**Serbian Columnist Dejan Ilic Arrested for Calling for Peaceful Solution to Country’s Crisis**
In a move that has been widely condemned as an act of regime repression, Serbian columnist and Pescanik portal writer Dejan Ilic was arrested yesterday after answering a summons for questioning at a police station. The arrest comes just days after Ilic gave an interview on N1 TV in which he called for a peaceful solution to the country’s crisis.
According to Ilic, he was summoned to the police late on Wednesday evening and repeated this morning, only this time he was officially told that he was under investigation for allegedly “inciting panic.” Ilic has denied making any threats, saying that his comments were taken out of context and spun by the media to make him seem like a danger to society.
**A Pattern of Repression**
Ilic’s arrest is just the latest in a months-long pattern of repression against independent media and opposition voices in Serbia. The Pescanik portal has been monitoring this trend, noting that Politika daily newspaper has been at the forefront of isolating statements made by Ilic and other critics of the regime.
In his interview on N1 TV, Ilic had said that a transitional government was far better than bloodshed in the streets. However, when this clip was taken out of context and published in Politika under the headline “Transitional Government or Bloodshed,” it was clear that something more sinister was at play.
**A Call for Peace, Not Threats**
Ilic has always maintained that his comments were a call for peace, not threats against the authorities. He said that he was advocating for a peaceful solution to the crisis, and that anyone who disagreed with him should be free to express their views.
“I’m not making claims,” Ilic explained. “I’m offering an interpretation of the situation. My message wasn’t directed at the authorities, but at the opposition and students, for them to come to an agreement on forming a transitional government.”
**A Warning from Ilic**
Despite his arrest and investigation, Ilic remains undeterred. He has warned that the regime is becoming increasingly desperate and violent, and that the opposition needs to unite and face this challenge head-on.
“I don’t know how it ends,” Ilic said in an interview with N1. “But I do know that everyone involved in this rebellion has to take this into account, as well as that we don’t have much time for agreements. We need solutions—fast.”
**A Call to Action**
Ilic’s words are a call to action not just for the opposition, but for all those who care about peace and stability in Serbia.
“We stand for a peaceful solution,” Ilic said. “Here is a way out of this crisis. We are holding out our hand. The responsibility for what happens next lies with you.”
As Ilic awaits his questioning at the police station, it’s clear that the situation in Serbia is becoming increasingly dire. Will the opposition unite and face the challenge head-on? Only time will tell.
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