Yet another „Protest Against the Dictatorship“ kicks off in Belgrade. Around 150 protesters blocked traffic in front of the Serbian National Assembly, according to Beta news agency.
Earlier today some of the protesters announced that they may try blocking the entrance into the main building of Serbia’s public broadcaster, RTS, during tonight’s rally.
Belgrade protesters blocked one of the entrances to the main building of Serbia’s national
broadcaster, RTS, while the TV station was running its scheduled newscast.
The protesters organised a „newscast“ of their own, during which a former RTS journalist, Gordana Bingulac, said she was „ashamed“ that her former colleagues are not covering the
protests.
"We condemn in the strongest terms today's ongoing attacks on the Members of the Parliament in Skopje. The acts of violence in the Parliament are wholly unacceptable and we call for calm and restraint. The Interior Ministry and the police must ensure the security of the Parliament and its members", said in a joint statement the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn.
"Democracy must run its course. We take positive note of the election of Talat Xhaferi as a Speaker of the Parliament, as reported", the two EU officials said.
Politicians in the Balkans frequently accuse the EU of double standards in its dealings with the region. Do they have a point?
In the months-long protests in Serbia, those marching every weekend are not all demonstrating for purely political reasons – but also to raise their voices over other burning everyday problems.