The National Convention on the European Union, as the most numerous network of civil society organizations in Serbia, rejects the claims of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that civil society is part of a conspiracy to put pressure on Serbia by the international community. Pročitaj više

As this network stated in its statement, the way the Serbian President spoke about civil society represents a reactivation of the narrative created during the nineties with the aim of creating internal enemies that should serve to divert the public’s attention from certain topics.

„In this case, it diverts attention from the reports of international organizations, ODIHR and Freedom House, which recorded a drastic threat to democratic standards and civil liberties in Serbia,“ they said.

The frequent tone of the addresses of the highest state officials, which contains these elements, threatens communication and cooperation between the state and civil society, which represents one of the key parameters in the field of political criteria of the negotiation process between Serbia and the European Union.

At a Saturday press conference, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, accused the West of exerting pressure through a network of domestic and international politicians, non-governmental organizations and the media for Serbia to recognize Kosovo, distance itself from Bosnia’s Republika Srpska entity, impose sanctions on Russia, take a critical stance towards China, and to establish, as he said, a „puppet regime“ in Belgrade.

The National Convention on the EU is the largest civil society platform in Serbia, which represents the interests of Serbian citizens in all phases of the European integration process.