BELGRADFollowing days of public disturbances across Serbia that have put his increasingly authoritarian authority in the Balkan nation in jeopardy, President Aleksandar Vucicon of Serbia promised harsh measures against anti-government demonstrators on Sunday.
Later on Sunday, thousands of people protested in several Serbian towns, including the capital Belgrade, in defiance of Vucic’s threat of a crackdown. The demonstrators chanted “Arrest Vucic” and called for the release of everyone who had been jailed in recent days. There were no reported incidents.
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Vucic reaffirmed his assertions that months of continuous protests against his authority have been planned in the West with the intention of destroying Serbia in one of his many TV addresses to the public, accusing the anti-government protesters of pure terrorism.
Alleging a complex plot to impose anarcho-leftist government in the future, Vucic stated, “Our country is in grave danger; they have jeopardized all our values, normal life, and each individual.” He provided no hard proof to support his assertions.
Vucic stated that it is only a matter of time until the demonstrators kill someone unless we take more drastic measures. For the sake of history, I say this.
Following five nights in a row of violence between the demonstrators and Vucic’s supporters and police, the harsh warnings were issued. In a village in western Serbia, angry demonstrators set fire to Vucic’s governing Serbian Progressive Party headquarters as well as those of other partners in the ruling coalition on Saturday night.
On Saturday night, protesters also battled with police in Novi Sad, a city in the north, and Belgrade, the capital. When protesters threw bottles, flares, and stun grenades at them, riot police responded with tear gas.
Vucic stated that the state would respond within a week, but he did not elaborate. However, he emphasized that a state of emergency is not about to happen. Numerous individuals have already been hurt and detained in recent days, and police have been accused of using excessive force and arbitrarily detaining protestors.
Vucic declared, “You will see the state of Serbia’s determination.” To bring peace and order back to the nation, we shall do everything within our power.
After over nine months of mostly nonviolent protests that began when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in northern Serbia, killing sixteen people, this week’s skirmishes represented a significant uptick.
The disaster was attributed by many in Serbia to suspected pervasive corruption in state-run infrastructure projects, which they claim led to subpar rehabilitation activity. The president of Serbia has come under fire for allegedly suppressing democratic liberties while fostering corruption and organized crime. He has refuted this.
Vucic has had close connections with China and Russia, but Serbia is officially aiming to join the EU. He applauded Russia’s support for his government on Sunday in the face of what he described as a “colored revolution” against it.
