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Politics

Serbia: Protesters surround state TV building

March 10, 2019

Anti-government protests in Serbia have entered a fourth month, as thousands gathered in Belgrade. Demonstrators have called for an end on what they call President Aleksandar Vucic's stranglehold of the media.

https://p.dw.com/p/3EjQg
Serbians stage protests in Belgrade
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Vojinovic

Several thousand protesters surrounded Serbia's state broadcaster RTS headquarters on Saturday, as part of continued anti-government protests. The move was a call from demonstrators for greater media freedom in country.

The protests against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic entered their fourth month with another large rally in the capital, Belgrade.

Demonstrators have been gathering there every Saturday since December 8, routinely drawing more than 10,000 people. But protests have also taken place in some 20 cities and towns across the country.

Read more: Russia's Vladimir Putin welcomed by embattled ally in Serbia

Serbia: Protesting against the president

The crowd booed and jeered outside the TV building in central Belgrade, expressing their discontent with what they consider to be the station's biased reporting. Protesters blockaded the entrance to RTS for roughly one hour.

Protesters have demanded for an end to Vucic's stranglehold on the media. Opponents accuse Vucic's government of fostering hate speech and divisions while curbing democratic freedoms.

Protesters in Belgrade cover the doors of RTS headquarters with flyers
Demonstrators covered the doors of RTS headquarters with flyersImage: picture-alliance/AA/M. Miskov

Vucic, a former nationalist who says he wants to lead Serbia into the European Union, has denied the accusations against him.

The movement against Vucic was sparked by the assault on opposition politician Borko Stefanovic in late November.

Initially dubbed "stop to bloody shirts," the movement has recently adopted the slogan "one of 5 million," a jab at Vucic, who said after early protests he would not bow to a single demand from protesters, "even if there were 5 million of you."

Read more: Ana Brnabic: 'Insolent' DW interview causes stir in Serbia 

jcg/cmk (AP, dpa)

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