Blockade of Belgrade: celebrities switch sides with Serbian protesters
Protesters in Serbia have called for a "general blockade" of the country. While the country's president, Aleksandar Vucic, assures fellow citizens that the authorities are in control of the situation, more and more well-known Serbs are defecting to the students' side. Who benefits from demonstrations and what they can lead to — in the Izvestia article.
On the barricades
At a protest rally organized in Serbia last week, students called on the local population for a "general blockade of Serbia due to police brutality." Over the past week, they have been erecting barricades around the clock on main highways in major Serbian cities. They used car tires, dumpsters, benches and metal fences.
And the guards, in turn, dismantled the barricades, dispersed and arrested the activists. Other citizens are gradually joining the civil disobedience, deciding to block highways in their area, which makes it more difficult for the police to cope with what is happening.
According to Serbian NGOs, 253 blockades were organized in the country on the last day of the working week, 103 of them in Belgrade.
Some local celebrities are gradually coming over to the side of the demonstrators. For example, the famous Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, after winning a match at the Wimbledon tournament, made a gesture to Serbian students, which they use during protests, thereby showing them their support.
Serbian Crown Prince Philip Karageorgievich also addressed the public with words of support.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called the blockades "terrorist activity," stressing that the authorities were tired of "bullying." The head of state also pardoned his supporters, who were previously accused of causing bodily harm to students who protested in January. Milos Vucevic, who was then Prime Minister, had to resign.
Against Vucic
A large rally was held in Serbia on June 28. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the country, about 36 thousand people took part in it. Independent observers counted 140,000 protesters.
At the same time, the March protest is considered to be the largest action, at that time the authorities counted about 140 thousand people, and the protesters themselves — about 300 thousand people.
After that, there were no large mass demonstrations, and the Serbian leader announced the "end of the color revolution" in the country.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic
Protests in Serbia broke out in November last year after a 50—meter-high canopy made of concrete, metal and glass collapsed in the city of Novi Sad. As a result, 16 people were killed, including three children.
For eight months, protesters have been demanding the resignation of President Aleksandar Vucic.
At the protest on June 28, students issued an ultimatum to the authorities by 21:00 on the same day — the dissolution of parliament and the appointment of early parliamentary elections. But the head of state rejected any ultimatums the day before the rally, saying that "Serbia does not recognize ultimatums" and the police are ready for "violence at the rally."
A few days before the protest, several people were arrested for "calling for the violent overthrow of the government." Serbian media also showed a wiretapping recording of the conspirators, where they "discussed plans to attack the police and seize government buildings."
Considering that the ultimatum of the students was not fulfilled, the organizers of the protest declared the Serbian authorities illegitimate, launching a campaign of general disobedience in the country.
After that, the activists clashed with the police. Parliament Speaker and former Prime Minister Ana Brnabic accused the students of "calling for a civil war." And they, in turn, accused the authorities of violence and repression.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said 48 police officers and 22 civilians were injured.
What do the experts think
Milan Lazovich, program manager of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), told Izvestia that the protests were destabilizing society and the political climate in the country.
— They are declared as actions that should benefit, but in fact they are destructive. In my opinion, there is no direct threat to the government now. But there are risks of an economic crisis due to strikes and blockades," the political scientist said.
According to the expert, the protests have internal reasons in many ways.
— But at the same time, it also looks like elements of external interference, they are clearly funded by someone. It is logical to assume that this is beneficial to the EU: firstly, it has such tools and capabilities, allocating funds for the "promotion of democracy," the expert explained.
Secondly, Lazovich adds, Brussels is interested in making Aleksandar Vucic a more accommodating partner.
— The goal is to remove the "half—heartedness" of his position on Ukraine, which categorically does not suit Brussels. In this case, protests are a tool to achieve this goal," the analyst concluded.
Oleg Bondarenko, the editor-in-chief of the Balkanist project, told Izvestia that the current protests are quite dangerous.
— They are deeply national in nature and in fact are unlikely to be fully moderated by anyone from abroad, although there are certainly enough such hunters. First of all, it's the British, they're trying to add fuel to the fire. But it would be incorrect to claim that London or Brussels is entirely behind the organization of the protests. You can't say that, it's not true," the expert is sure.
In his opinion, in the worst-case scenario, the protests could lead to a change of government.
— That is what they are aimed at, the question is whether this change of power will take place in a constitutional or unconstitutional way. It's summer now, and Serbia traditionally has a low protest potential. Rather, it will be postponed until the autumn, but we must assume that these protests are dangerous for the government, which really needs to negotiate with students, the intelligentsia, and the education sector. And without these agreements, without this movement towards each other, I do not think that the situation can be somehow resolved," the analyst concluded.
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