The Humanitarian Law Center expresses its protest against the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia to ban the festival “Mirëdita, dobar dan!” and demands that Minister Ivica Dačić urgently revoke the decision and ensure the peaceful conduct of this cultural event.
The institutions of the Republic of Serbia are obliged to provide their citizens and all participants of the festival with freedom of expression and movement, as well as to guarantee safety during the festival.
The decision was preceded by pressures and threats to which the organizers and participants of the festival have been subjected for days, which are unacceptable and illegal. It is particularly concerning that the sources of these threats and pressures were precisely those holding the highest political positions, such as the Mayor of Belgrade Aleksandar Šapić and several ministers of the Republic Government.
By deciding to halt the festival, the institutions of Serbia have confirmed their adherence to ethno-nationalist and war-mongering policies that hinder the building of trust necessary for the region after the conflicts.
The festival “Mirëdita, dobar dan!” has been alternately held in Belgrade and Pristina for the past ten years, thus contributing to regional cooperation and the restoration of trust among communities. Bans and pressures will not prevent the civil societies of Serbia and Kosovo from continuing their cooperation with the firm belief that the time will inevitably come when political elites will have to dedicate themselves to reconciliation and acknowledging the suffering of others, instead of perpetuating conflicts.
