For the past ten days, the media in Serbia have been vying over which would attack former Foreign Minister Goran Svilanović more and with less taste. All those, who had been politically and economically destroying this country during the Milosevic era, again feel they have the right to slander and insult a politician who spoke his mind, who does not wish to delude the citizens of our country. We had thought that the times of horrendous hate speech against rational, civilised and responsible people had passed. We had hoped the right to freedom of thought would be guaranteed to everyone, especially the politicians who led our state to membership in international institutions.We have apparently lived in the illusion for the past five years, from the day when we toppled the authoritarian regime together with hundreds of thousands of citizens of this country. Goran Svilanović was then, too, one of the most courageous and responsible of us all. On the eve of the democratic revolution, on 4 October, the regime media and parties called him a traitor and foreign mercenary. He remained one in the eyes of many politicians, war profiteers and their media. This terrible atmosphere imperilling Svilanović’s personal safety is proof that Serbia has reverted to the iniquitous nineties. If the fundamental human right to opinion and expression is not protected, Serbia has no chance of becoming part of democratic Europe. The politicians and public who fail to protect Goran Svilanović today, will have no credibility either amongst Serbia’s citizens or Europe and the world. European partners will see them only as representatives of a miserable country convinced everyone hates it and is conspiring against it.
We call on the democratic public to react. We call on the competent bodies to protect Goran Svilanović’s honour, reputation and safety.
