Šabić responds to Democratic Party: I always resigned based on my own judgment and conscience, not on demand

Rodoljub Šabić, a member of Serbia's Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) Council, has responded to the Democratic Party's call for him and other independent council members to consider resigning. Šabić stated that while he has resigned from significant positions in the past, he did so based on his own judgment and conscience, not at the behest of any political party.

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I have resigned from more important functions before, when no one asked or expected it. I did that in accordance with my own assessment and conscience, not at the request of some party or party leader. It is not excluded that the same will happen in the case of REM.

"I have resigned from more important functions before, when no one asked or expected it. I did that in accordance with my own assessment and conscience, not at the request of some party or party leader. It is not excluded that the same will happen in the case of REM," Šabić told FoNet.

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First because it names only me personally, and the other three members of the REM Council, although valuable, autonomous persons with undisputed dignity, treats them as 'others.' Thus, it fuels the absurd intrigue of the authorities that behind everything is some personal combination of mine, and not a serious action, carried out in accordance with the law, by a large number of civil society organizations.

Šabić described the Democratic Party's appeal as "controversial on at least two counts." He pointed out that the party singled him out personally while referring to three other female council members, described as "valuable, autonomous individuals with undisputed dignity," as merely 'others.' Šabić believes this approach fuels a narrative that his actions are part of a personal agenda, rather than a coordinated effort by numerous civil society organizations acting in accordance with the law.

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Therefore, it is difficult to understand that after that, the same party appeals to my dignity.

He further cited the Democratic Party's previous "ugly attempts at disqualification" and "crude, vulgar insults" from high-ranking party officials as reasons why their current appeal to his dignity is difficult to comprehend. Šabić also refuted the argument that independent members' continued presence in the REM Council lends legitimacy to the government. He referenced the European Commission's proposal for opening Cluster 3, which noted the REM Council was not constituted but that the government had shown "maximum constructiveness." Šabić argued that refusing to participate after the parliamentary authentic interpretation of the law would have made independent members appear to disregard the law and confirmed the government's insinuations that Serbia lacked a REM Council because of them.

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that argument does not stand.