Serbia: violence escalates during local elections
Local elections in ten small Serbian municipalities on Sunday were marred by widespread obstructions and outbreaks of violence. Commentators see this as an indication of just how much President Aleksandar Vučić fears losing power and how strong the protest movement that emerged eighteen months ago still is.
Intimidation and chaos
Večernji list is alarmed that such intimidation tactics were deployed in local elections:
“Attacks on journalists, people having their heads smashed in, guns being brandished, mass brawls, marches by the notorious Red Berets [a disbanded paramilitary unit], armed thugs, intimidation and threats, citizens being beaten, groups of voters being carted off, countless breaches of electoral procedure – in a word: chaos. ... These elections have been the biggest test yet for Aleksandar Vučić's regime since the uprising following the tragic collapse of the roof in Novi Sad. If such chaos is unleashed during local elections, what will the parliamentary elections look like?”
The resistance will triumph in the end
The protests against the government will soon yield tangible results, urges Vreme:
“The citizens who today fought tooth and nail to defend the election results have boosted the morale of all those who have felt somewhat disheartened in recent months. The student movement is now reaping the rewards of its efforts – after a year and a half of demonstrations and the suffering caused by arrests and beatings. And we know that they have only just begun this work and that the results will get even better. After today, 29 March, we are entering a new phase in the regime's decline. Nothing is as it was. Although we must now fear even stronger repression, this is just a phase. Once it is over things can only get better.”