Belgrade, 20.08.2019.

Public Statement

DO NOT FLIP OVER THE NEGOTIATION TABLES

Forum for Security and Democracy, after the third round table that took place at the Faculty of political sciences in Belgrade, at which representatives of government, opposition parties, and civil society organizations discussed election conditions, expresses its concern due to announcements of some of the round table participants that they will boycott further discussions as well as the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2020.

It is the view of FSD that stooping to such action, aimed at placing the blame for the failure to reach an agreement regarding election conditions exclusively at the feet of the ruling coalition and even the round table organizers from the NGO sector, only further exacerbates and widens the existing divisions in society, which the round table was meant to resolve in the first place, and the peaceful resolution of the current political situation even more uncertain.

Forum for Security and Democracy reminds politicians calling citizens to extra-institutional action that the demonstrations from October 5^th, as well as the winter demonstrations of 1996/97 before them, did not have as their primary objective the change of government but rather the defense of election results when citizens of Serbia voted for concrete ideas and programs, not for a mere castling between the ruling and opposition parties but a definite discontinuation of current policies at the time that no longer enjoyed public support.

FSD believes that leaving the table of discussion and effectively turning it over by refusing to resolve political disputes in an institutionalized, non-violent manner would have incomprehensible consequences for the future of the country and its EU integration process, as well as the European perspective of the entire region. Such actions should be considered premeditated since those undertaking them aim for said consequences or are indifferent towards them.

Last but not least, FSD wishes to warn the public of the possibility of the media and civil society organizations being blamed for the problems that ruling and opposition parties have between themselves and are unable to overcome, should the round table discussions fail or are discontinued, which could prove to be dire for the future of Serbia.