An Open letter of 18 NGOs to President of Serbia Boris Tadic and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic

25 February 2008, HCHRS

18 NGOs strongly protest against inadequate comment of the Russian state television which in its extraordinary program "News Plus" labels the late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic "the puppet of the West" and that "he merits the bullet". The Russian government is obliged to provide an explanation of this scandalous comment of the state television. On the contrary, it would leave an impression that the Russian government support such an interpretation of an assassination of the first democratic prime minister of Serbia. It is indicative that it coincides with an interpretation shared by the part of the Serbian state structures. Deeming that the protest of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs to the editor of the Russian state television is not adequate and sufficient, we insist that the President of Serbia Boris Tadic and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic decisively demand an explanation of the Russian government. It owns to all those who backed the late prime minister Zorana Djindjica and his vision of modern and European Serbia. With such an explanation Russian government would show that it respects citizens of Serbia and their European orientation and as well as the respect for the assassinated prime minister.

Belgrade Center for Human Rights

Civic Initiatives

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia

Women in Black

Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights - YUCOM

Center for Cultural Decontamination

Youth Initiative for Human Rights

Belgrade Circle

Urban in, Novi Pazar

Women for Peace, Leskovac

Independent Association of Journalist in Vojvodina

Center for Regionalism

Vojvodina Center for Human Rights

Regional Center for Conscientious Objectors

Otvoreni licej, Sombor

Sandžak Intellectual Circle

Sandžak Committee for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms

Forum of Citizens, Stara Pazova