Serbian police said Monday they have detained at least 38 people who took part in a protest against reported widespread irregularities during a recent general ballot that declared the governing populists as winners of the parliamentary and local councils’ elections.
Quick Read
- Protesters Detained in Serbia Following Election Dispute: Serbian police have detained at least 38 individuals participating in protests against alleged election fraud in the recent parliamentary and local council elections. The governing Serbian Progressive Party was declared the winner, but opposition groups, including Serbia Against Violence, claim there were significant irregularities, particularly in Belgrade.
- Violent Clashes and Police Response: The protests escalated on Sunday when demonstrators attempted to storm the Belgrade city council, leading to clashes with riot police who used tear gas, pepper spray, and batons. The police reported eight officers injured, some seriously, and have charged the detained protesters with inciting violent changes to the constitutional order and violent behavior.
- Ongoing Demonstrations Amidst Government Warnings: Despite police warnings against road and bridge blockades in Belgrade, several hundred university students and other citizens continued to protest by blocking a key street in the capital. The demonstration remained peaceful, with some participants engaging in sports activities.
- Government’s Stance on Protests and Election Validity: The Serbian Progressive Party insists that the elections were fair, a claim contradicted by international monitors and local observers. President Aleksandar Vučić has labeled the protests as attempts to overthrow the government with foreign support, thanking Russia for alerting Serbia about the alleged violent protests. The Russian Ambassador to Serbia supported Vučić’s claims of Western encouragement of the opposition.
- Serbia’s Political Landscape and EU Ambitions: While Serbia is officially pursuing EU membership, it maintains strong ties with Moscow and has not joined the Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Vučić’s party’s victory in both parliamentary and Belgrade city elections is contested by Serbia Against Violence, which claims a stolen victory, especially in Belgrade.
- International Observers Report Election Irregularities: International rights watchdogs have reported multiple issues in the election process, including vote-buying, ballot-box stuffing, media bias, misuse of public resources by the ruling party, and disproportionate media coverage of Vučić, who dominated the campaign despite not being a candidate.
- Call for EU Intervention: Serbia Against Violence has appealed to the EU to reject the election results and initiate an investigation, alleging undemocratic practices and violations of electoral integrity.
The Associated Press has the story:
Serbia police detain 38 people as opposition plans more protests against election results
Newslooks- BELGRADE, Serbia (AP)
Serbian police said Monday they have detained at least 38 people who took part in a protest against reported widespread irregularities during a recent general ballot that declared the governing populists as winners of the parliamentary and local councils’ elections.
Opposition group Serbia Against Violence has been staging protests since the Dec. 17 elections, saying there has been election fraud, particularly in the capital, Belgrade. Some politicians began a hunger strike.
On Sunday evening, protesters tried to enter Belgrade’s city council, breaking windows, before riot police pushed them back using tear gas, pepper spray and batons.
Senior police official Ivica Ivkovic told reporters that those detained were facing charges of inciting violent change of constitutional order — in reference to attempting to overthrow the government — and violent behavior. He added that eight officers were injured, including some seriously.
The opposition said that police used excessive force and beat up some of its supporters.
Several hundred university students and other citizens on Monday blocked traffic at a key Belgrade street that hosts government headquarters, braving a police warning against the blockades of roads and bridges in the capital. No incidents were reported as some students played volleyball and soccer on a sunny day.
Police “are ready and capable of countering any acts of violence with determination,” Ivkovic said.
The country’sSerbian Progressive Party has denied rigging the vote and described the elections as fair despite criticism from international monitors and local election observers.
President Aleksandar Vučić described Sunday’s protests as an attempt to overthrow the government with help from abroad, without specifying what he meant. Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabić thanked Russia late Sunday for tipping off Serbia in advance of violent protests against the election results.
Vučić has “irrefutable evidence” that the West is encouraging the opposition protests, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko told Russian media after meeting with Vučić on Monday.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, Vučić also referred to “mentors from abroad” of his political opponents leading the protests but offered no other details. Police officers and state property were “brutally” attacked by those who want to demolish democracy and the election will of Serbia’s citizens, Vučić said.
Serbia is formally seeking membership in the European Union, but the Balkan nation has maintained close ties with Moscow and has refused to join Western sanctions imposed on Russia over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Vučić’s party claimed victory in both the parliamentary and Belgrade city ballots elections. Serbia Against Violence, the governing party’s main contender, said that it was robbed of a win, especially in Belgrade.
Representatives of several international rights watchdogs observing the elections reported multiple irregularities during the vote, including cases of bought votes and ballot-box stuffing. They also noted unjust conditions for opposition candidates because of media bias, abuse of public resources by the ruling party, and Vučić dominating the ruling party’s campaign and media time allocated for candidates despite not taking part in the elections himself.
Serbia Against Violence said Thursday in a letter sent to EU institutions, officials and member nations that it wouldn’t recognize the elections’ outcome. The alliance called on the EU to do the same and to initiate an investigation into the results.
