Defence and Internal Affairs Committee condemns attacks

NOVI SAD - The Serbian parliament condemned on Tuesday the attacks on the property of members of national minorities and called on the government to firmly deal with the individuals who committed the attacks which constitute an incitement to ethnic hatred.

The Committee held a session on the attacks on the property owned by Albanians and the Goranis which occurred on October 14 after the incident at the football match in Belgrade between the teams of Serbia and Albania.

After two hours of debate, the Committee condemned the attacks and requested adequate sanctions for the perpetrators, and it called on citizens to refrain from expressions of dissatisfaction. The Committee also called on the media to provide coverage in such a way that would contribute to the creation of the atmosphere of tolerance in the society.

The Committee called on all government bodies to ensure a safe environment for all Serbian citizens.

Cherishing differences is one of the top values and goals of our society, but it is also an obligation for everyone to ensure that members of all ethnic minorities are able to cherish their distinctive features in a safe environment, in the awareness that they belong to the community of all ethnicities in Serbia, the Committee noted.

The fact that mainly minors and young adults have so far been identified as the perpetrators of the attacks on the property of members of national minorities shows that repression in such cases is only the ultimate and necessary measure, and that the government needs to tackle this issue from a preventive standpoint, the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee stated in its conclusions.

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