09. 06. 2014

Prime minister accuses OSCE of "lying"

9.6.2014. (B92, Beta, Tanjug) - Aleksandar Vučić says he has evidence that many in the international community are putting pressure on media in Serbia to campaign against him and his family.

The prime minister claimed during a news conference at the government HQ on Monday that among them are some ambassadors, and that he was "still waiting for an apology from the OSCE," adding that this organization was "lying."

"And everything that Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Paula Thiede is doing is pressure on the media to campaign against me. They think I'll pray to God that they stop. You won't silence me and I will never shut up, because I'm telling the truth, and they are lying," Vučić said.

He also commented on some statements heard in a B92 TV talk show last night, where Thiede was one of the guests, and where it was concluded that there were pressures on the media in Serbia.

Sociologist Jovo Bakić, another guest on the program, said, among other things, that the prime minister's brother Andrej Vučić was lobbying in favor of Kopernikus TV gaining a national frequency. Vučić commented today by saying that neither his brother nor he knew "what Kopernikus was," and that he never made the acquaintance of anyone from the broadcasting agency, RRA.

Vučić reminded reporters on Monday that he sought an apology from OSCE over its claims of media censorship, remarked that he would "live to" that apology, adding that he will "not back down in the face of lies" and was not in need of "OSCE's assistance."

"They (OSCE) have lied, but when you're lying, it is a matter of elementary decency to apologize. I will not let anyone attack Serbia, and let it go unanswered. I'm strong enough and have enough strength to stand up to all those who are attacking my family. We are small and they are big, but that does not mean that we should not defend the freedom-loving traditions of our people. What does my political office mean to me? So what if I am left without it?" Vučić was quoted as saying.

After Vučić demanded an apology from the OSCE, the organization's media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović said she had "a constructive discussion with Vučić" and they they "agreed to meet soon."

Earlier on Monday, Labor Minister Aleksandar Vulin requested "from the OSCE, representatives of great powers, and professional associations" to end what he said was their campaign aimed against "citizen Aleksandar Vučić and his family."

Vulin also asserted that "the most dangerous thing is to be a member of Vučić's family or his friend" and added that he asked for "the campaign" to end - "or at least for the reasons why they're doing it to be revealed."

"You can criticize the prime minister, the president of the SNS, ministers in the government, coalition partners in the government, but stop dealing with the family of Aleksandar Vučić and stop considering it an unforgivable offense if someone at any moment or any place says something positive, or shares the opinions of Aleksandar Vučić," said the minister, who heads the Movement of Socialists.

Vučić commented on Vulin's statements to say he "disagreed" because he "did not require the protection of the OSCE," but added he was "grateful that Vulin was thinking about him and his family."