Report on Human Rights in Serbia in 2014: Political Culture vs. Europeanization
Report on Human Rights in Serbia in 2014: Political Culture vs. Europeanization

Author(s): Author Not Specified
Contributor(s): Sonja Biserko (Editor)
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Media studies, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Civil Society, Communication studies, Government/Political systems, International relations/trade, Security and defense, Electoral systems, Inter-Ethnic Relations
Published by: Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava u Srbiji
Keywords: Serbia; government; civil sector; human rights; elections; Russia; Kosovo; economy; media; security; international relations; Vojislav Šešelj;
Summary/Abstract: Serbia is once again at crossroad that calls for the engagement of its entire society. The steps the government has made toward EU accession are insufficient, the more so since the government itself is not unanimous about the course. This is more than evident in the implementation of the Brussels Agreement. The great majority of citizens knows nothing or knows little about what a membership of EU implies. Besides, most major national institutions such as Serb Orthodox Church, parts of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences (now trying to change its course), influential intellectuals and parts of the civil sector are not committed to the values on which EU rests. Turbulence within EU itself and disorientation of some member-states play into the hands of EU opponents and fuel their resistance. Human rights and freedoms have regressed considerably over the past three years, the backsliding itself escalating during the state of emergency declared because of floods (May 15-23, 2014) and in the aftermath. Requiring expertise and, above all, preventive measures, the crisis situation itself revealed the government’s weaknesses and its attitude toward key issues of further democratization.

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