BELGRADE, June 30. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic gave assurances on Monday that the country will restore order and not allow ongoing protests, street blockades, and attacks on police to throw the republic into chaos.
"The government has done its job and will continue to do so every day. They [the protesters] claimed the police were violent. What a vile lie! The state did its job," he emphasized, responding to accusations against law enforcement.
According to Vucic, the protesters' actions are "a manifestation of impotence and anger," comparing them to "losers who start a fight after a match."
"It's clear to them that everything has failed. Is this their plan for the future? Containers on the streets, refusing to work? I said the state has the power and it will ensure order. Everything they are doing is a crime against their own country," he said, adding that the largest number of provocateurs was recorded near the Autokomanda road junction.
He reported that 26 people had been detained in the past 24 hours and 136 had been identified. Vucic backed the police, noting they were operating under heavy pressure.
He also criticized the protest organizers for "sending other people's children to jail" instead of taking part themselves. "Today, they want to get to the top seats or put the worst thieves and criminals there. They are ruining their own lives. For what, for whom? I especially want to ask the organizers: why don’t you go yourselves, instead of sending other people's children to jail? Children who will never come to power. Why are you so immoral? Nothing will come of this," he concluded.
Russia’s response
Vucic thanked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for his close attention to the developments and stressed that political stability in Serbia would be ensured strictly through law. "Serbia has won, and I look forward to continued cooperation with Russia," he said.
Earlier, Lavrov expressed hope that Western countries would not try to instigate color revolutions in Serbia. He said Moscow was closely following developments and "is interested in seeing this unrest calmed down, as President Aleksandar Vucic said, on the basis of the constitution and laws of this friendly state."
"We call on the protesters to strictly observe Serbian laws and note the Serbian leadership’s readiness for dialogue," Lavrov added. "Dialogue is the only way to resolve any issues," he emphasized.
Situation in Serbia
According to the Serbian Interior Ministry, about 36,000 people joined an unauthorized opposition protest on June 28. During clashes, law enforcement officers were forced to use special means to clear central streets. In Belgrade alone, 48 police officers were injured and 77 people were detained, including one minor.
On Sunday, Vucic declared the state had prevailed over the protesters. "Serbia has won because one cannot defeat the country by violence," he said, stressing he would not pardon any of the detainees. According to him, the rioters had issued "a direct call for civil clashes and attacks on police."
Despite this, mass protests continued. On the night of June 30, protesters blocked key traffic hubs in Belgrade and other cities, set up barricades and tents, and demanded the release of detainees, early elections, and the dismantling of the tent camp of Vucic’s supporters near the parliament building.