Serbian antigovernment protests escalate in third night of clashes

Protests started past twelvemonth aft deadly illness of obstruction presumption roof, with President Vucic accused of corruption.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets crossed Serbia, smashing windows of the governing party’s office successful the bluish metropolis of Novi Sad, wherever the country’s antigovernment revolt started much than 9 months ago.

The protesters came retired successful unit for a 3rd nighttime connected Thursday, pursuing major clashes earlier successful the week that saw dozens detained oregon injured, demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic telephone an aboriginal election.

In Novi Sad, wherever a bid presumption canopy collapsed past year, sidesplitting 16 radical and creating nationalist choler implicit alleged corruption successful infrastructure projects, protesters attacked the offices of the governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), carrying distant furnishings and documents, and splashing overgarment connected the entrance.

“He is finished,” they shouted, with notation to the president arsenic they demolished the offices. The constabulary and Vucic’s supporters, who person guarded the bureau successful Serbia’s second-largest metropolis for months, were obscurity to beryllium seen.

In Belgrade, the Serbian capital, hundreds of protesters and SNS supporters threw flares and firecrackers astatine each different connected 1 of the city’s main boulevards. Police fired teardrop state astatine slightest 2 locations to disperse the protesters and support the opposing camps apart.

Similar protests were held successful towns crossed the country.

Vucic told pro-government Informer tv that “the authorities volition win” arsenic helium announced a crackdown connected antigovernment protesters, accusing them of inciting unit and of being “enemies of their ain country”.

“I deliberation it is wide they did not privation bid and Gandhian protests. There volition beryllium much arrests,” helium said during the broadcast.

He reiterated earlier claims that the protests person been organised from abroad, offering nary evidence.

The erstwhile night, determination were gatherings astatine immoderate 90 locations successful the country, according to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic the pursuing day.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that 47 radical were arrested successful Wednesday’s clashes, with astir 80 civilians and 27 constabulary officers near injured.

The EU’s Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said connected X that the reports of unit were “deeply concerning”.

“Advancing connected the EU way requires citizens tin explicit their views freely and journalists tin study without intimidation oregon attacks,” Kos said connected X.

The Serbian president denies allegations of allowing organised transgression and corruption to flourish successful the country, which is simply a campaigner for European Union membership.