DS: Stoilkovikj’s attack on Filipche is political violence from Vučić, not defence of Serb interests

The Democratic Party (Serbia) sharply condemned what it called a “vulgar and aggressive” verbal assault directed at SDSM leader Venko Filipche, arguing the episode is not a defence of Serb interests but part of a political campaign tied to President Aleksandar Vučić.

Those remarks came after earlier criticism from Bojan Kostreš, head of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina, who denounced the insults aimed at Filipche. The controversy began when a statement by the Regional Board Kumanovo of the Serbian community in North Macedonia used crude language about the SDSM leader — language that was later shared by Ivan Stoilkovikj, the president of the Party of Serbs in North Macedonia and current Minister of Local Self-Government.

Ivan Stoilkovikj’s post included a call for members of the Serbian community “to not drop to the level of the evil, disintegrated SDSM gang led by the political dunster Venko Filipche,” a formulation that prompted the Democratic Party to react.

Democratic Party calls the attack organised and politically motivated

“It is without doubt a commissioned text, supported by the regime of Aleksandar Vučić. Under the false pretext of protecting Serbs in North Macedonia, he is trying to protect his ally Ivan Stoilkovikj, and at the same time to deal with Filipche and SDSM,” the Democratic Party said, accusing Vučić of exporting the hate speech he has normalised at home.

The party added that Vučić is attempting to portray himself as the indispensable protector and representative of Serbs across the region at a moment when association with him is increasingly seen as an embarrassment and a liability. “That is why he does the only thing he knows: with money, corruption and pressure he appropriates certain politicians in the region, who then, in his name and with his vocabulary, spread hatred, create conflicts and undermine the position of Serbian communities,” the statement said.

The Democratic Party warned that using the name of Serbs as a cover for crude insults, intimidation and confrontations harms ordinary Serbs in the region rather than those who promote such tactics. It added that Vučić’s objective is transactional: by posing as someone who controls and represents Serbs across the region, he seeks to trade their position to buy more time in power.

Domestic political fallout has continued in Skopje. SDSM accuses Stoilkovikj of being part of the “Serbian world” and defending Russian interests inside a NATO member state. Last week SDSM leader Venko Filipche told reporters he will lodge an interpellation against Ivan Stoilkovikj over aggressive behaviour in parliament and insults directed at MPs during a session and in its break. "I expect a major crisis from September," Filipche said, announcing an intensified SDSM offensive in the Assembly.

Photo: press material from the event