Since months of protests in Serbia against President Aleksandar Vučić. On Saturday, the situation is worsening – the protesters stormed the state broadcaster and surrounded the presidential Palace.
Protesters in Belgrade want the freedom of the media
“We want to help the public broadcasting just to realize his own Motto: Your right to know everything,” roared Boško Obradović into the megaphone. The backdrop for the appearance of the President of the national Serbian party of “Dveri” was rather unusual – in the middle of the building of the national broadcaster RTS.
Obradović urged, together with other opposition politicians and some fifty demonstrators on Friday in the building in the center of Belgrade, while outside, hundreds of people demonstrated. Only hours later, the riot police managed to get out. There were pictures of the isolated strikes against protesters, but the situation didn’t escalate further.
The timing of the flash action was symbolic – to 19:30 in the morning to run messages in RTS, which have traditionally high ratings. But the audience of millions gets there only rarely, if ever, to see protests in over 90 Serbian cities. Since December, tens of thousands take to the streets against the “dictatorship”, for the rule of law, media freedom and free elections.
Vučić givet be combative
“I’m not afraid. I can only lose my life. I will continue to fight for Serbia, which is the most Important thing,” said Serbian big man Aleksandar Vučić in the usual melodrama-inspired sound. The President called the opposition politicians as “thugs” and “fascists” who wanted to force to Power.
Seat blokade of the state broadcaster RTS in Belgrade
While he occurred on Sunday at a press conference, surrounded by thousands of people to the presidential Palace and protested loudly, with music, whistles and Call against Vučić. The protesters through a police broke the chain to bring the truck with the speakers next to the building. There were violent clashes. “As you can see, the situation is changing rapidly,” said the left-wing opposition politicians Borko Stefanović the DW-reporters on the spot.
Originally people from all over the country wanted to be first at the 13. To gather April in Belgrade, a large rally, but it could also go faster. “I hope remained in this government, some sanity, and hopefully our demands will be met quickly,” said Stefanović. An attack on a politician was in December, the trigger for the protests. Together with two colleagues, Stefanović was beaten in front of a organisation of men, which the close to the government said.
Thousands protested with music, whistles and Call against Vučić
Opposition was formed
Although many of the protesters refuse to support a concrete opposition grouping, is established gradually, the “Pact for Serbia,” as the leading force of the protests. The Alliance is a colorful mixture belongs to – from nationalists on Civil to the left of the politicians.
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The mass protests are the biggest challenge for Vučić, ruled for seven years, the Balkan country with a heavy Hand. The list of allegations against him is long: nepotism, links with organised crime and clientele politics for the members of his progressive party. Every tenth of seven Million citizens is a member of the party – the party book are valid as tickets for jobs and a guarantee for choice of gifts.
Vučić fragmented the political competition by one of the media landscape. Except for a cable channel and a couple of pad weak weekly Newspapers, the Mainstream media embraced its President, alternating with praise, and hunting on his critics.
Protests in Berlin
“Apparently, Vučić is angered deeply that the protests take so long,” says the Belgrade political scientist Boban Stojanović. Especially the President should be careful not to provide images of police brutality. This would give the protesters a victim-Status and the Situation could spiral out of control. “If the Opposition only increases the pressure further, it could lead finally to the liberation of the media, more democracy and hopefully free elections”, says Stojanović in the DW-Interview.
The former nationalist hawk Vučić has all allegations of himself. He wants to lead his country into the EU, many to trust him even the settlement of the decades-old conflict with the former Serbian southern province Kosovo, which Belgrade still not as an independent state acknowledges. A common Thesis in Serbia, With its Flexibility compared to Kosovo, buying up Vučić, the EU’s Silence on the Repression within the country.
Now in Berlin: support for the Serbian Opposition in Belgrade
To make the connection carefully, was demonstrated on Saturday for the first Time in Berlin. Around fifty people gathered in the rain on Alexanderplatz, in order to support compatriots at home. “We want the citizens of Berlin, asking your political representatives why they support an autocratic Regime in Serbia”, said Ljubica Šljukić Tucakov of the DW. The young linguist has lived for six months in the German capital and has co-organized the protests. In Berlin, such as in Belgrade, the people want to demonstrate.
In the Western Balkans, it is seething just. Also in Albania, Montenegro and the Serbian Republic in Bosnia of thousands take to the streets to demand more democracy. First, observers already speak of a “Balkan spring”.