Activists Attacked, One Abducted in Serbia; Commentators Warn of Dictatorship

The recent attack and abduction of a young activist in Resnik, following a sticker distribution campaign by the Rakovica Zbor group, is a deeply disturbing development that echoes the darkest chapters of 20th-century history. This incident, where a young man was beaten and kidnapped before being released, is not merely an isolated act of violence. It serves as a chilling reminder of the authoritarian tendencies that Radoljub Šabić, a lawyer, likened to the rise of Mussolini's blackshirts and Hitler's brownshirts in the 1920s and 1930s.

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Kidnapping people is something that happens in South American countries, and it should motivate us to show solidarity and do everything we can to help the kidnapped young man.

Professor Aleksandar Baucal of the Faculty of Philosophy drew parallels to the brutal dictatorships of South America, emphasizing that such abductions are hallmarks of regimes that suppress dissent through fear and violence. He urged citizens to stand in solidarity with the victim and to resist the government's trajectory towards a society where such acts can occur with impunity. The message from the authorities, through their inaction or complicity, is clear: they are pushing Serbia towards a dangerous path, and it is up to the citizens to resist.

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On the other hand, for us as citizens, it should be a warning that this government is leading us in the direction of a South American dictatorship.

This event underscores a critical moment for Serbia. The government's response, or lack thereof, to these paramilitary-style abductions will determine whether the country succumbs to a climate of fear or stands firm in its commitment to democratic values and human rights. The international community often focuses on political maneuvering, but for ordinary Serbs, these events represent a direct threat to their safety and freedom, a stark warning that the foundations of a democratic society are being eroded from within.

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This is more reminiscent of the 1920s and early 1930s in Italy and Germany. That is, Mussolini's blackshirts or the brownshirts of the Nazis. This is some kind of paramilitary organized group that allows itself to abduct people in cars without license plates, take them in an unknown direction, beat them, and mistreat them.