Serbian police used teargas and stun grenades at a university campus in Novi Sad on Friday to disperse protesters demanding snap elections aimed at ousting President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
In an evening address, Vucic reported that 11 policemen were injured, though no information was provided on protester casualties.
Thousands gathered at the state university campus on Friday evening, holding banners reading “We don’t want blockades, we want elections” and “Students have one urgent demand: Call elections”.
Clashes erupt at philosophy faculty
The crowd chanted “Vucic, leave!” as protesters scuffled with police in front of the philosophy faculty, throwing flares whilst officers deployed teargas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
“We are not going to allow destruction of the state institutions,” Vucic told reporters. “Serbia is a strong and responsible state”.
The president accused foreign security services of orchestrating anti-government protests in Serbia and announced his supporters would hold rallies across Serbian cities on Sunday.
Months of unrest follow railway disaster
Vucic and his SNS party have faced months of protests across Serbia, including blockades of state universities, sparked by the deaths of 16 people last November when the roof of a renovated railway station collapsed.
Protests remained mainly peaceful until 13 August, when dozens of police officers and civilians were injured in clashes.
Protesters have blamed corruption for the Novi Sad railway station disaster and are demanding early elections hoping to remove Vucic and his party from power.
Opposition seeks political change
Students, opposition groups and anti-corruption watchdogs have accused Vucic and his allies of ties to organised crime, using violence against political rivals and suppressing media freedoms – allegations they deny.
“The solution is to call elections,” said Nebojsa Korac, one of the protesters. “On our side, we want peace and democracy to prevail, and for political institutions to do their job. That means calling elections, and that will be the solution, because the government will change”.
(information from Reuters)
