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'We don't want to make a circus': Commissioner Antonijević to Bratina regarding Vučićević's statements about Roma

'We don't want to make a circus': Commissioner Antonijević to Bratina regarding Vučićević's statements about Roma

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Serbia's Commissioner for Equality issued a warning to Informer editor Dragan Vučićević for linking Roma people to cable theft and train blockades.
  • Minister of Information Boris Bratina defended Vučićević, accusing the Commissioner of bias and attempting to stifle media freedom.
  • The Commissioner stated his focus is on broader equality issues, not daily political disputes.

Serbia's Commissioner for Equality, Milan Antonijević, has declined to respond to insults from Information Minister Boris Bratina, who defended Informer editor Dragan Vučićević. Bratina's defense came after the Commissioner's office issued a warning to Vučićević for claiming that Roma people had caused train disruptions by stealing cables.

We don't want petty daily political points, to make a circus out of this. Institutions have their own response and that is seen in what we are doing, as well as other ministries, which are here with us today.

— Milan AntonijevićExplaining his approach to the controversy involving the Informer editor.

Antonijević stated that his institution does not seek "petty daily political points" or to "make a circus" out of the situation. He emphasized that institutions have their own responses, as demonstrated by his office's actions and those of other ministries. The Commissioner noted that his current focus is on gender equality, policies, and laws, which he considers far more significant than "one day of insulting anyone, including myself as commissioner."

we are talking about gender equality, some other policies, laws that we are currently adopting, giving opinions on them, that is much more significant than one day of insulting anyone, including myself as commissioner.

— Milan AntonijevićHighlighting his priorities over personal attacks.

Previously, Antonijević issued a public warning regarding Vučićević's statement that trains were halted because "Roma blockers stole copper cables." Antonijević deemed it unacceptable to associate the entire Roma community with crime, railway malfunctions, or political blockades. In response, Bratina accused Antonijević of viewing the world through a biased lens and attempting to suppress media freedom by targeting those who express views contrary to "ideologically suitable circles."

and still views the world 'with squinting eyes of the Hague Tribunal,' through the matrix he adopted in the YUCOM organization, classifying the issued public warning as an 'attempt to stifle media freedom and target anyone who dares to speak differently from ideologically suitable circles.'

— Boris BratinaAccusing the Commissioner for Equality of bias and suppressing media freedom.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.