A high-level delegation of the European Green Party (EGP) left Serbia on Saturday morning after facing open insults and threats from the country’s top officials. The delegation included Rasmus Nordqvist from Denmark and Vula Tsetsi from Greece, who were in Serbia at the invitation of the Green-Left Front.
The Green-Left Front praised the European Greens for their solidarity with Serbian citizens and said their presence sent a clear message that Europe must not remain silent in the face of repression and the erosion of democratic society in Serbia.
Vula Tsetsi, co-chair of the European Green Party, condemned the aggressive attacks, lies, and threats from President Aleksandar Vučić, stating that such behavior is unacceptable and demands a strong response. “He insulted a European political party, threatened us personally, and even lied openly,” Tsetsi said.
The European Greens plan to appeal to the European Commission for a stronger EU stance toward Serbia’s authoritarian government. Additionally, a plenary debate in the European Parliament on Serbia is scheduled for next week, which will include representatives from the Green-Left Front and other opposition parties.
Vučić and Brnabić’s Response
On Friday, President Vučić described the European lawmakers supporting the Novi Sad protests as “the worst European scum” and said Serbia would regulate the process according to its laws.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Ana Brnabić, also attacked the lawmakers on social media, calling their participation in the protests hypocritical. She criticized Nordqvist and Tsetsi for joining what she termed “violent and illegal gatherings” in Serbia, while promoting the rule of law and democracy in their own countries.
Background on the Delegation
- Rasmus Nordqvist, Danish politician and MEP for the Green-Left, previously served in Denmark’s Folketing from 2015 to 2022. His work focuses on environmental protection, sustainable development, and social justice.
- Vula Tsetsi, Greek politician and co-chair of the European Green Party since December 2024, is an urban and regional planner with nearly two decades of experience in European politics, including coordinating Green/EFA activities in the European Parliament.
