Russian Communist Party Against State of Emergency in Serbia

Communists are sure that state of emergency is not needed in Serbia

A state of emergency was announced in Serbia after the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. It goes without saying that it is up to a country’s government to decide, what actions are supposed to be taken after this or that situation. Several factors say that the state of emergency in Serbia is used for political purposes, first and foremost. We believe that the situation in Serbia is not chaotic, there are no vestiges of civil disobedience either. There is law and order, and there is no external danger in the country. There is nothing that impedes the investigation of Djindjic’s assassination. What is the point of a state of emergency in the country?

However, the freedom of press is restricted a lot in Serbia. Any meetings, demonstrations or strikes are forbidden. The government’s actions go far beyond the investigation of the assassination and the struggle with criminality. The police were given a right to arrest people without even a reason for that, to tap telephone conversations and to read personal letters. More than two thousand people have been arrested in connection with Zoran Djindjic’s assassination, thirty-five judges have been fired as rough violations of the law.  What do these repressive measures have do to with seeking murderers? There is an impression that the incumbent Serbian government currently settles scores with its personal and political adversaries, trying to suppress any opposition. Zoran Djindjic’s assassination is simply used as a disguise for that.

The following leaders of the campaign for Slobodan Milosevic’s defense have been arrested: Bogolub Belitsa, Uros Suvakovic, Goran Matic. Slobodan Milosevic's family members are subjected to threats and pressure on the part of Serbian authorities. It is clear that it is like a witch hunt: arresting people that stand for his defense, protecting him of  fake charges, is meant to save the court farce in the Hague. Western countries, which allegedly take care of their democracy, ignore the fact that civil freedoms in Serbia are imperiled greatly at present moment.

The People’s Patriotic Union of Russia denounces the use of the state of emergency in Serbia as a way to intimidate political opponents of the present government. The Union calls upon the Serbian government to retrieve universally recognized civil freedoms as soon as possible. We are intended to raise the political repression issue in Serbia at the coming session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe.

Press service of the Russian Communist Party

PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov