The Serbian prime minister blamed foreign powers for the many thousands of protests in the country.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic has resigned. President Aleksandar Vucic has accepted it, Vucevic himself confirmed at an emergency press conference, BGNES reports.
The entire cabinet has resigned, but will perform its functions until a new one is elected. The mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Djuric, will also step down.
Vucevic said Serbia faced many challenges in the region and a complex geopolitical situation. He blamed foreign powers for the many protests in the country.
Vucevic has decided to quit after last night's brutal attack on students who were beaten with clubs by youths from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party /SPP/ in Novi Sad. One of the victims is in a serious condition.
"This morning, when I woke up, I saw that a young student, Ana, had been injured in Novi Sad and because of all this I decided to resign, which was accepted by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic. I expect the perpetrators to be quickly apprehended and for criminal responsibility to be sought. I can never justify attacks on citizens who think differently, attacks on students who want to learn, insults and humiliation towards parents who decide whether their children should go to school. This is a disaster for a society," Vucevic said.
"The politics to which I belong, the party I lead, which wins all elections, must show the utmost responsibility," the outgoing prime minister stressed.
Vucevic pointed out that he was proud of the work done in the field of economy.
"We are a militarily neutral country vis-à-vis NATO and a country that is following the European path. We have enabled an increase in pensions by almost 11% and we have increased salaries in the public sector. The tragic event in Novi Sad has cast a shadow over the work of the government and from that moment on Serbia seems to be stuck in the moment of the incident", he added.
Milos Vucevic claims that the Novi Sad tragedy, in which 15 people died, is being used for political abuse.
"The government took responsibility here too: two ministers resigned and the Novi Sad High Prosecutor's Office ordered the suspects to be detained. An atmosphere was created in society that everything was on the brink of conflict. We have got to the point where parents and teachers are fighting and children who go to school are counted on their fingers," Vucevic said.
BGNES reminds that over the past two months, Serbia has been witnessing protests by many thousands against the authoritarian, corrupt and police regime of President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian government.
The protests began after what happened in Novi Sad, for which citizens blame the authorities. The railway station in the town collapsed several months after a major renovation.
Subsequently, the lack of supervision over the construction became apparent and reasonable suspicions of corruption in public procurement with Chinese companies emerged.
This morning, the 24-hour blockade of Belgrade's Avtokommanda neighbourhood ended.
Protesters cleared the area of the main road junction in the Serbian capital after many had pitched their tents there overnight.
The 24-hour blockade was imposed just days after the general strike in Serbia, which took place on 24 January. | BGNES
