Mirdita – Dobar dan, an annual festival promoting reconciliation between Serbian and Kosovar youth through art, culture, advocacy, and debate, was banned by Serbian authorities. Scheduled to open on June 27 at Dorćol Platz in Belgrade, the festival faced opposition from ultranationalist and hooligan groups, who blocked access, intimidated attendees, and vandalized the venue. Despite police presence, there was insufficient intervention. Additionally, a bus carrying festival participants from Kosovo was turned back at the city’s outskirts. The Ministry of Internal Affairs justified the ban citing potential threats to public safety, a rationale disputed by the organizers. Attacks on the organizers of the protest, are not an isolated incident but rather a reoccurring event. BCSDN member Civic Initiatives, along with other Serbian CSOs, in a public statement highlight that the Serbian government has violated the Constitution, specifically the freedoms of expression and assembly. They emphasize that disproportionate measures that have been applied are contrary to the legal and constitutional order of the Republic of Serbia as well as the standards and practices of the European Court of Human Rights. BCSDN supports this letter and stands in solidarity with the Serbian organizations. Read more here.
Source: Civic Initiatives, N1, DANAS, DW