NGOs to EU: Demand concrete results in respecting rule of law in Serbia

Seven NGOs said, "it's expected that the June 21 general elections in Serbia will lead to the political crisis, while the confidence in the Government's policy in fighting the coronavirus pandemic in the last weeks has suffered a serious blow."

The signatories asked the EU to stand by its founding values and rules and request concrete results in implementing of the rule of law and fundamental human democratic rights in Serbia, the European Western Balkans (EWB) website said.

"Only democratic Serbia, firmly relying on democratic institutions will be able to solve all open regional issues," the NGOs said, adding that anyone who says differently, doesn't care about the stability in Serbia and the region.

The letter said that the anti-government protests across the country were the result of lost trust in the institutions, especially regarding the COVID-19 pandemic handling.

The reports by investigative journalists pointed at statistical manipulations about the number of cases of infected and died people, particularly ahead of the June 21 ballot, the letter said.

"There are severe doubts that the numbers have been reduced and restrictive measures eased to secure a high turnout inflicted a huge blow to the people's confidence in official data and the Government's policy in fighting the pandemic," the NGOs wrote to the EU.

They said that after the elections there would be no opposition in the country's parliament and that a significant part of Serbia's society would not have representatives on the highest legislative body.

"Not only that a part of the opposition, dissatisfied with the election conditions, boycotted the vote, but the whole process was seriously compromised with an unusually high number of irregularities and doubts that the elections were rigged," the NGOs statement said.

It recalled that independent observers had already described the elections as the most irregular in the recent history and "it's rightfully expected their results will lead to a deep political crisis."

The current political leadership shows no readiness to accept the reality and sees the election results as 'a historic victory,' what indicates it is not ready to involve in a broad social dialogue about the future of democracy in Serbia, the NGOs said.

They add the police brutality during the anti-regime protests in Belgrade, reported on by the world media, is upsetting, reminds of the events in Serbia in the '90s and doesn't belong to the country aspiring to join the EU.

The use of force was brutal and inappropriate. There are serious indications about the involvement of the parts of security services and organisations close to ruling political parties in provoking violence, the NGO's letter said.

It adds that if serious efforts are not put in improving democracy and the return of dialogue into Serbia's legitimate institutions, the current crisis could deepen and the country's road to the EU might be jeopardised in years to come, the letter says, as carried by the EWB.

The letter was signed by The Belgarde Centre for Security Policy, Belfgared Fund for Political Excellence, European Movement in Serbia, Centre for European Politics, International and Security Affairs Centre (ISAC) and Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM).