Dear President von der Leyen,
I am writing to express my profound concern over the European Commission’s lack of response to the alarming violations of civic rights in Serbia. These violations have intensified following the tragic railway incident in Novi Sad that claimed the lives of 15 people, and the subsequent protests across the country.
Over the past three months, Serbia has seen over 100 student-led protests, some exceeding 100,000 participants, demanding accountability for corruption and rule-of-law failures linked to tragic loss of life. Despite their peaceful nature, authorities have responded with excessive force, illegal surveillance of civil society and media, and suppression of freedoms by politically controlled prosecutors and judges acting under President Vučić’s directives – unprecedented since Milošević’s 1990s dictatorship.
For a candidate country aspiring to join the European Union, these developments are unacceptable. The European Commission has a responsibility to protect the rights and freedoms of its future citizens. As a College of Europe alumnus (Bruges, Václav Havel patron generation), I feel compelled to highlight the growing disillusionment among Serbian society, which perceives the EU as tacitly supporting Vučić’s regime. This perception is eroding faith in the European perspective that many of us strive to uphold.
No agreement between the EU and its member states should come at the expense of the freedoms and values enshrined in Serbia’s constitution and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Serbian citizens are battling institutions that are subordinated to the regime, and your public support for the protests and condemnation of illegal actions by the police, prosecution offices, and judiciary is crucial.
I urge you to react swiftly and decisively to this grave situation, sending a clear message that the European Union stands firmly for democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights in Serbia.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
Naim Leo BEŠIRI
Director
