Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated today that "the state will take all measures" - but did not specify which ones - to ensure that tomorrow's gathering of Serbian citizens in Belgrade, called for by protesting students, is "peaceful and safe" and announced the arrest of anyone who causes incidents.
He added in a public address that anyone who attacks demonstrators will be arrested, as will "demonstrators if they try to break into institutions."
"I urge everyone not to cause unrest, I was disturbed by the news that balaclavas, Molotov cocktails and baseball bats were found in a stolen car," he said, but did not know the details.
He said that tomorrow's rally is "illegal" and that "all responsibility will be borne by the organizers of the rally", but that "the state will still help secure the rally".
He emphasized that he is calling on the security agency police to keep the gathering peaceful, and to use force only if someone is threatened.
The president spent the first 15 minutes recounting his view of what had happened from December 1st to the present, accusing those protesting of violence against citizens, against the media, primarily RTS.
In a public address, he spoke about the incidents in the Serbian Parliament, that there was no readiness for dialogue, but he used the term "they" the entire time without saying who he was referring to, but that they were led by "Dragan Šolak", co-owner of the "United Media" company, which also owns the most-watched cable TV channels N1 and Nova S.
Vučić says that he offered elections, a referendum, but "they" rejected everything, as well as every rational approach, and sought entry into the government without the will of the citizens.
"I guess they thought I would change my stance as March 15 (the protest in Belgrade) approaches, but I repeat that there will be no transitional governments without elections as long as I am alive," Vučić said, adding that he had "made a vow" and that he would not accept blackmail and pressure.
Vučić said that he does not accept the decisions of student plenums and citizens' assemblies, which are called for by students.
He called on all students at tomorrow's protest to remain peaceful, adding that if that is not the case, the state will ensure safety and security and protect citizens.
He also said that Serbia has, so far, shown itself to be a "guardian of democracy" and that, as he stated, it has tolerated unlawful behavior, protecting those who violate the Constitution and freedom of movement.
"It secured their rallies... no other country would do that," he said.
He called the EU's statement about tomorrow's protest "hypocritical," and announced that he would "have a lot to discuss" with people from the EU "on March 24th and 25th."
"They didn't say anything in particular, except that we have to secure even something that was illegally convened - no problem, we will secure it, not because you (from the EU) are asking for it, but because we want to protect young people and children," he said.
He rejected the views of part of the opposition regarding the government's intention to introduce a state of emergency in Serbia.
"We have neither imposed a state of emergency nor are we planning to...it does not occur to us at this moment to impose a state of emergency or anything similar," he said.
According to him, the government was not preparing for this, and it will not need any of it.
He also said that between 60.000 and 80.000 people are expected at tomorrow's protest, adding that it is estimated that around 33.000 of them will come to Belgrade from other places.
He also said that he is "absolutely against" the ban on the work of the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), whose five members were arrested today in Novi Sad, on suspicion of undermining the constitutional order.
He also said that there is nothing terroristic in the PSG program, nor anything that would call for violence.
"We need to learn to respect political parties, not ban them... we don't need a ban, we need a conversation, I will always be against banning any party," he said.
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