Defying Oppression: EL Backs Serbia’s Struggle

The European Left Party stands with the people of Serbia in their struggle against an increasingly authoritarian regime.

Since 2014, Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have embarked on a deliberate and calculated campaign to consolidate power, stifle dissent, and enrich their cronies. Opposition parties have been systematically undermined, public media has been transformed into a propaganda arm of the state, and a suffocating monopoly over the public sphere has been established, effectively silencing critical voices and limiting the space for independent thought.

Likewise, the December 2023 elections were marred by credible and widespread allegations of voter migration and manipulation, casting a dark shadow over the legitimacy of the electoral process and raising serious questions about the integrity of Serbia’s democratic institutions.

This concentration of power, coupled with rampant corruption and economic exploitation, has created a climate of fear, impunity, and widespread disillusionment. The regime is deeply entangled with a network of unscrupulous businessmen and companies, that are siphoning off state funds through corrupt practices, enriching themselves at the expense of the Serbian people and perpetuating a system of inequality and injustice.

The Vučić government’s response to recent peaceful dissent after the tragic collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, that resulted in the needless deaths of 15 people, has been heavy-handed and utterly unacceptable.

Civil society organizations, the lifeblood of a healthy democracy, have been targeted with raids, intimidation, and smear campaigns. Independent media outlets, essential for holding power accountable, have been subjected to relentless attacks and disinformation campaigns, aimed at discrediting protesters and silencing critical voices.

We are deeply concerned by credible reports of violence and intimidation tactics used against protesters, including the infiltration of demonstrations by government agents provocateurs and the deployment of hooligans and criminal elements to sow chaos, fear, and division.

The government’s continued failure to provide full transparency regarding the tragic collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, further underscores its callous disregard for accountability, transparency, and the well-being of its citizens. This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of corruption and negligence.

The European Left Party stands shoulder to shoulder with the students, teachers, workers, farmers, and all those courageous Serbian citizens who are demanding a more just, democratic, and prosperous society.

We unequivocally support their demands for full transparency and accountability from the government, an immediate end to violence and intimidation against protesters, the unconditional release of all those unjustly arrested during demonstrations, a substantial increase in state funding for public universities, and a firm commitment to ensuring that all institutions act according to the rule of law, without fear or favour.

The escalating authoritarian drift in Serbia presents a stark contradiction: while the international community, particularly the EU, publicly champions democratic values, its economic interests often dictate a muted response to the Vučić government’s repressive actions. The reality is that lucrative projects, strategic resources like lithium, and the arms trade, create a powerful incentive to maintain a working relationship, however flawed. This hypocrisy undermines the very principles these entities claim to uphold.

Rather than a genuine commitment to democratic norms, the EU and other international actors appear to prioritize securing access to Serbia’s resources and markets. The potential for future lithium extraction, the prospect of lucrative infrastructure deals, and the continued flow of arms sales all contribute to a reluctance to apply meaningful pressure. This silence, in turn, emboldens the Vučić regime to further erode democratic institutions, suppress dissent, and perpetuate political violence.

The EU must abandon its support for the authoritarian Vučić regime, a support fueled by short-sighted economic interests. The will of the Serbian people, expressed through their protests and demands for free and fair elections, healthy environment and decent working standards, should be the guiding principle for international engagement. To continue prioritizing economic gains over the democratic aspirations of the Serbian people would be a betrayal of core European values and a dangerous precedent for the region.