(11 Aug 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade, Serbia – 11 August 2024
1. President Aleksandar Vucic and police officials arrive at news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia:
"The overtaking of an international rail road, newly built train station "Prokop", also station in new Belgrade, halting of traffic on motorway and also at "Gazela" bridge – all that is not a contribution to democracy. In fact, quite contrary, it is mocking of democracy, as an political system. It is violence of minority, terror of minority over majority."
3. Wide of news conference
4. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Ivica Dacic, Minister of Interior of Serbia:
"All together, 14 individuals were apprehended, under suspicion of acts of felony. Three more for misdemeanor and 2 foreign individuals who were present at the protest very close to state institutions. Police are working on identification of other individuals too, and as I said, felony criminal charges will be brought, as well as misdemeanor charges for all those individuals."
5. End of news conference
STORYLINE:
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called last nights protests in Belgrade as "terror of minority over majority", referring to protesters actions in blockades of main train stations in the Serbian capital.
On Saturday tens of thousands of protesters rallied in downtown Belgrade against lithium mining in Serbia.
Afterwards, a smaller group of protesters blocked train tracks and roads in Belgrade but the protests were brought to an end late in the evening.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic sadi the protesters actions were "mocking democracy" while Interior Minister, Ivica Dacic said "all together, 14 individuals were apprehended, under suspicion of acts of felony. Three more for misdemeanor and 2 foreign individuals who were present at the protest very close to state institutions."
Tens of thousands have turned out for environment protection rallies held throughout Serbia over the past several weeks, posing a major challenge to Vučić and his increasingly autocratic rule.
Opponents want the government to formally outlaw any lithium and boron mining in Serbia.
The government has set up a medical team to monitor any potential health hazards and a call center for citizens to voice their concerns, an apparent bid to soften some of the opposition.
Residents of the Jadar valley, however, said that nothing could persuade them to agree to the mine.
They said they were ready to do everything to prevent the mine from opening.
AP video by Radul Radovanovic
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