BELGRADE – Serbia’s president introduced Sunday extra arrests of anti-government protesters following clashes with police at a large rally demanding an early parliamentary election. Dozens have already been detained.
Aleksandar Vucic, at a press convention, accused organizers of Saturday’s student-led protest within the capital, Belgrade, of inciting violence and assaults on police, urging authorized prosecution. He additionally criticized “terrorists and people who tried to deliver down the state,” singling out College of Belgrade’s head dean, Vladan Djokic, who was among the many protesters.
Tens of 1000’s of individuals attended the rally held after practically eight months of persistent dissent, which has rattled Vucic’s agency grip on energy within the Balkan nation. Protesters additionally declared the present populist authorities “illegitimate” and laid the accountability for any violence on the federal government.
Clashes with riot police erupted after the official a part of the rally ended. Police used pepper spray, batons and shields whereas protesters threw rocks, bottles and different objects.
Police mentioned on Sunday that 48 officers have been injured whereas 22 protesters sought medical assist. Out of 77 folks detained, 38 stay in custody, most of whom are going through legal fees, mentioned Inside Minister Ivica Dacic.
“There shall be extra arrests,” Vucic mentioned. “Identification of all people is underway.”
The protests began after a renovated rail station canopy collapsed in November, killing 16 folks. Many in Serbia blamed the tragedy within the northern metropolis of Novi Unhappy on corruption-fueled negligence in state infrastructure tasks.
Vucic has repeatedly rejected a direct snap vote as a substitute of the one deliberate for 2027.
“Serbia gained. You can’t destroy Serbia with violence,” Vucic mentioned Sunday. “They consciously needed to spur bloodshed. The time of accountability is coming.”
Critics say Vucic has become increasingly authoritarian since coming to energy over a decade in the past, stifling democratic freedoms whereas permitting corruption and arranged crime to flourish. He has denied this.
Serbia is formally searching for European Union entry, however Vucic’s authorities has nourished its relations with each Russia and China.
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