Over 60 injured in overnight riots near Ruling

BELGRADE, Aug 14: More than 60 Serbian nationals were injured during violent riots near the offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) overnight, President Aleksandar Vucic said.
The unrest broke out amid escalating tensions between government supporters and opponents, following more than nine months of persistent demonstrations against the populist president.
Clashes first flared on August 12 in the town of Vrbas, northwest of the capital Belgrade, where riot police intervened to separate rival groups gathered outside the SNS offices. The confrontation quickly intensified, leading to widespread violence and dozens of injuries.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said at least six police officers and many Serbian citizens were injured during riots near the SNS offices in Novi Sad and other cities in the country overnight to Thursday.
“More than 60 citizens were injured, 64 were counted injured in the SNS premises on Liberation Boulevard in Novi Sad,” Vucic said at a briefing at the Interior Ministry.
He said 16 police officers were injured.
Vucic said there were 3,084 demonstrators in Belgrade and its suburbs and 1,695 in Novi Sad.
Student and opposition protests began in Serbia after the canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people.
On December 30, 2024, the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad filed charges against former Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesi and 12 other people in connection with the canopy collapse. The government has made thousands of documents related to the reconstruction of the station publicly available. The country’s leadership calls on the opposition forces to engage in dialogue, but this call remains unanswered. (UNI)

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