Sandro Gozi, Secretary General of the European Democratic Party (EDP), called on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to move beyond monologues and invited him to a debate on N1.
In a press release, Gozi responded to statements made by Vucic during a prime-time interview on Serbia’s main public television channel, where he devoted nearly three minutes to attacking the EDP and its leadership.
The EDP noted that Vucic’s remarks followed a social media post published by the EDP asking a political question: “Who will be the next autocrat to fall after Viktor Orban,” referencing several leaders including President Vucic.
The EDP said that the post gained significant attraction in Serbia, reaching over one million views and generating widespread engagement among Serbian citizens.
In response, Vucic dismissed the EDP as irrelevant, while simultaneously dedicating substantial airtime to criticizing it. For the EDP, this contradiction speaks for itself.
In a video message released on Tuesday, Sandro Gozi underlined this inconsistency and reiterated a fundamental point: in a democratic society, political questions and public debate should not be met with personal attacks or attempts to discredit critics.
The EDP noted that the video also raises concerns about the state of democratic standards in Serbia.
“Over the past months, we have seen pressure on independent media, professors and students silenced at the University of Belgrade, and serious concerns around electoral violations. This is not the standard expected from a country aspiring to be part of the European Union,” said Sandro Gozi.
“Freedom is not a slogan. It requires independent institutions, free media and respect for political pluralism,” Gozi added. “If a simple social media post provokes such a reaction, it raises legitimate questions about the resilience of that freedom.”
The EDP said it therefore calls on President Vucic to move beyond monologues and accept a direct, public debate.
“We are ready for an open discussion on freedom, democracy and Europe, on a neutral platform such as N1, in front of independent journalists,” said Gozi, who also shared the invitation on his social media accounts (“Enough monologues, Mr. Vucic, come to N1 and face a real debate”).
The EDP reiterated its commitment to democratic values, freedom of expression and open political dialogue across Europe, including in candidate countries such as Serbia.
Source: N1
