UPDATE - Protests In Belgrade Waning, Coronavirus Can Be Defeated, Serbian President Says
Muhammad Irfan Published July 13, 2020 | 04:40 AM
BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2020) Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic downplayed the Sunday protest against COVID-19 lockdown measures, held in front of the parliament building in Belgrade, saying that less than 500 people participated.
"We don't need pointless gatherings, tonight there aren't even 500 people, which means that there will be less infection, last night there were about 1,000 of them [protesters]," Vucic said on RTV Pink on Sunday night.
The president stressed that if the Serbian people behaved in a disciplined way they would be able to defeat the coronavirus.
Asked about the possibility of Russia's involvement in the demonstrations, Vucic said that he did not have any proof of that. On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that media reports about an alleged Russian trace in the protests against planned coronavirus restrictions in the Serbian capital were a hoax aimed at affecting the Russian-Serbian partnership.
Belgrade's Deputy Mayor Goran Vesic said on Sunday that police had discovered supplies of Molotov cocktails and gas masks during searches of buildings linked to protesters. Containers filled with stone blocks that protesters planned to use to attack the police were also found by Belgrade city employees and law enforcement officers.
A wave of protests started in Belgrade and other cities in Serbia earlier this week after the government once again imposed a lockdown amid an increase in COVID-19 cases.
On Saturday, Serbian police director Vladimir Rebic said that 71 people were detained during protests held the day before, and 130 police officers had suffered injuries since the demonstrations broke out.
The damage from the first two nights of unrest in the Serbian capital over Vucic's decision to reimpose lockdown measures is estimated at one million Euros ($1.1 million), according to Belgrade's deputy mayor Vesic.
In the late hours of Friday, protesters dismantled the fence near the parliament building in Belgrade and threw rocks and paving slabs at law enforcement officers. Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades. At least 20 people were injured.
Serbia has over 18,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and the country's COVID-19 death toll is approaching 400, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
SC orders end of encroachments in Karachi
Nazish Jahangir denies viral screenshots, calls them fake
Govt likely to hike electricity price once again
Bismah Maroof announces immediate retirement from international cricket
Malala expresses unwavering support for Gaza people
Selection committee dissolved over Pakistan women cricket team's poor performanc ..
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz in police uniform at Chung police center
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 25 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 25 April 2024
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
Session Awarding Ceremony 2024 held at Cadet College Muzaffarabad
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
More Stories From World
-
China continues to battle flood in Pearl River basin
6 minutes ago -
Death toll from Tanzania's flash floods rises to 155: PM
16 minutes ago -
Iron ore futures close higher
26 minutes ago -
Two runaway army horses in 'serious condition': UK minister
26 minutes ago -
Myanmar's health ministry issues heat advisory amid soaring temperature
36 minutes ago -
Russian oil production facility in Siberia catches fire
36 minutes ago
-
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closes 0.48 pct higher
36 minutes ago -
Kremlin says Ukraine access to ATACMS will not impact outcome of conflict
46 minutes ago -
Scottish leader scraps coalition deal with Greens
46 minutes ago -
US announces sweeping cuts to power sector carbon emissions
2 hours ago -
US to give Micron $6.1 bn for American chip factories
2 hours ago -
Venice launches five-euro entry fee
2 hours ago