Tensions Spike in Serbia: Protest Clashes Erupt in Vrbas

Belgrade, Aug 13 (AP) Clashes have erupted in Serbia amid ongoing protests against President Aleksandar Vucic, marking an escalation in tensions following over nine months of demonstrations.

On Tuesday evening, incidents flared in Vrbas, northwest of Belgrade, where riot police intervened to separate opposing groups outside the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. Video footage captured government supporters launching flares, rocks, and bottles at protesters, who retaliated with various objects. Authorities report that dozens were injured, including 16 police officers. Similar altercations were noted at demonstrations across the country.

The student-led protest movement in Serbia began last November after a tragic incident in Novi Sad, where a train station canopy collapse resulted in 16 fatalities, sparking allegations of corruption in state infrastructure projects.

The demonstrations have since attracted hundreds of thousands, challenging Vucic’s firm hold on power. In response, supporters of the president have begun organizing counter-demonstrations, sparking concerns of potential violence.

Following the Vrbas clashes, several individuals were detained. Police Commissioner Dragan Vasiljevic told state television RTS that protesters “came to attack” the supporters of the ruling party. Protesters, however, claim they were provoked first, not only in Vrbas but also in locations further south, such as Backa Palanka, and later in Novi Sad and Nis. In Belgrade, riot police dispersed protesters gathered in the city center.

The protests, primarily peaceful since November, have been spearheaded by university students demanding early parliamentary elections, a call Vucic has resisted. Demonstrators are also demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Ivica Dacic in response to recent protest-related violence.

While Serbia pursues European Union membership, Vucic has sustained strong ties with Russia and China and has faced accusations of suppressing democratic freedoms during his 13-year tenure.

The ongoing student-driven protests against Vucic’s populist government have persisted nearly daily since November, when a deadly train station accident catalyzed public outcry over corruption.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)