“Hampered struggle against neo-Nazis”

Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic says that state has mechanisms to outlaw the work of neo-Nazi organizations. The problem, Ciplic says, is enforcement. “Hampered struggle against neo-Nazis” The minister supports the Interior Minister (MUP) Ivica Dacic’s call to citizens not to organize a rally on Saturday so as to avoid clashes and jeopardizing the lives of innocent people. Ciplic told TV B92 that MUP’s decision had been expected and rational. MUP concluded that the planned “Serbia March” by the National Front and Blood and Honor neo-Nazi organizations on one hand, and the anti-fascist rally by the Anti-Fascist Campaign on the other, might lead to clashes and jeopardize the safety and rights of citizens. Ciplic said that hate speech was a problem in Serbia, despite the fact that the Constitution guaranteed and provided for the protection of human rights. However, the problem, the minister said, was in the inadequate judicial system, which was a problem of every country going through transition. Asked whether certain NGOs’ demands to ban the work of organizations and associations that promote neo-Nazi ideas would be acceded to, he said that it was “something that had to happen in accordance with the Constitution.” "The Constitution strictly prohibits organizations that are willing to spread religious, ethnic or any other kind of hate,” he said. However, the minister said that the problem was that for now, Serbia does not have a law stipulating a procedure for the outlawing of these organizations, “given that they don’t need approval when they’re formed, but only register,” Ciplic explained. If they do not formally exist, then you cannot formally ban them either, he added. "But if we had a law and stated that informal groups promoted certain forbidden ideas through publications or the internet, then we could ban them explicitly,” Ciplic said. The police have decided to ban tomorrow’s so-called “Serbian March” in front of Belgrade University’s Philosophy Faculty. Meanwhile, Dacic has asked the organizers of the anti-fascist rally, which was supposed to be held in the same place one hour before the neo-Nazi rally, not to gather because of the security risks. Anti-Fascist Campaign spokeswoman Milica Djordjevic said that the representatives of these organizations would still gather. Last year, the police also banned a neo-Nazi rally in Novi Sad. However, several anti-fascist organizations and political parties held a meeting in a sign of protest. In the incidents that ensued, 56 people were injured, while four were arrested.

“Hampered struggle against neo-Nazis”

The minister supports the Interior Minister (MUP) Ivica Dačić’s call to citizens not to organize a rally on Saturday so as to avoid clashes and jeopardizing the lives of innocent people.

Čiplić told TV B92 that MUP’s decision had been expected and rational.

MUP concluded that the planned “Serbia March” by the National Front and Blood and Honor neo-Nazi organizations on one hand, and the anti-fascist rally by the Anti-Fascist Campaign on the other, might lead to clashes and jeopardize the safety and rights of citizens.

Čiplić said that hate speech was a problem in Serbia, despite the fact that the Constitution guaranteed and provided for the protection of human rights.

However, the problem, the minister said, was in the inadequate judicial system, which was a problem of every country going through transition.

Asked whether certain NGOs’ demands to ban the work of organizations and associations that promote neo-Nazi ideas would be acceded to, he said that it was “something that had to happen in accordance with the Constitution.”

"The Constitution strictly prohibits organizations that are willing to spread religious, ethnic or any other kind of hate,” he said.

However, the minister said that the problem was that for now, Serbia does not have a law stipulating a procedure for the outlawing of these organizations, “given that they don’t need approval when they’re formed, but only register,” Čiplić explained.

If they do not formally exist, then you cannot formally ban them either, he added.

"But if we had a law and stated that informal groups promoted certain forbidden ideas through publications or the internet, then we could ban them explicitly,” Čiplić said.

The police have decided to ban tomorrow’s so-called “Serbian March” in front of Belgrade University’s Philosophy Faculty.

Meanwhile, Dačić has asked the organizers of the anti-fascist rally, which was supposed to be held in the same place one hour before the neo-Nazi rally, not to gather because of the security risks.

Anti-Fascist Campaign spokeswoman Milica Đorđević said that the representatives of these organizations would still gather.

Last year, the police also banned a neo-Nazi rally in Novi Sad. However, several anti-fascist organizations and political parties held a meeting in a sign of protest. In the incidents that ensued, 56 people were injured, while four were arrested.