Sasa DragojloBelgradeBIRNMay 8, 202316:56Protest demands include resignations of government officials and a ban on violent reality shows and tabloid media that routinely breach journalistic codes.
Hundreds of Serbs gathered after the school shootout in which nine people were killed, seeking resignations of authorities in the education sector. Photo: BIRN
After two mass shootings last week that took 17 lives and injured another 20 people, Serbia’s opposition has called for a protest on Monday May 8, called “Serbia against violence” with several demands, including bans of reality shows and tabloids spreading lies and violence, and sackings of politicians and heads of the media regulatory body, REM.
At the beginning of the rally, the demands will be read out, after which the protesters will head in silence to the building of the government of Serbia, without speeches of politicians and “with the greatest respect and sympathy for the pain we all feel due to these unprecedented tragedies”, the official announcement said.
Last Wednesday, a 13-year-old school pupil shot dead eight other pupils and a security worker in a Belgrade school, injuring six other pupils and a history teacher.
On Thursday night, a 21-year-old killed eight people and wounded 13 people in several villages in the municipality of Mladenovac, near Belgrade.
The opposition demands the “urgent stopping of further promotion of violence in the media and public space”, removal of the Council of the Regulatory body for Electronic Media, REM, a shutdown of print media and tabloids that promote hatred and violence and continuously violate the journalistic code, confiscation of national TV frequencies that promote violence, such as Pink TV and Happy TV, and “immediate cancellation of programs that promote violence, immorality and aggression on television with a national frequency, such as reality shows”.
They also ask for the dismissals of the Minister of Interior, Bratislav Gasic and the director of the State Security Agency, BIA, Aleksandar Vulin.
Education Minister Branko Ruzic already submitted his resignation on Sunday, which, according to opposition parties, is a “proof that the government knows only the pressure of citizens, and that it is necessary to persevere until all demands are met”.
They also demand an urgent session of parliament at which the responsibility of the government and the security situation in the country will be considered, as well as “long-term solutions that must be implemented so that such events never happen again”.
The deadline for meeting all protest demands is set at Friday, May 12.
The protest is being organised by the Democratic Party, the People’s Party, the Green Left Front , Ne davimo Beograd, the Together Party and the Freedom and Justice Party, the Movement of Free Citizens, Syndicate Sloga and Movement for Reversal – United.
They stress that the protest is not partisan and all citizens and organizations are welcome if they want to support the fight against violence. The rally will take place without party symbols and speeches.
Members of the ruling parties and pro-government media have accused the opposition of using the two tragedies for political purposes.
Serbia on Monday also started a voluntary hand-in of illegal weapons. Citizens who own unregistered weapons can until June 8 surrender their weapons at any police station, and will not be held criminally responsible or bear any consequences.
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