 elections were marred by credible and widespread allegations of voter migration and manipulation, casting a dark shadow over the legitimacy of the electoral process and raising serious questions about the integrity of Serbia’s democratic institutions.
This concentration of power, coupled with rampant corruption and economic exploitation, has created a climate of fear, impunity, and widespread disillusionment. The regime is deeply entangled with a network of unscrupulous businessmen and companies, that are siphoning off state funds through corrupt practices, enriching themselves at the expense of the Serbian people and perpetuating a system of inequality and injustice.
Civil society organizations, the lifeblood of a healthy democracy, have been targeted with raids, intimidation, and smear campaigns. Independent media outlets, essential for holding power accountable, have been subjected to relentless attacks and disinformation campaigns, aimed at discrediting protesters and silencing critical voices.
We are deeply concerned by credible reports of violence and intimidation tactics used against protesters, including the infiltration of demonstrations by government agents provocateurs and the deployment of hooligans and criminal elements to sow chaos, fear, and division.
The government’s continued failure to provide full transparency regarding the tragic collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, further underscores its callous disregard for accountability, transparency, and the well-being of its citizens. This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of corruption and negligence.
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