Belgrade, Serbia
AP
—
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday introduced tough measures towards anti-government protesters following days of riots in the streets all through Serbia which have challenged his more and more autocratic rule within the Balkan nation.
Thousands of individuals defied Vucic’s menace of a crackdown and protested in a while Sunday in varied Serbian cities, together with the capital Belgrade. Shouting “Arrest Vucic,” the protesters demanded that every one these detained previously days be launched. No incidents had been reported.
In one among his frequent TV addresses to the general public, Vucic accused the anti-government demonstrators of “pure terrorism” and reiterated his claims that months of persistent protests towards his rule have been orchestrated within the West and aimed toward destroying Serbia.
“Our country is in grave danger, they have jeopardized all our values, normal life, each individual,” Vucic mentioned, alleging an elaborate scheme that may ultimately set up “anarcho-leftist” authorities sooner or later. He didn’t supply any concrete proof for his claims.
“Unless we undertake tougher steps it is a question of days when they (protesters) will kill someone,” Vucic mentioned. “I am saying this for history.”
The stern warnings got here after 5 consecutive nights of clashes between the protesters on one facet and police and Vucic’s loyalists on the opposite. Angry protesters on Saturday night torched Vucic’s governing Serbian Progressive Party offices in a city in western Serbia, and of different ruling coalition allies.
The demonstrators on Saturday night additionally clashed with police in Belgrade, the capital, and within the northern metropolis of Novi Sad. Riot officers used tear gasoline towards demonstrators who hurled stun grenades, flares and bottles at them.
Vucic didn’t specify what would be the state response that he mentioned would come inside per week. But he burdened {that a} state of emergency shouldn’t be imminent. Scores of individuals have already got been detained and injured previously days whereas police have confronted accusations of excessive force and arbitrary detentions of protesters.
“You will witness the determination of the state of Serbia,” Vucic mentioned. “We will use everything at our disposal to restore peace and order in the country.”
The clashes this week marked a serious escalation following greater than 9 months of largely peaceable demonstrations that began after a concrete canopy collapsed at a prepare station in Serbia’s north, killing 16 individuals.
Many in Serbia blamed the tragedy on alleged widespread corruption in state-run infrastructure tasks that they are saying fueled poor renovation work. The Serbian president has confronted accusations of stifling democratic freedoms whereas permitting organized crime and corruption to flourish. He has denied this.
Serbia is formally searching for EU membership, however Vucic has maintained robust ties with Russia and China. On Sunday, he praised Russia’s backing for his authorities towards what he known as a “colored revolution” towards his authorities.