“My opinion is that the government of Serbia should acknowledge that the student demands are justified, well-founded and important. Fighting corruption, upholding the rule of law and strengthening institutions are core principals to which we should remain fully committed and this is why we should prioritize addressing them and appreciate that the students have brought this critical issues to the forefront,” Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) MP Branko Ruzic said in Strasbourg.
A meeting of the European Union (EU)- Serbia Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee (SAPC), which comprises members of the Serbian and European parliaments, is held on February 12 and 13 in Strasbourg. Members of the Serbian Parliament delegation include the chair, Milimir Vujadinovic, and Igor Becic, Veroljub Arsic, Marijan Risticevic and Branko Ruzic from the ranks of the ruling parties, and Marinika Tepic, Miroslav Aleksic, Biljana Dordjevic and Zdravko Ponos representing the opposition.
Addressing the meeting, Ruzic said that, over the past three months, “student and citizen gatherings have taken place peacefully without the use of state force in response.”
“The government has made every effort to ensure that gatherings were properly secured and the safety of all participants was guaranteed and police provided security at each gathering. The government and state authorities have condemned every incident that has jeopardized the safety of students and other citizens during the gatherings. In addition, those responsible have been apprehended and legal proceedings are now underway. Political responsibility was also or has also been demonstrated. The prime minister also took personal political responsibility and resigned. I am positive that the government acknowledges the challenges and it is fully committed to addressing them, especially within the context of accelerating and strengthening Serbia’s European integration process. That is why Serbia aim to fast track its EU accession path, proposing to fulfill all obligations by the end of 2026,” said Ruzic.
Members of the European Parliament discussed the situation in Serbia on Tuesday, after the November 1 canopy collapse at the Novi Sad main train station sparked months-long student and civic protests against corruption. They emphasized that all citizens, including protesters, must have the right to freedom of assembly and called for an investigation into all incidents involving students and citizens who have been demonstrating in Serbia.
