Deputy Assembly President Ragus talks major national rally, to be held on June 28: "Citizens need not worry"

Photo: Tanjug/Vladimir Sporcic

Deputy President of the Serbian National Assembly Marina Ragus said today that a message about the progress of Serbia will be sent at a rally announced for Vidovdan (June 28, St. Vitus Day, major Serbian national and religious holiday).

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The Movement for the People and the State will be presented at the rally, she said, adding that a protest, on June 28, called by students taking part in the blockades, is an expression of a minority among the most extreme groups, who are trying to "build up the energy that dropped off after March 15."

"The Vidovdan rally will send a constructive message related to the Movement for the People and the State, to present Serbia in the best possible way as a country that will have economic growth, that will improve the standard of its citizens, that will have strong institutions and guarantee everyone a life that is worthy of people living in the 21st century," Ragus told Tanjug.

She added that citizens should not worry and that the (opposing) gatherings will be separated, as well as that the state has the capacity to ensure that everything takes place incident-free.

"Citizens should not worry and should not respond and allow anyone to manipulate them, everyone has the right to a political opinion and to express their political message, everything should take place without violence and incidents, and the state has the capacity to organize and guarantee that, both in Belgrade and in the whole of Serbia," Ragus said.

Asked what the relations between the Government and the ruling party are, given that Prime Minister Djuro Macut announced that some media tried to portray him and SNS leader Milos Vucevic in a negative light, Ragus assessed that relations between the Government and the ruling party are very good and at a high level.

"I think there was a misunderstanding among the public because Vucevic commented on articles in certain media, while Prime Minister Macut also addressed those articles and that's why he asked some outposts not to raise tensions because there are ongoing discussions that should produce concrete results," Ragus said.

She added that all interested parties must sit down and talk, and assessed that the prime minister is doing his job well.

"We are all focused on reducing tensions and finally sitting down and discussing all topics, including how to get Serbian universities back to a normal. I believe that by the end of the year we will have some kind of framework," said Ragus.

Commenting on the post-local election "crises" in Zajecar and Kosjeric, Ragus said that it was "fascinating that the ruling party won so many votes in such small communities, in incredible political circumstances."

"I hope that such an atmosphere of witch-hunts, very great aggression and almost totalitarian behavior by people who present themselves as democratic and who cannot accept that (other) people think differently - that this will become a distant past," she said.

Ragus stressed that the citizens had their say in both Kosjeric and Zajecar, and once again confirmed that they do not want violence, but enactment of policies, and results, and added that the majority of Serbia is responding  - even under incredible pressure, blackmail, and aggression.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)