Constitutional Court bans neo-Nazi group

B92 News, Belgrade/June 3, 2011

The Constitutional Court of Serbia has determined that Nacionalni stroj is a secret association whose work is banned in accordance with the Constitution.

The organization is not allowed to work, promote and spread its ideas and goals.

The Constitutional Court's decision also does not allow Nacionalni stroj to be registered in a "registry run by competent organs, associations and political parties".

The court has also determined that the state and other bodies and organizations are obliged to take necessary measures in order to implement the decision.

The Constitutional Court started the discussion at a closed session on May 19, 2011.

The motion to ban the extreme-right organization was filed in October 2008, with an explanation that it was a "secret political organization" which incites national and religious hatred which is banned by the Serbian Constitution.

The prosecutor said that basis for the decision to ban Nacionalni stroj was also a fact that several members of the organization had been convicted of inciting racial and national hatred at the University in Novi Sad.

Justice Minister Snezana Malovié told B92 that the Constitutional Court's decision to ban Nacionalni stroj was a clear message that Serbia would not tolerate organizations that promote racial, religious and national hatred and intolerance.

"Banning racial, religious and national hatred and intolerance is a European heritage. Nazi ideology that promotes such action is unacceptable in a democratic society such as ours and it cannot be tied to our historical and cultural heritage," she pointed out.

Malocié stressed that there must be no second-rate citizens and any discrimination whatsoever in the name of the past and the victims of Nazism, but also in the name of the future.

"Serbia will stop organizations that promote such ideologies with legal, political and democratic means," the justice minister explained.

She believes that this is only a beginning and that the state will not allow far-right organizations to continue promoting Nazi ideas by changing their name.

Malocié also stressed that society and all those involved in the political life needed to take their stand regarding the hate ideology and clearly show who neo-Nazis were.

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