Serbian Protesters Blockade State Television in Police Standoff

A police officer was injured in a skirmish outside the RTS building in Belgrade on Tuesday, as an elite unit arrived on the scene. Demonstrators remain outside the broadcaster’s offices, blocking entry to RTS staff.

“We knew they would try to use violence, this is more than just an attack on a policeman,” Vucic said during a visit to the injured officer. 

Serbia’s protests began in November after a train station canopy collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15. University students and opposition activists have accused Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party of corruption and mismanagement that led to the tragedy.

Vucic, who has dominated the Balkan country for a decade, has repeatedly rejected the protesters’ demands for a transitional, non-partisan government. A series of high-profile resignations, including that of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic who stepped down in January, have not assuaged protesters’ anger. 

“As long as I live, I won’t accept a transitional government,” Vucic said on Monday at his party convention. “They’d have to kill me first.”

The tensions have also triggered violence inside Serbia’s national parliament, where opposition lawmakers released pepper spray during a vote on Vucevic’s resignation.

State broadcaster RTS has drawn intense criticism from opposition activists for its perceived bias in favor of the authorities. Meanwhile, Vucic has accused RTS of devoting too much attention to the protests, which have been held in all Serbia’s main cities. 

Those demonstrations look set to continue, with a major anti-government rally in Belgrade scheduled for Saturday. Vucic has warned that protesters could attempt to seize parliament and other state institutions.

–With assistance from Piotr Skolimowski.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com