A senior official from Serbia’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has drawn criticism from opposition figures and civic groups after comparing protests in Iran with demonstrations in Serbia, saying the country had avoided violence thanks to President Aleksandar Vučić’s leadership.
Milenko Jovanov, head of the SNS parliamentary group, said in a television appearance that thousands of demonstrators had been killed in Iran and suggested that, had anyone other than Vučić been in charge in Serbia during periods of unrest, they might have “lost rationality” and taken different decisions.
His remarks prompted backlash from opposition politicians and activists, who accused him of normalising the idea of violence against protesters and of portraying Serbia as dependent on a single leader.
The opposition daily Danas cited analysts as saying it was inappropriate to compare Serbia with Iran, while N1 television reported that critics questioned whether the comments amounted to an implicit admission of autocratic rule.
Zdravko Ponoš, leader of the Serbia Centre (SRCE) party and a member of parliament, said the government did not need protests to endanger citizens, alleging that corruption had already caused loss of life in Serbia, referring to a deadly incident in Novi Sad.
The Kreni-Promeni civic movement described Jovanov’s statement as “dangerous,” saying it risked legitimising the use of force against demonstrators.
Serbia has seen periodic anti-government protests in recent years, while the ruling party maintains that it respects democratic institutions and preserves stability in the country.
Jovanov and the SNS have not issued further clarification on his remarks.