DEAFENING ATMOSPHERE AT SLAVIJA SQUARE

BELGRADE, OCTOBER 26 /SRNA/ – Large numbers of citizens are arriving at Belgrade’s Slavija Square from all parts of the city, joining celebrations over the Student List’s victory in Serbia’s snap parliamentary elections, an SRNA reporter at the scene reports.

Several hundred young people have climbed onto the large fountain, a landmark of Slavija Square, where they are setting off flares, fireworks and other pyrotechnics. The song “Tri poljupca hoću j /I Want Three Kisses/”, which became a defining feature of the Student List’s final days of campaigning, can be heard. Young people are also chanting insulting slogans directed at Aleksandar Vučić, the lead candidate of the United Serbia list, and his supporters. The atmosphere is celebratory and, so far, peaceful, but also deafening. The Students in Blockade movement stated that tonight is a time for joy, singing and unity, rather than clashes and violence. “Tonight, we are celebrating the most important victory of our lives. We are celebrating victory, we are celebrating freedom! We invite all citizens to join us at Slavija Square and in squares across Serbia in order to celebrate this historic moment together. Everyone will be held accountable for their actions under the law. The time for accountability is coming!” the Students in Blockade movement added. Earlier, a group of people stormed the Informer television building, where they clashed verbally with employees and editor-in-chief Dragan J. Vučićević and damaged several computers in the newsroom. A group of several dozen people subsequently clashed with police outside the Informer building, throwing bottles and pyrotechnic devices at officers. During a live broadcast on Informer, citizens could be seen surrounding Vučićević and demanding that he apologises to the free Serbian people. Vučićević called on the police to intervene during the live programme. The Informer website reported that members of the Serbian Gendarmerie had evacuated all employees from the media outlet’s building. Blic reported that members of local citizens’ assemblies and Dijana Hrka, whose son died in the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad, had entered the Informer building. According to preliminary data from the Republic Electoral Commission, the Student List won 52.72 per cent of the votes in the snap parliamentary elections, while the United Serbia list received 39.16 per cent.