Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic rejected criticism of police actions during protests, saying that “everywhere the police are incredibly patient and calm“, NOVA reported.
Commenting on the use of excessive force by police in Valjevo, he said that law enforcement officers were shelled with all kinds of objects all night.
“Look at this gang that was throwing all kinds of objects at them all night. The police are standing, not moving, not threatening anyone, not touching anyone, but they are beating and attacking them all night long“, Vucic told RTS.
Mass protests against Vucic's regime are taking place for the third consecutive night.
Last night, anti-government protests organized by students under the slogan: "We are not punching bags" took place in Belgrade and other Serbian cities, BTA reported.
The slogan refers to cases of police violence against protesters, as evidenced by video footage and statements from victims published on social networks.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, expressed concern earlier today after another night of violent protests that erupted with renewed force in early August in Serbia, when citizens and supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party party in two cities in the autonomous Serbian province of Vojvodina exchanged verbal and physical attacks, and police intervened and made arrests among the protesters.
“I call for calm and respect for the right to peaceful assembly. The Serbian authorities must comply with Council of Europe standards. The rule of law and respect for human rights must prevail“, Berse wrote on the social network Ex.
Earlier yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic announced 144 arrested and 75 injured police officers in the last 24 hours, when the police used batons and tear gas against the demonstrators.
Last night, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic commented on the national television RTS that the state is stronger than any protest and that it is unacceptable for police officers to be attacked and injured by citizens.
According to Vucic, a civil war will not break out in Serbia, and the anti-government protest is in its final phase.
"This is the phase of despair and the phase of powerlessness, when you have nothing more to offer the citizens, except beatings, sticks and everything else. "So when this is over, then we are ready to talk to them, to hear all the ideas, to listen to them, to start changing ourselves, to understand their needs, but before that they will have to leave their sticks somewhere else," the Serbian president said, referring to the cases of smashed and set on fire premises of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SPP) in Novi Sad and other cities in recent days.
Following the tragedy in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad last year, when an accident at the train station killed 16 people, a wave of social discontent swept the entire country. Students blocked over 60 faculties in the country and led the already spontaneous protests, accusing the government and the president of corruption and nepotism.
In May, the students demanded the holding of early parliamentary elections, in which they would support a list of publicly recognized authorities who have not previously participated in the political life of the country.