Anti-Vucic protests continue as Serbian students issue demands
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 5 April 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Anti-Vucic protests continue as Serbian students issue demands, 5 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a70fa.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 05, 2017
Protesters in Belgrade on April 5
Thousands of Serbs have taken to the streets of Belgrade for a third straight night to protest the April 2 election of Aleksandar Vucic as president.
The crowds of mostly students blew whistles outside the Serbian parliament building on April 5 and accused Vucic of stealing the election.
The presidency is largely ceremonial in Serbia, but Vucic is expected to maintain power through control of his ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The protesters see Vucic as an autocratic leader and the Serbian Progressive Party as corrupt.
Earlier in the day, one group of students posted on social media a list of demands, including the dismissal of the elections commission, the state media regulator, and the heads of the RTS TV state television channel.
They also called for parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic to resign, saying that she adjourned parliament for a week during the campaign which prevented the opposition from using its tribune as a platform.
On April 4, Vucic told journalists that he doesn't object to the protests "as long as they are peaceful."
"We're a democratic country and everyone has the right to be happy or unhappy because of the election results," he said.
with reporting by dpa, Reuters, and B92
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
