Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has expressed remorse to the public for referring to correspondents from the Niš office of Radio Television Serbia as “imbeciles.”

Despite his apology, he maintains that he has “equally low opinions regarding the professionalism and objectivity of the journalists in question,” describing them as “a disgrace to their profession” and suggesting that they act more as political activists than journalists.

“Unconstitutional and illegal blockades of roads, railways, and institutions in Serbia have persisted for months. For an extended period, they have engaged in a colored revolution, concealing behind fabricated, largely non-existent demands. A minority has been harassing the citizens of Serbia and exercising de facto authority over the prosecutor’s office, the courts, and the police. They project themselves as morally superior, claiming rights that they have acquired through force, while those who do not align with them endure severe psychological and physical torment. In line with directives from foreign Western intelligence agencies, they consistently portray themselves as victims, while labeling their opponents as arrogant aggressors. Mirroring the events of 1945, they undermine and trample on institutions, leading unconstitutional plenums that dictate all matters. Fear has infiltrated the homes of honest individuals in Serbia, and we have been anticipating the day when public displays of ‘death’ would emerge— and now they have,” Vučić declared.

He accuses the demonstrators and their leaders, particularly Dragan Đilas, of openly inciting violence against the President of the Republic.

“Their past insinuations were more veiled, but now it has become part of Serbia’s new normal. Strikingly, everyone remains silent. The silence reverberates, much like the statements made by the RTS journalists from Niš, yet this time neither they nor their colleagues expressed themselves in a calming manner. To clarify, as the President of the Republic, despite enduring daily harassment, I recognize that I should not refer to anyone as an imbecile, and I sincerely apologize to the citizens of Serbia and the aforementioned journalists for my remarks. Moreover, I maintain my critical view of these journalists’ professionalism and objectivity, believing them to be political activists rather than journalists. I hope my apology illuminates the variance in personal responsibility and respect towards those with differing viewpoints. The public can see the distinction between my conduct and that of opposition figures who threaten death without remorse for their words, as well as the hypocritical stance of the RTS board, which has failed to denounce the physical obstruction and attacks on RTS teams during protests on February 1 in Novi Sad and at Autokomanda prior to that. Ultimately, the plenum has prevailed at RTS, and my role is to ensure that law and morality triumph in Serbia.

Vučić asserts that he is “dedicated to fighting for Serbia with both sacrifice and passion.”

“I will always possess the courage to stand firm, even if I find myself completely alone in my struggle for the Constitution, legality, and justice, and I will not be intimidated by threats of death or colored revolutions. Throughout the years, I have fought for Serbia with unwavering commitment and bravery, alongside the people I have helped to uplift from the ashes, and no one can take that away from me. To those who threaten me, I respond that life is measured, not by its duration, but by the actions taken for one’s country and fellow citizens. Those who live in fear only of God have transcended the fear of their own mortality. Serbia shall prevail! Long live Serbia,” the statement concludes.

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