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Press Release:
Banning Jovana Marović from entering Serbia is a violation of all democratic freedoms
The network of associations of citizens, journalists, and media standing up against violence strongly condemns the decision of the authorities in Serbia to prevent Jovana Marović, an activist and former deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro and Minister of European Affairs, from entering Serbia at the Nikola Tesla airport on August 23, 2023.
This recent practice of banning entry into Serbia of those “unfit” for the authorities in Serbia, which was first done to anti-war Russian activists, is now spreading to well-known friends of democratic Serbia and aims to isolate and prevent alliances with democratic activists throughout Europe, so that any criticism of the regime would be extinguished in Serbia itself.
Behind the utterly unfounded and shameful reason for Marović’s denied entry “for the sake of protection of the security of the Republic of Serbia and its citizens,” lies a more genuine reason – her publicly expressed criticism of the President of Serbia, as well as her participation in the “Serbia against violence” protests. This type of institutional violence against a proven fighter for democracy and human rights represents a steep regression of Serbia on the scale of democratic values and standards and reduces any chances that Serbia, with this government, will have any European future.
The obvious existence of blacklists of political dissidents of the regime at the borders of Serbia shows the arrogance of the authorities and is the result of the absence or often mild reactions of the EU and the international community. That is why we demand condemnation of this procedure by the EU and the international community, and the decision to prevent the entry of Jovana Marović to be withdrawn as soon as possible, as well as for the Ministry of Interior of Serbia to apologize for such an act to Jovana.
Belgrade Centre for Security Policy
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
Centre for Contemporary Politics
CRTA
European Movement in Serbia
Civic Initiatives
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights YUCOM
Partners Serbia
Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI)
Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
Tags: saopštenje
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