SRS holds rally to celebrate Seselj's return

BELGRADE - The Serbian Radical Party (SRS), which has no seats in the national parliament, held a rally in Belgrade on Saturday to celebrate the return of its leader Vojislav Seselj, who was recently released temporarily by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after 11 years in custody.

The rally ended with Seselj's address, who called for the SRS to strengthen its ranks. The SRS has had no seats in the national parliament since 2012, after being the strongest opposition party for more than a decade.

The Serbian government is humiliating Serbia and behaves as a servant to the west, Seselj stated.

He accused Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and President Tomislav Nikolic of faking loyalty to Russia while rushing towards the EU on the other side.
"No one who means well to the Serbian people wants the country to join the EU, because that is where our enemies are. Out of 28 members, 23 have recognised Kosovo's independence," he said.

A succession of bad governments have ruled Serbia since 2000 and the current one is the worst, even though it is made up of "our former closest associates and comrades," he stressed.
"Those who were on the frontline in the battle forthe Serbian people and great Serbia are now servants to the Americans and other westerners," Seselj said.

Commenting on his temporary release from the ICTY, he underscored that he dismantled the ICTY, adding that he had been kicked out because of his impertinence, not illness.

The ICTY judges only Serbs, who get years-long prison sentences, while Muslims, Albanians and Croats are set free, he said.

Photo Tanjug, S. Ilic