Serbia’s president vows more arrests after huge antigovernment protests

Out of 77 radical arrested, 38 stay successful custody, astir of whom are present facing transgression charges.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has said galore much antigovernment protesters volition beryllium arrested, arsenic clashes with constabulary astatine a monolithic night-time rally demanding aboriginal parliamentary elections marked a crescendo of months-long nationalist dissent.

At a quality league connected Sunday, the populist person accused the organisers of Saturday’s student-led protest successful the capital, Belgrade, of inciting unit and attacks connected police.

“There volition beryllium galore much arrested for attacking constabulary … this is not the end,” Vucic said, accusing the protesters of causing “terror”.

Clashes erupted aft the authoritative portion of the rally ended. Police utilized capsicum spray, batons and shields portion protesters threw rocks, bottles and different objects.

Critics accidental Vucic has go progressively authoritarian since coming to powerfulness much than a decennary ago, having served arsenic archetypal lawman premier curate from 2012 to 2014 and premier curate from 2014 to 2017 earlier becoming president, stultifying antiauthoritarian freedoms portion allowing corruption and organised transgression to flourish. He denies the accusations.

Saturday’s rally was 1 of the largest successful 8 sustained months of demonstrations triggered by the roof illness astatine a bid station successful the metropolis of Novi Sad successful November, sidesplitting 16 radical – a calamity wide blamed connected entrenched corruption.

Following the outcry implicit the disaster, Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned, but the governing enactment continued successful power, with a reshuffled authorities and Vucic inactive successful office.

Authorities enactment the assemblage size astatine 36,000 – good beneath an autarkic estimation by the Archive of Public Gatherings of astir 140,000.

During his quality conference, Vucic besides criticised “terrorists and those who tried to bring down the state”, singling retired University of Belgrade’s caput dean, Vladan Djokic, who was among the protesters.

‘Take state into your ain hands’

“Serbia won. You cannot destruct Serbia with violence,” said Vucic. “They consciously wanted to spur bloodshed. The clip of accountability is coming.”

Protesters accidental the existent populist authorities is “illegitimate” and laic the work for immoderate unit connected the government.

Police said connected Sunday that 48 officers were injured portion 22 protesters sought aesculapian help. Out of 77 radical arrested, 38 stay successful custody, astir of whom are facing transgression charges, said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic.

Before Saturday’s protest, organisers had issued an “ultimatum” for Vucic to telephone elections – a request helium has repeatedly rejected.

After the rally, organisers played a connection to the assemblage calling for Serbians to “take state into your ain hands” and giving them the “green light”.

“The authorities had each the mechanisms and each the clip to conscionable the demands and forestall an escalation,” the organisers said successful a connection connected Instagram.

On Sunday, Vucic reiterated determination would not beryllium immoderate nationalist ballot earlier the extremity of 2026.

He has repeatedly alleged the protests are portion of a overseas crippled to destruct his 12-year government, without providing immoderate evidence.

More than a twelve radical person been arrested successful caller weeks, a crackdown that has present go regular successful the look of ample demonstrations.

Serbia is formally seeking European Union membership, but Vucic’s authorities has nurtured adjacent relations with Russia and China.