Interior Minister Dacic: I urge everyone to make Vidovdan protest go peacefully, violence will be sanctioned

Photo: Marko Jovanovic

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic called on all those who will participate in the protest in Belgrade on Vidovdan, June 28, to respect public order and peace and warned that any attempt at violence will be prevented and sanctioned.

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He said that during the protest on Saturday, MUP members will be deployed all over the city to ensure stable public order and peace, as well as that the police will prevent disruption of public order and peace, attacks on other gatherings, or attacks on institutions.

"In this regard, we wish to warn everyone not to clash with the police, not to attack state institutions, or other people," Dacic told RTS during the marking of Gendarmerie Day.

The minister added that he hopes everything will pass peacefully.

"The police are ready, as before, to be highly professional in the hope that they will not have to act, but everyone likes to say so, and then on the ground when something happens, then everyone washes their hands off those people who cause violence. Anyone who commits a crime or a misdemeanor will be sanctioned," said Dacic.

Asked what exactly is meant by the state intervening only if it is forced to, which is something also stated by President Aleksandar Vucic, Dacic said that means the police will not react, up to a certain point.

"No one can be 100 percent satisfied, but here the police follows this logic, which President Vucic also said - if they are forced to. What does that mean? If you are the one who causes violence, if you are the one who attacks the police, if you are the one who attacks, breaks, targets and burns institutions, if you are the one who attacks other people, that is the point up to which the police will act in a restrained manner, after that the police must intervene, and that is why I call on everyone to respect public order and peace, and not cause police interventions," said Dacic.

He added that if necessary, the police will certainly have the strength to counter violence.

"Don't let anyone think that this is a reflection of weakness. When we say we will act restrained and react only if we are forced to, that is a reflection of our strength. Sometimes, you have to protect people from themselves," said Dacic.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)