A meeting of the Serbian-German Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Serbian National Assembly turned chaotic on Tuesday, as members of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) allegedly insulted and verbally attacked German Bundestag representatives.
The session included German parliamentarians Anton Hofrajter and Boris Mijatović, as well as Robert Kozma from the Green-Left Front (ZLF). According to Kozma, the SNS delegates frequently interrupted, shouted, and insulted the guests, showing disrespectful and undiplomatic behavior, even in the presence of the German ambassador.
Key points from the meeting:
- German MPs primarily addressed freedom of the press in Serbia, emphasizing political criteria for EU accession, including democracy, rule of law, and independent media.
- SNS deputies, notably Dalibor Šćekić and Milan Radin, interrupted and verbally abused German MPs, including Mijatović, after critical remarks about media control.
- The session escalated when Marija Zdravković, chair of the friendship group, cut off Mijatović’s speech, further fueling tensions.
- Hofrajter reportedly responded by saying: “Serbia wants to join the EU. If you want it, you must be democratic. If not, just say so—nobody is forcing you.” SNS members reacted aggressively, claiming disrespect and misuse of Serbian hospitality.
- The meeting ended with profanity directed at German representatives, including an incident where Dalibor Šćekić insulted Kozma personally in Serbian.
This incident follows another recent contentious meeting with the Bundestag’s Committee for Security, where German MPs left the room in protest after offensive remarks, including claims linking German leaders to Nazi heritage.
