President Aleksandar Vucic called for democratic dialogue and public debates with antigovernment protesters, inviting student and blockade representatives to speak on television and online portals. Vucic urged all sides to condemn street violence and proposed discussions about visions, plans and programmes for the future. Months of protests began after a Novi Sad railway station roof collapse killed 16 people, prompting accusations of corruption and demands for early elections. Protesters also accuse the government of violence against rivals and media suppression; the government denies those allegations. Protests were mostly peaceful until recent clashes injured dozens and led to hundreds of detentions.
I invite the representatives of the blockade movement to a conversation and a public debate about visions, to discuss our plans and programmes for the future and all together condemn the violence on our streets, he added. In the video address from his office in Belgrade, Vucic said he was ready to speak with the representatives of students and other antigovernment protesters, including in TV debates.
I propose discussion and debate on all our televisions, on all our [internet] portals with legitimate representatives, that is, those they choose, Vucic said. The months of protests across Serbia were prompted by the deaths of 16 people when a roof on a renovated railway station in Novi Sad collapsed last November. Protesters have blamed corruption for the station disaster and are demanding early elections in the hope of ousting Vucic and his party.
They also accuse the government of using violence against political rivals and suppressing media freedoms. The government denies all the allegations. The protests were mainly peaceful until earlier this month, when dozens of police officers and civilians were injured in clashes, and hundreds were detained. I want us to confront visions to solve that through dialogue and conversation no conflict, no violence. To rebuild the country again, to get it back on track where it was nine months ago, Vucic said.
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