“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
23/1/15
Today, we and Serbian campaigners are following up on yet another serious area of animal abuse within the Republic of Serbia – namely animal fighting.
To make it clear what we mean, here are some video links (visible to the public on Youtube) which support the cruelty we are talking about. Please note that by the time you attempt to access some of these, it is possible that some videos may be removed once the word gets out.
**WARNING** – VERY GRAPHIC ANIMAL ABUSE AND CRUELTY shown in the following.
By clicking on the following link, you will have access to many more (Serbian) videos which have been posted:
Note – the following videos may be removed at source, but hard copies have already been taken and are now being held as evidence where required.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmAljUem_8g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuuozxWKyzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAPAzp8E6S0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIFzA-mK4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE9l-cm64hU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCIFzA-mK4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmAljUem_8g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnAATwQL7OM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuuozxWKyzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udH12guL5lM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6MfVXA0t3I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiJvVTdPP0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO9wtBaSqm4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zovhCkxO_80
Apart from specific independent actions currently being taken by Serbian based campaigners, which we cannot give any more detail on at present; copies of the (above) videos have been forwarded to specific organisations in London for review and possible further action.
During this past week, copies of the same videos were also forwarded to the EU Enlargement Commission, specifically the Head of the department associated with Serbia’s future accession into the EU, which is currently in progress – http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/serbia/index_en.htm , to make it very clear that Serbian authorities are NOT enforcing their own legislation – ie “the rule of law”; which is a paramount and fundamental requirement for accession of any new member state (such as Serbia) into the EU.
Basically, by allowing this blatant cruelty to happen within its borders, by openly allowing it to be advertised and shown on web sites and media such as Youtube, and most importantly by not enforcing its own existing national animal welfare legislation, Serbian authorities are thus failing in their requirements to become an EU member state.
Serbian authorities have to prove to the EU that they are taking action – and we have seen nothing yet.
In addition as further action by the welfare campaigners, on 23/1, Members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) have been contacted about this very same issue. Through these MEP’s; we have asked them to make direct contact with:
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Commissioner Hahn, leader of the EU Enlargement Commission
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The Head of the Serbian section for EU Enlargement at the same Commission
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the EU Ambassador to Serbia, who to date has failed us at every attempt to make contact regarding other animal welfare issues, such as the future for ‘Nani’ deer.
… as well as supplying them with the video footage (above) and informing them that the Serbian authorities are not enforcing their own national legislation.
We have already had confirmation by some MEPs that our request and requirements have already been viewed by them; and now we wait to see what will result as follow up actions in the coming week.
In order to become even considered as a potential EU member state; the Serbian authorities need to be fully aware that they must take full action to enforce existing Serbian animal welfare legislation; and to prevent all the things happening which are shown in the above videos for example.
Serbian authorities must be seen to be enforcing the Serbian “rule of law” within Serbia when it comes to animal abuse issues. Unfortunately, through a lot of our other work and posts over many years, which can be seen openly on this site, , it is possible to see that the Serbian authorities are doing very little to enforce their own national legislation concerning animal welfare.
If they do not do this, then as European citizens, do we not have the right to make the fundamental statement that Serbia is NOT enforcing its own national rules of law; a basic requirement for EU membership.
This requirement is further supported by the “Responsibilities” statement made by Commissioner Hahn on his very own EU website: http://ec.europa.eu/commission/2014-2019/hahn_en – see the 5th bullet point – “Supporting pre-accession countries in implementing democratic and economic reforms, upholding the rule of law,”
Commissioner Hahn
And so, as far as we are concerned as an NGO, Serbia is NOT enforcing its own rules of law. We see the EU Commission making it clear that it has responsibilities for ensuring that new member states DO uphold the rule of law; and we, a simple EU animal welfare NGO, continue yet again to provide the clear evidence to everyone at the EU Enlargement regarding animal abuse and cruelty within Serbia; for which very little seems to be happening as a result !
Now this latest pile of evidence has been submitted, we wait and see what is going to happen within the EU Enlargement and the EU Ambassador about all of this.
Is the EU Enlargement Commission actually going to live up to its declared responsibilities of supporting the upholding of the “rule of law” within Serbia prior to it attaining EU membership ?; or is the EU going to turn a blind eye to this animal suffering ?
More importantly; are Serbian authorities going to act relating to the existing Serbian laws by following up with actions regarding all of the footage which is shown in the videos ? – or again, are they also going to turn a blind eye and allow this to continue happening ? – blind eyes have been turned on most issues we have raised for the last 10 years or more; now we want to see positive action prior to Serbian EU membership.
The Serbian authorities have the video evidence; they know where this is happening; so why are they not acting to enforce the laws of the land and stop it ???
We wait with a great deal of interest to see what happens from all parties contacted in the coming week(s).
One thing is for sure; whatever happens or does not happen, we will report it to you, our dedicated supporters, via this site.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »
