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The new dynamic of violent unrest in Serbia is linked, according to German media, to citizens' frustration over the inaction of relevant authorities in the face of violence by government supporters.
“Following the wave of anti-government protests in Serbia, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has announced a tough crackdown on protesters, calling them ‘terrorists,’” German public broadcaster ZDF reported, quoting Vucic at a news conference on Sunday. “We will do everything in our power to restore law, peace and order,” he said.
Vucic is described in the report as a “right-wing politician” and is quoted as saying that his government needs several days to prepare a “legal and formal framework” for the state’s response.
"It will be completely different from what you have seen so far," he added, without giving further details. "However, declaring a state of emergency is not being considered," the media reported.
In Belgrade and other cities, violent clashes between security forces and protesters have been taking place for several nights in a row, Stern magazine reported, adding that “Serbia has experienced regular and violent protests against the government and the corruption that is widespread in the country for months.”
“The cause was the collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, which killed 16 people,” the report says, explaining that “protests initially focused on the causes of the collapse,” but later “the rallies, led mainly by students, turned against the government and widespread corruption in the country.”
What is the cause of frustration?
Der Spiegel magazine reports on its website that government opponents also demonstrated on Sunday evening in a number of Serbian cities.
“Clashes with police also occurred in Belgrade. Police stopped demonstrators who were trying to march towards the headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Clashes were also reported in the country’s second largest city, Novi Sad.”
The German newspaper claims that Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said shortly before midnight that one police officer was injured and 18 demonstrators were arrested. There had been even more injuries and arrests in previous nights.
Serbian authorities did not provide details on the number of protesters injured, Der Spiegel writes.
The report recalls that the protests until last Wednesday had been largely non-violent. “However, from the beginning, these rallies were repeatedly subjected to physical attacks by organized and sometimes masked supporters of the Vučić government. These attacks were rarely punished.”
The German newspaper reports that independent media in Serbia “attribute the new dynamic of violent unrest, some of which was initiated by protesters, to citizens’ frustration with the inaction of relevant authorities in the face of violence by government supporters.”
Der Spiegel concludes its report with a statement from Michael O'Flaherty, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, who on Friday expressed concern about the "disproportionate use of police" in Serbia and called on the authorities to "stop arbitrary arrests and de-escalate the situation."/DW
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