National Assembly President Ana Brnabic comments on protests, and Serbian Orthodox Church

Photo: Tanjug/Amir Hamzagic/bs

The president of the Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, said today that the "blockaders" (anti-government protesters) are attacking every foundation of Serbian society and Serbian statehood and everything that has sustained the Serb people through the centuries.

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Brnabic added they have now put themselves above every institution in the country, including the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), and have given themselves the right to decide who is acceptable and who should be witch-hunted in the Church.

"They give themselves the right to decide who is acceptable, who should not be whistled at, and who should be lynched, insulted and booed. They put themselves above everything in this country, above every institution and every person. They gave themselves the right to say who is acceptable in the SPC, and who should be witch-hunted, lynched and dragged by their beard. We haven't seen that kind of thing in this country since 1945," Brnabic told TV Pink.

Asked to comment on reports in certain media that there is no secular state in Serbia and that the SPC is allegedly an "extended arm of the regime" - Brnabic said that such statements are scandalous, and that the "madness of the blockaders" has led them to start spreading hatred towards the SPC.

"Yes, there is a secular state. But you blockaders never distinguish between support and respect. We do not agree on all issues, but we have respect for the SPC, just as the SPC has respect for the state and officials elected by the people of Serbia. But they (protesters) said, 'if we came to power, we would disband the SPC, it would not exist'. This is unspeakably scandalous and a blow to everything that has sustained and saved the Serb people, regardless of whether you are religious, whether you are a member of the Church or not. These are historical facts. You don't touch that, you don't go after that," said Brnabic.

She added that the policy of the "blockaders" is that of hatred and offending what Serbia is, and our country's identity.

"To them, Matica (Srpska, the oldest Serbian cultural and scientific national institution) is a Serbian disaster, Saint Sava (the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church) is a careerist, the worst thing that has happened to the Serb people, Kosovo is independent. That's their policy," said Brnabic.

She pointed out that President Aleksandar Vucic, with a wise policy, reduced the protests to a minimum by letting them show who they are and what they are about.

"That's all that Aleksandar Vucic did. He asked the citizens of Serbia, the majority of Serbia, for peace, patience and to give time and space for them to show who they are, what they are and what they are about. That's what Vucic did, so he completely exposed them and reduced their protests to a minimum," said Brnabic.

The National Assembly president added that there is a small number of "blockaders" left who stand "against everything."

"You are against a traffic sign that needs to be installed, against a pedestrian crossing, against a monument, Belgrade Waterfront, against the Dorcol Marina project, even though that backwater is (currently) full of garbage. And that doesn't bother them, just like they didn't mind garbage heaps in the area where Belgrade Waterfront is now. That didn't bother anyone, but Matica Srpska, and the SPC, do bother them," said Brnabic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)