Following snap parliamentary elections last weekend, where the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) secured 46.72% of the votes, an international monitoring mission criticized the electoral process, labeling it as unfair due to factors such as media bias, improper presidential influence from Aleksandar Vucic, and voting irregularities, including allegations of vote buying. Responding to the contested results, thousands gathered in Belgrade for an anti-government protest on Sunday, demanding the annulment of both parliamentary and local elections.
In preliminary results from the state election commission, the SNS emerged as the winner. President Vucic, however, asserted that the elections were fair, prompting dissatisfaction among protesters. International observers, in their assessment, pointed to a series of issues that allegedly provided the ruling party with an undue advantage.
During the demonstration, tensions escalated as some protesters attempted to breach the Belgrade town hall, where the local election commission operates. Police responded by firing pepper spray, and clashes ensued, with some protesters climbing the building and breaking windows, leading to further unrest. Chants of "Vucic thief" echoed through the crowd, expressing discontent with the electoral process.
The interior ministry issued a statement urging protesters to refrain from breaking into the town hall, emphasizing the importance of a peaceful demonstration. President Vucic, in his evening address, called for calm and stated the government's intent to avoid causing harm to protesters.
The center-left opposition alliance, Serbia Against Violence, secured the second position in the election with 23.56% of the vote, while the Socialist Party of Serbia claimed the third spot with 6.56%. Members of the opposition attempted to enter the town hall during the protest, expressing their dissatisfaction with the electoral outcome.
As tensions persisted, anti-riot police intervened around 10 pm, pushing protestors away from the town hall. Marinika Tepic, a member of Serbia Against Violence, has been on a hunger strike since the elections, demanding the annulment of the results. The unrest reflects the deep-seated concerns about the fairness of the electoral process, highlighting the need for a thorough review and addressing the grievances voiced by various segments of the population.
