Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic proudly presented the arsenal of illegal weapons that their owners had voluntarily surrendered to the media at a police depot near Smederevo at the weekend. He thanks his compatriots for their “commitment and responsibility,” explained the all-powerful sovereign.
He was visibly pleased with the results of the disarmament campaign, which he had initiated at the beginning of the month after two bloody rampages. “You can see for yourself how much safer we are now.”
In fact, in the first week of the campaign, which runs until June 8, 13,500 illegal firearms and 2,000 grenades were handed over to Serbia’s police stations. Criminal investigations need not be feared for anyone who has now shown remorse.
Two million illegal handguns in circulation
But in a country where, in addition to 700,000 registered firearms, there are still two million illegally owned firearms – a study from 2018 found – Vucic’s disarmament campaign, while welcome in principle, is no more than a small drop on a very hot stone.
In terms of population, Serbia has the highest number of private firearms in Europe, alongside Montenegro, with 39 handguns per 100 inhabitants. Globally, only the US and Yemen have a higher value.
The nation was shocked after the shootings in Belgrade and Mladenovac earlier in the month. Nevertheless, the wave of violent crimes does not stop. Women in particular are the victims of Serbia’s everyday amok and increasing family violence.
Two more women were murdered in Krusevac and Novi Sad last week. The number of femicides, which has recently risen sharply, has risen to 18 since the beginning of the year, and 266 women have died in the past decade. In almost all cases, they were murdered by their partners or ex-partners.
Church leader mocks the women
At a banquet in Valjevo last week, Serbia’s Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije humorously mocked the women: “Yes, the women are threatened, we are all threatened by you miserable wretches.” asks outraged whether “such hate speech is intended to support violent criminals who take women’s lives”.
Should such hate speech be used to support those who take women’s lives?
Zorana Mihajlovicex-minister, on the taunting comment of the orthodox patriarch
Serbia’s Equal Opportunities Commissioner Brankica Jankovic was also shocked by the “humiliating” comments. “In the days of mourning,” when the weakest in society have once again become victims of violence, the least one can expect is “a sense of responsibility and the weight of one’s own words.”
Head of state Vucic is meanwhile increasingly annoyed by journalists’ questions as to why he had not signed the book of condolence for the victims of the shooting at a renowned school or attended them. At the school, which is only a few hundred meters from the presidential office, a seventh grader killed nine people with his father’s gun in early May.
Instead of action, the President announces new elections
The thin-skinned president berated opposition politicians who called on their compatriots to hold two large-scale demonstrations against the violence last week as “hyenas and vultures” who sought to politically abuse the tragedy.
Vucic rejects demands for the license withdrawal of TV stations associated with his party SNS that glorify violence but are subsidized with state funds, as does calls for his followers at the top of the police and secret service to be recalled.
Instead, Serbia’s strongman is again on the run to the front. He announced a large-scale march by his supporters and early parliamentary elections. “No problem, I’m ready. We are going to the elections, no later than September.”
