Several Serbian opposition parties support protesting students' call to boycott National Assembly

Photo: Tanjug/Vladimir Sporcic

Representatives of several Serbian opposition parties stated today that they support the blocking of roads organized last night in Belgrade and other cities by small groups of students who have for a while been blocking their faculties, and by citizens who support them.

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These parties also support the idea to boycott the Serbian National Assembly.

Democratic Party leader Srdjan Milivojevic said that his party has sent a letter to all opposition parliamentary groups calling on them to leave the Assembly, while the president of the New DSS and one of the leaders of the Serbian coalition NADA, Milos Jovanovic, assessed that the call to boycott the work of the Assembly was justified, and supported what he called "acts of civil disobedience."

The Ecological Uprising stated that deputies from its ranks will not participate in the sessions of the Assembly in the future, while the Green-Left Front stated that their members will participate in blockades.

A session of the Committee on Culture and Information was held today to discuss electing the REM (digital media regulator) Council. The committee's members from opposition parties were absent.

Assembly President Ana Brnabic stated today that the call of the Democratic Party at the demand presented by the protesting students - for the opposition to stop participating in the work of the National Assembly - was pointless.

"It would be a responsible move by the parties of the former regime to keep their (parliamentary) mandates, to listen to their voters, and to fight within institutions, as many of them are doing," said Brnabic.

Last night, the protesting students blocked several intersections and bridges in Belgrade and in other cities, using dumpsters and barriers, stating the reason was the arrest of several students suspected of planning to violently overthrow the constitutional order.

Another reason given is to provide support to those arrested for participating in the rioting that broke out after the protest organized by the students on Saturday evening.

A part of the participants in that gathering attacked police officers in several locations in Belgrade. 29 people were detained as a result, and are now being kept in police custody that can last up to 48 hours before they are brought before a prosecutor.

In addition, the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade ordered eight persons to be arrested on suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of preparing an offense against the constitutional order and security of Serbia.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)