Tension at meeting between state officials, NGO

Tanjug/Vlada Srbije/Slobodan Miljević

A meeting between the National Convent on the EU NGO and Serbian state officials was fraught with tension on all sides.

The meeting which discussed the coming referendum on constitutional amendments was not attended by members of the NGO’s Working Group on Chapter 23 who released an open letter to Prime Minister Ana Brnabic. The Prime Minister reacted saying that the group’s failure to attend the meeting is “an embarrassment for civil society”. “Even if we disagree, even if you want to vote no at the referendum as some members of the National Convent have said in the media … we should sit down and discuss this… Even if you don’t want to discuss this I think it’s a huge embarrassment for civil society in Serbia and a slap in the face for democracy of a kind that democracy in Serbia never got,” she said.

Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic followed her saying that it was inappropriate for the working group not to take part in a process that they demanded. “When I hear you I want to withdraw the proposal to amend the constitution,” Dacic said, adding that he doesn’t know why the proposal was put forward “when you’re not happy with it”. “I told you and the European Union 100 times – write down what you’re not happy with,” he said.
European Integration Minister Jadranka Joksimovic spoke up to say that this is not about the EU but about civil society, drawing a fierce reaction from Dacic.


“Jadranka I didn’t interrupt you, so please don’t interrupt me,” he said. They exchanged a few more sentences before Dacic told her to be quiet. She refused saying that this is a dialogue with Dacic telling her not to argue with him but debate with the NGO. “I am not here to answer to you… go lecture someone else,” he told her, adding “go do your job”.

Dacic also entered into an argument with members of the National Convent saying that he invited them to meet but that they didn’t citing the COVID pandemic.

Ivica Dacic is leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) while Joksimovic and Brnabic are ranking officials of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).