Arrr! Thousarrrnds be claimin' Serbia's rule of scallywag populists be guilty o' election treachery at a jolly Belgrade muster.
2023-12-30
Arr, me hearties! The recent election in Serbia be causin' quite a ruckus amongst the landlubbers! They be claimin' that the scurvy dog, President Aleksandar Vucic, be pullin' off a grand fraud! Aye, the seas be rough with controversy indeed!
Thousands of people in Serbia have taken to the streets to protest against alleged fraud in the recent general election. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party was declared the winner, but the main opposition alliance, Serbia Against Violence, claims that the election was stolen, particularly in the vote for the Belgrade city authorities. Daily protests have been held since December 17, demanding that the vote be annulled and rerun. Tensions have escalated, with reports of violent incidents and arrests of opposition supporters. The rally on Saturday saw the appearance of Marinika Tepic, a leading opposition politician who has been on a hunger strike since the election. Tepic's health has been jeopardized, and she was expected to be hospitalized after the rally. Another opposition politician called on the international community to set up a commission to investigate the irregularities and pressure authorities to hold a new election that is free and fair. Following the speeches, participants marched towards Serbia's Constitutional Court, which will ultimately rule on electoral complaints. The protest was organized by an independent civic initiative called ProGlas. The opposition is calling for an international probe of the vote, as multiple irregularities have been reported by global watchdogs. The rally took place in a central area of Belgrade that was historically associated with protests against the autocratic policies of Slobodan Milosevic. Critics accuse President Aleksandar Vucic of reinstating autocracy in Serbia. Vucic, however, maintains that the elections were fair and his party won. He has accused the opposition of inciting violence to overthrow the government with foreign support. The protest on Sunday evening resulted in clashes with riot police, and at least 38 people were detained. Despite seeking membership in the European Union, Serbia maintains close ties with Russia, which has expressed support for Vucic and claimed that the vote was free and fair.