BELGRADE, Serbia — Police in Serbia fired tear fuel to stop tons of of opposition supporters from coming into the capital’s metropolis council constructing Sunday in protest of what election observers mentioned had been widespread vote irregularities throughout a common election final weekend.
The nation’s populist authorities have denied rigging the vote and described the election to fill parliament and native places of work was honest. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic mentioned Sunday that these claims had been blatant ”lies” promoted by the political opposition.
Vucic additionally steered the unrest was instigated from overseas. Addressing the nation in the course of the protest exterior Belgrade metropolis corridor, he known as the demonstrators “thugs” who wouldn’t achieve destabilizing the state and mentioned, “This isn’t a revolution.”
“They won’t succeed,” Vucic mentioned. “We’re doing our greatest with our calm and gentle response to not damage demonstrators” who got here to the occasion to protest peacefully.
Shielded riot police barricaded themselves inside the town authorities constructing, firing tear fuel as tons of of opposition protesters broke home windows on the entrance.
The protesters shouted “Open the door” and “Thieves,” as they pelted the constructing with eggs. Some chanted “Vucic is Putin,” evaluating the Serbian president with Russia’s chief.
Nebojsa Zelenovic, one of many leaders of the opposition Serbia Towards Violence alliance, mentioned law enforcement officials swarmed all of downtown Belgrade, together with the roofs of buildings. The world is residence to the nationwide parliament and the presidential headquarters together with the town authorities.
There have been no quick stories of accidents.
Outcomes from the Dec. 17 election confirmed victory for Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Occasion in each the parliamentary and Belgrade metropolis ballots. Serbia Towards Violence, the celebration’s principal opponent, mentioned it was robbed of a win, particularly in Belgrade.
“We’ll proceed with our combat,” Zelenovic mentioned.
An remark mission made up of representatives of worldwide rights watchdogs reported a number of irregularities, included circumstances of purchased votes and the stuffing of poll bins.
The observers additionally famous unjust circumstances for opposition candidates as a result of media bias, an abuse of public sources and the president’s dominance in the course of the marketing campaign.
“Police are in all places, additionally on the roofs. It’s apparent that they don’t wish to acknowledge (the) election outcomes. We’ll proceed with our combat,” Nebojsa Zelenovic, one of many leaders of the alliance, mentioned.
The vote has precipitated political tensions in Serbia, a troubled Balkan nation that’s searching for shut ties with Russia but in addition European Union membership.
Serbia Towards Violence mentioned in a letter despatched Thursday to EU establishments, officers and member nations that it might not acknowledge the end result of the elections.
The alliance known as on the EU to do the identical and to provoke an investigation.
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Jovana Gec contributed to this story.