Lawyer Božo Prelević has sharply criticized President Aleksandar Vučić’s recent announcement regarding potential pardons in the “Generalštab” case, warning that such a move could destroy the legal system in Serbia.
Prelević explained that Vučić’s approach effectively expands the extraterritorial reach of “Ćacilend”, a metaphor for zones of power where Serbian laws and institutions are disregarded. “He spreads it like a malignant tissue across the entire country,” Prelević said, emphasizing that Vučić portrays himself as all-powerful within state institutions.
The lawyer stressed that the real concern is not Vučić himself, but the impact on Serbian citizens. “The public could end this simply, through a general strike. They could solve it in a single day. Yet many wait for someone else to act on their behalf,” Prelević said, highlighting the growing arrogance and impunity of Vučić’s regime.
Prelević also warned that Vučić’s persistent abuse of power will inevitably generate more enemies, potentially forcing him to take increasingly drastic measures both domestically and internationally. He called attention to the fact that delays in accountability will prolong the damage to Serbia’s institutions.
Vučić had announced that if indictments in the “Generalštab” case proceed, he would pardon all defendants involved in malfeasance and assume full responsibility himself, refusing to invoke immunity, a move Prelević sees as a dangerous precedent undermining the rule of law.
