Protests in Serbia continue: Demonstrators set up tents on the street and blocked traffic
A group of university students on Friday launched a 24-hour blockade of a main street in Serbia’s capital during New Year’s holiday rush as protests continued in the troubled Balkan country after reports of irregularities that marred a recent election, AP reports.
The students set up small tents, tables and chairs, brought food and blankets and played loud music at their makeshift camp near the government headquarters in Belgrade, saying they will stay put until the start of another opposition gathering planned for Saturday.
The student actions triggered a huge traffic gridlock in the capital on Friday.
Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party have been declared the winner of the parliamentary and local elections, but the main opposition alliance, Serbia Against Violence, has alleged that fraud took place, particularly in Belgrade.
“I am here to fight for democracy in this country, for repeating the elections in fair conditions,” student Aleta Cacic said at Friday’s protest.
Serbia Against Violence has been leading daily protests in Serbia since the vote as some politicians launched hunger strikes. The populists have said the vote was fair and rejected criticism, including from international observers who noted multiple irregularities in their preliminary findings published a day after the ballot.
