The president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and advisor to the Serbian President for regional issues, Miloš Vučević, assessed tonight that "no one could have thought" when he founded Matica Srpska that at a time when Novi Sad is part of Serbia, there would be people who would try to prevent the celebration of the anniversary, due to protests in Novi Sad.
"I guess it should be celebrated in secret, in the catacombs. It's a vile and dangerous policy, which we must not turn a blind eye to. There's no longer the energy that was there before, because there's no longer any sense in it. There's a handful of extremists left, and Matica Srpska really bothers them," he said on the eve of the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Matica Srpska, as reported by the Pink television portal.
He added that Matica Srpska left a great legacy in culture and science and that tonight's academy is an intersection of three times - past, present and future.
"Tonight's academy is a cross-section of three times - the past, with us will be registrars from previous decades, the current generation and the future generation, which is still unnamed, who will read the Chronicle of Matica Srpska," said Vučević.
Several thousand people gathered tonight on the campus of the University of Novi Sad, from where they set off on a protest walk to the city center, following the announcement that tonight at 20 p.m., Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić would speak at a ceremonial academy marking the 200th anniversary of the founding of Matica Srpska, and Vučević came in his place.
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