A senior official of the Party of Freedom and Justice (SSP), Janko Veselinović, sharply criticized the Serbian government’s proposed amendments to the Law on the Serbian Armed Forces, warning that the changes would give President Aleksandar Vučić unchecked authority to use the military against the population.
In a written statement, Veselinović said the amendments would transfer operational command of the army during peacetime directly to the president, a drastic shift that, according to him, fundamentally alters the role of the Serbian Armed Forces.
“Command over the army has so far belonged to the president only in times of war or imminent danger… This decision must be viewed in the context of the current situation in the country and the recent purges within the police, gendarmerie, and special units,” Veselinović stated.
He added that the legal changes effectively complete the centralization of the entire security apparatus under the control of one man, warning that Serbia is moving toward authoritarian rule, with the army, police, and intelligence services increasingly placed under Vučić’s personal command.
The Serbian government adopted the draft amendments on 20 November.
Under the current law, the Armed Forces are commanded by the Chief of the General Staff and senior officers, in accordance with legal procedures and established chains of command. The proposed changes, according to critics, represent a dangerous departure from democratic standards, further eroding institutional checks and balances in Serbia.
