Michael Roth for N1: Political climate in Serbia increasingly aggressive

author
N1 Belgrade
31. maj. 2024. 10:53
Hero section image
N1 Newsnight, Mihail Rot 30.05.2024.
N1 | N1

Chairman of the German Bundestag Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael Roth, who is currently visiting Serbia and has met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, said he is concerned by the insults against Germany, which he said is a close friend of the Serbian people, as is he, and that if he criticizes the Serbian government, president or the ruling parties, that does not mean he is criticizing the society.

Roth stressed that the situation in Serbia is extremely worrying and that things are not shifting in the right direction.

“I want to see Serbia in the European Union (EU) as soon as possible, but we need a turning point, a watershed moment in Serbian politics, we need a strong commitment to democracy, to fair and free elections. Time is running out, now we have a window of opportunity, the EU made many mistakes when it comes to the Western Balkans, the EU didn’t keep its promises and that is why many people here in Serbia are frustrated, for good reasons. But now we all see that, if we don’t take responsibility as democratic and united Europe, authoritarian regimes like China and Russia will take more influence here in the region. These authoritarian regimes don’t share our values. This is a very serious conflict between different values,” Roth told N1.

In this context, he added that “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is not just a territorial conflict, it is also a war against our values, against freedom, democracy, the rule of law. That is why we have to stand united.”

He agreed with Vucic who described their discussion as open but difficult, and added that it is always good to talk to each other and “not just about each other.”

“The main question to the president was – do you really want to lead Serbia into the European Union and, if so, how,” said Roth.

He said he is not a foreign agent but that, “as a representative of an EU member state, I would like to encourage the society, but especially the political representatives, to fulfill all the expectations from the EU side.”

“We are first and foremost a union of common values, we are not just a single market or an economic project. I would like to invite my counterparts to talk about democracy, rule of law, media pluralism, independence of the judiciary,” he said.

Roth said his colleagues in the German Parliament share his concerns regarding the situation in Serbia. He said he appreciates the positive economic developments, that “many German companies invest in Serbia, and that’s a good thing, because a low unemployment rate is good for the Serbs, it’s good for the young generations in your country, but that’s not enough.”

“I also expect from the Serbian government and from the president to meet other criteria. A lot remains to be done regarding the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press, freedom of expression. My impression is that the society has become more and more polarized. This is an absolute red flag,” said Roth, recalling the recent attack on journalist Vuk Cvijic.

He said he very much hopes that “all the people who are under attack feel the solidarity of the politicians.”

Physical violations and blackmail are an absolute no go, said Roth, adding that he has received many aggressive messages from Serbians, which saddens him.

Asked to comment on Serbian Parliament speaker Ana Brnabic’s statement that he has no future in German politics, he responded with a quote from Michelle Obama: “When they go low, we go high.”

The German politician said the “political climate in Serbia is polarized and becoming more and more aggressive, which is why democratically elected politicians bear special responsibility.”

Belgrade’s reaction to Resolution on Srebrenica toxic


Regarding the Resolution on Srebrenica, Roth described Belgrade’s reaction to its adoption at the UN General Assembly as a disgrace and very disappointing.

“Remembrance work for me, as a German politician, was always extremely important because no country worldwide took more responsibility for war crimes, for the holocaust, for two world wars than Germany. We talk with our neighbors about our guilt, and they forgive us. This is a never-ending story. Reconciliation is the precondition for true friendship and for cooperation, and that is what the Western Balkans really needs,” he said.

Roth added that no one wants to blame or victimize the Serbians, “guilt is always an individual thing, but it’s a collective responsibility of the Serbian society, of the German society, to make clear that such horrific things never happen again.”

“So I am very much disappointed with such a toxic discussion,” said Roth.

He stressed that victims need to be commemorated, regardless of their nationality, and reiterated that Srebrenica was a genocide.

Teme

Koje je vaše mišljenje o ovoj temi?

Pridružite se diskusiji ili pročitajte komentare

Pratite nas na društvenim mrežama