(AP-ANSA) - BELGRADE - Tens of thousands of people rallied
Friday in the Serbian capital of Belgrade to support populist
President Aleksandar Vucic, a response to the weekly
anti-government protests that have gone on for months denouncing
him as an autocrat. Critics say Vucic has overseen a dilution of
democratic freedoms in the Balkan country. Authorities sealed
off central streets in Belgrade as Vucic's supporters arrived in
buses from all over the country, as well as neighboring Bosnia
and Kosovo. Police helicopters hovered above the flag-waving
rally held in front of Serbia's parliament.
Vucic had promised a "carnival atmosphere" at the rally,
which he claimed was Serbia's biggest in decades. Folk and rock
singers performed for the crowd, which state-run media estimated
at around 150,000. In his speech, Vucic refraining from his
usual attacks on opponents, insisting that political disputes
should be solved through elections. He warned that "no one must
think" of coming to power through "violence," although the
opposition protests have been largely peaceful. In live
broadcasts, Serbia's dominant pro-government media lambasted
opposition officials as "fascist and thieves."
Vucic formally advocates joining the European Union, but has
remained pro-Russian since his ultranationalist past, which
included being the information minister during the rule of
former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. Vucic said Serbia
wants to join the EU while cherishing "brotherly" ties with
Russia. He said Serbia will stay out of NATO and won't impose
sanctions on Russia over Ukraine - something that is unlikely to
be accepted by EU if Serbia wants to join one day. "Serbia will
move forward like a rocket," he said to cheers from the
boisterous crowd. Vucic's opponents plan to hold another weekly
protest on Saturday. The anti-government protests started after
masked thugs beat up an opposition politician last November.
DUSAN STOJANOVIC/ (AP-ANSA).
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