The anti-government rally in Serbia's capital city of Belgrade, attended by thousands of opposition supporters, demanded the annulment of last month's elections, which were deemed unfair by foreign observers. The demonstration, though, was calm.
Protests Against Administration
With 46.72% of the vote in the recent parliamentary and municipal elections, the populist governing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was sworn in. However, a global observational mission found that the SNS used media bias, President Aleksandar Vucic's unlawful influence, and voting irregularities such as vote-buying to their advantage.
The elections, according to Vucic and his group, were legitimate.
The gathering was also held to commemorate Oliver Ivanovic's death, a moderate politician from Kosovo who was killed six years ago.
In 2018, Ivanovic was assassinated outside his party headquarters in the ethnically split town of Mitrovica, which is mostly Albanian Kosovo and a mostly Serb territory. Kosovo proclaimed its independence from Belgrade in 2008. In both Serbia and Kosovo, the investigation into Ivanovic's demise has not yet concluded.
Opposition supporters take part in a march during a protest, one month after the election, in Belgrade, on January 16, 2024. Protesters held a rally accusing Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic alleged electoral fraud during the December 17, 2023 parliamentary and local elections. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party was declared the election winner but the main opposition alliance, Serbia Against Violence, has claimed the election was stolen, particularly in the vote for the Belgrade city authorities.
See Also: Serbia Protests Intensify Over Election Fraud by Governing Party as Serbians Demand Annulment
'Caught Red-Handed'
Marinika Tepic, who is the head of the center-right coalition Serbia Against Violence (SPN), which placed second in the ballot, addressed the audience and said that the opposition is still intent on challenging the election results. "The entire planet knows, we caught him [Vucic] red-handed ... him who would not dare to appear before his people," said Tepic, who recently embarked on a two-week hunger strike to protest the vote's decision, as reported by Reuters.
In addition, the opposition claims it seeks the nullification of the inconclusive Belgrade elections, which are widely believed to have been fraudulent.
The chairman of SNS, Milos Vucevic, warned earlier this week that a new round of voting might be held in Belgrade if a coalition cannot be formed and a majority in the city council cannot be achieved.
The 1.4 million people who call Belgrade home make up almost 25% of Serbia's voters, and the city's mayor is often seen as a powerful figure in the Balkan nation.
Prior to joining the group, Serbia must eradicate corruption and organized crime and modernize the judiciary, rule of law, and media freedoms. It is also a candidate for membership in the European Union. With regard to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is necessary for it to restore relations with Kosovo and bring its foreign policies in line with those of the EU. This includes the implementation of sanctions against Russia.
See Also: Protests Erupt in Serbia Over Alleged Election Fraud; Serbians Demand Results To Be Annulled
