BELGRADE: Serbian activists announced Wednesday that they intend to blockade the Serbian capital Belgrade Friday to protest alleged electoral fraud. Serbia opposition groups have contested the results of the December 17 parliamentary and local elections, in which President Aleksandar Vucic's party said it secured a commanding victory.
The main opposition camp "Serbia Against Violence" alleged that ethnic-Serbian 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.
On Wednesday, hundreds of protesters led by the student-led "Borba" (Fight) movement gathered in front of the Belgrade University Faculty of Philosophy, demanding revisions to the electoral lists.
"We announce a 24-hour-long blockade on Friday", activist Ivan Bijelic said during the rally.
He said the blockade of Belgrade will start at noon, but the roadblocks will be lifted Saturday so the crowd can join another protest -- led by a group of intellectuals, artists and celebrities who urged people to vote before the elections -- scheduled for that later day.
Bijelic told the crowd to call the public administration ministry and ask "one question: 'When will you open the electoral list'?"
Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won roughly 46 per cent of votes in the parliamentary elections, while the leading opposition coalition secured 23.5 per cent, the official results show.
Meanwhile, Marinika Tepic, one of the leaders of the Party of Freedom and Justice and the opposition 'Serbia Against Violence' (SPN) coalition, vowed to press on with a hunger strike to protest against election fraud, in defiance of medical advice following a deterioration in her health after nine days without food.
A leading figure in Serbia's main opposition party, Tepic's party the opposition Serbia Against Violence alliance, which placed second in a general election earlier this month, has accused the ruling populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of widespread vote fraud, which the authorities deny.
Protesters have erected sporadic roadblocks in Belgrade, calling for the results to be annulled and fresh elections held.
The protests culminated on Sunday evening, when protesters tried to storm Belgrade city hall, with police pushing them back with pepper spray.
Demonstrators used flagpoles, rocks and eggs to break the windows of the capital's administrative building and tried to break in.
Meanwhile, a Belgrade court ordered four people detained during the protests to remain in custody for up to 30 days for "violent behaviour at a public gathering".
Another six were confined to house arrest on the same charges while one person was set free, the Belgrade higher court said in a statement on Wednesday.
Seven arrested protesters, who earlier pleaded guilty, were given suspended jail sentences of up to six months, the statement added. They were also each fined up to 20,000 Serbian dinars. - AFP
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