BELGRADE: Thou­sands of protesters gathered on Saturday in the biggest of a series of rallies against alleged electoral fraud.

It marked the 13th consecutive demonstration since the Dec 17 parliamentary and local elections in which Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s party said it secured a commanding victory.

Opposition groups contested the results and protesters have erected sporadic roadblocks in Belgrade, with more than 30 arrested after an attempt to storm city hall last week.

“Students, 18 and 20 years old, are being charged for overthrowing the constitutional order, they are in house arrest — is that a sign of fair elections?” asked one of the student leaders, Emilija Milenkovic.

“We only want our voice to be heard at least in the polling stations,” she added, thanking her colleagues who endured the 24-hour street blockade.

The main opposition coalition “Serbia Against Violence” as well as other groups and initiatives alleged many irregularities, including that ethnic-Serb voters from neighbouring Bosnia had been allowed to cast ballots illegally in the capital.

International observers also reported irregularities while several Western nations voiced concern over the electoral process.

Saturday’s protests were a continuation of the first 24-hour blockade of streets in central Belgrade, mainly by students organised within the Borba (“Fight”) movement, who are calling for the results to be annulled and new votes held.

The organisers called for facilitation by the European Union as well as establishing an independent investigation committee for the alleged irregularities, setting fair conditions for elections and organising new polls in six months. University professor Filip Ejdus said that the students “these days are holding a public class of civic responsibility and courage”.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023