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Photo from Ukrinform
Thousands of Serbians protested in Belgrade on Saturday against President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), making demands including media freedom, an end to attacks on journalists and opposition figures, and no secret treaty with Kosovo, Reuters reported.
Several thousand people turned out. Whistle-blowing crowds marched through central Belgrade despite freezing temperatures and icy streets. Some carried banners reading “Rise Serbia” or “It’s started.” Smaller protests have been held in other towns in Serbia.
Critics say Vucic has fostered an atmosphere of fear and hate speech against opponents while seeking to tighten his rule. He has denied the allegations.
The opposition rally comes ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit scheduled for next Thursday. While Vucic says that membership to the European Union remains Serbia’s ultimate goal, he continues to maintain close ties with Russia, long a Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally of the country.
Putin’s visit is seen as a popularity booster for Vucic and his ruling coalition, and his supporters have scheduled a major rally for Thursday to welcome the Russian president.
Protesters in Belgrade have also accused Vucic of preparing a negotiated settlement with Kosovo, a key precondition for Serbia to join EU. Belgrade enjoys Russia’s backing in its opposition to Kosovo’s independence declared in 2008, almost a decade after a brutal 1998-1999 war there.
Protesters also demanded that the government find those responsible for the killing of Oliver Ivanovic, a prominent Kosovo Serb politician, a year ago. They also announced a rally in Belgrade for next Wednesday to commemorate his death.
In December, Vucic said he would not bow to opposition demands “even if there were five million people in the street,” but said he would be willing to hold a snap election. Opposition parties said they would boycott such an election.
Vucic has the backing of around 53 percent of the electorate. His coalition also has a majority of 160 deputies in the 250 seat parliament. If the opposition parties ran as an alliance, they could count on only around 15 percent of the vote.
