Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that representatives and supporters of the "Serbia Against Violence" coalition are trying to forcibly occupy the Belgrade City Assembly and told the citizens not to worry, because no revolution is happening, Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) reports.
"I want to tell you not to worry, citizens of Serbia. Although the scenes are dramatic, because we love our country, we love our city, we are not used to someone breaking our windows, someone demolishing our house. Don't worry, because no revolution is underway," said Vučić in his address to the citizens.
He pointed out that none of that will succeed.
"And let us try not to hurt any of the random demonstrators with a mild reaction, a peaceful reaction. There are 2.490 people present, 1.195 are trying to enter the Assembly. Some have shown that violence is the only way to fight against opponents," said Vučić.
He added that there were "thousands of calls" from all parts of Serbia from citizens who want to come to Belgrade and defend it, but that he asked them not to do so because the country is strong enough to respond, Beta agency reports.
"Those who swore to fight against violence showed that violence is their only way of fighting and that they want to demolish our cities," said the President of Serbia.
Vučić said that such warnings also came from a "foreign factor".
"Thanks to those foreign services who made it clear that they knew what was going on and gave our services information about it," he said.
"We will preserve the freedom of Serbia because it is the highest value. We will preserve the independence, independence and sovereignty of our country. We will defend our Serbia, I just ask you to preserve the peace, be calm, the country is safe and we will not let them destroy our country. We will preserve our house. Cheers Serbia and long live freedom," said Vučić.
RTS reports that those gathered at the protest in front of the Republic Election Commission (REC) in Belgrade, after the address of the leader of the "Serbia against violence" list, at the invitation of Miroslav Aleksić, formed a ring around the City Assembly.
The Assembly of the City of Belgrade is surrounded by citizens who are protesting because of, as they claim, election theft.
The windows of the building where the RIK is headquartered were broken.
Beta reported earlier this evening that representatives of the "Serbia Against Violence" list tried to enter the City Assembly and address the citizens from the balcony, but the police did not allow it, after which the citizens broke the glass doors and several windows of that building, and the police sprayed them with tear gas (pepper spray).
Brnabić: You have a group of thugs who think that everything is allowed to them
The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, said tonight that members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had clear instructions to remain restrained and not react to tonight's protest in front of the Belgrade City Assembly, so that no one would be hurt.
Brnabić told Pink television that the state will "preserve the peace" and restore "everything that was destroyed tonight" by those protesting.
"Those things will have to be paid for from the budget. They destroyed public property. You have a group of thugs who think they are allowed everything," the Prime Minister said.
According to her, an attempt was made to forcibly enter the Belgrade Assembly, during which police officers were attacked and windows were broken.
She added that tonight's attempt to break into institutions shows "the intention to use violence to change the electoral will of the citizens" and compared it to the Ukrainian "Maidan".
"This is an attempt by Maidan, this is disregard for all the other citizens of Belgrade, this is hatred, this is violence. We warned about this during the election campaign," said Brnabić.
She said that as the president of the Government of Serbia, she spoke with foreign diplomats, and that she pointed out to them that an incident could happen.
"First of all, the Russian security service also delivered the data to us in this way. When I personally shared it with some ambassadors, they accused us of spreading disinformation, untruths, of trusting the Russian service and that it was all nonsense," said Brnabić.
Dacic: I condemn the attempt to forcibly occupy the Belgrade Assembly, support for Vučić in the defense of freedom
The First Vice-President of the Government of Serbia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, condemned tonight, as he said, the attempt to seize the Belgrade Assembly by force.
Dacic said that tonight's incidents in front of the Belgrade Assembly, which protesters led by the leaders of the "Serbia against violence" coalition tried to enter, represent a "senseless and violent act".
"The Socialist Party of Serbia and I personally, as its president, strongly condemn the attempt to take over the Belgrade City Assembly by force. This is another confirmation of what I talked about in the election campaign, that violence is their only program, because they know that they cannot win the people's trust ", the minister stated, and his cabinet reported.
Dacic supported Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic "in defense of freedom, independence, independence and sovereignty of Serbia" and state authorities in "taking all appropriate measures against thugs and thugs".
"It is the duty of all political parties to condemn this senseless and violent act in the strongest possible terms. The state is above everything and is stronger than all those who try to bring it down," said Dacic.
The Minister of Education, also an official of the Socialist Party of Serbia, Slavica Đukić Dejanović, also addressed the announcement, who condemned the attacks on "state institutions, the destruction of property and state symbols."
"Citizens' electoral will is not changed by violence and savagery, as the holders of the Serbia against violence list showed tonight. I believe that the state authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible and restore order and peace in front of the City Assembly," stated Đukić Dejanović.
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