01/07/2025 Monitoring
The rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Serbia, Victoria Tiblom (Sweden, ECPA), has today made the following statement concerning the massive protest in Belgrade on 28 June 2025:
“I am deeply concerned about the escalating tensions in Serbia. Following the protests on 15 March, another mass protest took place in Belgrade on Saturday 28 June, with around 140,000 people gathering to call for an early parliamentary election.
I regret that the protest ended in clashes between protesters and the police securing a government supporter camp, with the police using batons, shields, tear gas and stun grenades. I note that 77 protesters were arrested, and dozens of people, including police officers, were injured.
In light of the previous statements of 20 February and 20 March 2025, I once again call on all parties to defuse the situation, refrain from violence and engage in constructive dialogue. Any report of disproportionate use of force must be investigated swiftly and effectively, and the law enforcement officers responsible must be held accountable.
I remain ready to travel to the country after the summer and discuss all these issues with the authorities as part of the Assembly’s monitoring procedure.”