2020–2022 Serbian protests

On 7 July 2020, a series of protests and riots began over the government announcement of the reimplementation of the curfew and the government's allegedly poor handling of the COVID-19 situation, as well as being a partial continuation of the "One of Five Million" movement. The initial demand of the protesters had been to cancel the planned reintroduction of curfew in Serbia during July, which was successfully achieved in less than 48 hours of the protest. The protesters also demanded a more technical response to the COVID-19 crisis and more factual and constructive information about the ongoing medical situation. Among other causes, the protests were driven by the crisis of democratic institutions under Aleksandar Vučić's rule and the growing concern that the President is concentrating all powers in his hands at the expense of the parliament.

2020–2022 Serbian protests
Part of the protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
Protest in Belgrade on 7 July 2020
Date7 – 18 July 2020
(main events)
18 July 2020 – 26 November 2021
(sporadic protests)
27 November 2021 — 15 February 2022
(escalation of protests and roadblocks)
Location
around the Nikola Pašić Square, Belgrade

Shortly after protests spread to following cities:

Protests also spread to Serbian diaspora in following cities:

Caused by
  • Planned re-establishment of a curfew for the weekend in Belgrade
  • Perceived mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic by the government
  • Alleged faking of the true numbers of newly infected and deaths, separated databases for the government and the public
  • Erosion of the state of democracy and democratic institutions, president Vučić's authoritarian grip on power
  • Police brutality
Goals
  • Cancel planned curfew
  • Replacement of members of the Serbian Government's COVID-19 Crisis Team
  • New parliamentary elections
  • Resignation of the Serbian Government and President
  • Release of arrested protesters
  • Withdrawal of expropriation and referendum laws
  • Rejection of Rio Tinto's investment
MethodsProtests, political activism, civil disobedience, sit-ins, roadblock
StatusThe protests are over, some of the protesters' demands have been met;
  • Most of the opposition political parties participating in the protest entered parliament after the 2022 general elections
Concessions
  • Planned reintroduction of curfew canceled
  • 10 arrested protesters released
  • Expropriation law withdrawn
  • Referendum law amended
Parties

Anti-government protesters

Opposition parties
Government parties
  • Serbian Progressive Party-led coalition
  • Socialist Party of Serbia
  • Leviathan Movement
Lead figures

No centralized leadership

Number
Tens of thousands
Unknown
Casualties and losses
76+ protesters and 4 journalists injured
223+ arrests
1 death (non-violent)
118+ policemen and 3 police horses injured
6 police vehicles destroyed
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.