BELGRADE: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called on protesters to abandon their plans to completely block traffic in a number of citie...
BELGRADE: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called on protesters to abandon their plans to completely block traffic in a number of cities, including Belgrade, on the morning of July 4.
"Unfortunately, those who do not love Serbia — and there are such people both abroad and within our country — have decided to turn your lives into a living hell. They have decided to block your way to work, disrupt your normal life, and deprive you of your sense of freedom," the Serbian leader said in a video message posted on Instagram (a social media site banned in Russia since it is owned by Meta corporation classified as extremist by the Russian authorities).
"They have scheduled total blockades in several cities, including Belgrade, for early tomorrow morning. I am asking them not only as president of the republic and a person who has earned the greatest trust of the citizens. I am asking them as a simple person. Don't do this. Think twice. Don't hate your country so much. Understand that these are serious criminal offenses that violate traffic safety laws and constitutional norms on freedom of movement," the Serbian leader said.
The president assured that the authorities are seeking to avoid the use of force and are ready to ensure the citizens’ freedom, but will not tolerate "violence that destroys the foundations of statehood." "We do not want to use force; we are simply trying to avoid it. The state wants to allow all forms of assembly and expression of opinion. However, the state cannot allow violence of this kind because then it is no longer a state. Then the state simply does not exist," Vucic emphasized.
"Serbia is a serious and responsible state. It will be so tomorrow and on any other day," the president concluded.
Protesters are planning to hold a new rally on July 4. According to them, they intend to block traffic in the Serbian capital at 7:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT).
Protests in Serbia
According to the Serbian Interior Ministry, approximately 36,000 people participated in an unauthorized opposition protest on June 28. During clashes with protesters, law enforcement officers were forced to use special measures to disperse participants from a number of central streets. As a result of the riots in Belgrade, 48 police officers were injured, and 77 people, including one minor, were detained.
Protesters continue to block key transport hubs in Belgrade and other cities daily, setting up improvised barricades with trash bins. They are demanding the release of those detained, the holding of elections, and the dismantling of the tent camp set up by supporters of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic outside the parliament building.
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