Podgorica, (MINA) – The decision of the Podgorica Higher State Prosecutor’s Office (VDT) to dismiss the criminal charges against Niksic Mayor Marko Kovacevic and downgrade his statements to a misdemeanor represents the normalization of hatred in public discourse, the Party of European Progress (SEP) said.

The VDT announced on Friday that it had dismissed the criminal charges against Kovacevic in the case filed against him for his speech at the anniversary of the Battle of Grahovac in June last year.

The SEP said that VDT’s decision to classify Kovacevic’s remarks that he would treat dissidents “like Turks” as a misdemeanor sends a message that it is acceptable to insult, stigmatize and threaten entire communities.

“This amounts to nothing more than the normalization of hatred in public discourse”, the party stated.

They warned that when the system of protection is reduced to symbolic punishments, and criminal responsibility is swept under the carpet, space is opened for even more radical messages and deeper divisions.