AFPDThousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Belgrade City Hall on Christmas Eve
NOS News•today, 03:22•Changed today, 03:38
Thousands of Serbs gathered in the center of the capital Belgrade on Christmas Eve to once again protest against the election results earlier this month. When hundreds of demonstrators tried to enter City Hall, police used tear gas and pepper spray. At least 35 demonstrators are said to have been arrested.
In the parliamentary and municipal elections more than a week ago, the populist party of incumbent President Vucic won. Election observers and independent media reported disturbances during voting. Opponents speak of election fraud and have been protesting against the results every day since then.
‘Orchestrated by foreign countries’
According to President Vucic, the storming was an attempt orchestrated from abroad to overthrow his government. “This was an attempted violent takeover of the state institutions of the Republic of Serbia,” Vucic told a pro-government TV channel. He provided no evidence for this.
AFPEA demonstrator tries to enter Belgrade City Hall, police are inside
During the demonstration, in which demonstrators pelted the city hall with stones and eggs and called Vucic a “thief”, the incumbent president addressed the population through state media. He called the protesters “criminals” who would not succeed in destabilizing the country. “This is not a revolution,” he emphasized.
Appeal to EU
Vucic’s government, which wants to maintain warm ties with Russia and the European Union, denies that there is election fraud and speaks of a fair election. Vucic said yesterday that claims of election irregularities are blatant “lies” that his political opponents are happy to spread.
“We will continue our fight,” said opposition leader Nebojsa Zelenovic of Serbia Against Violence, an alliance of largely green and left-wing opposition parties that took part in the elections. The partnership this week called on the European Union not to recognize the results and to investigate the elections further.
2023-12-25 02:22:23
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