Army and police syndicates protesting in Belgrade

Dissatisfied citizens joined the army and police syndicates to protest in front of the Serbian Government headquarters on Saturday. The protesters are dissatisfied with general conditions in Serbian society, the unfair pre-election campaign of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, and they demand more democracy.

The protest started with a minute of silence to pay respect to two pilots of the Serbian Air force who died in an aircraft crash near the town of Ub on Friday.

Novica Antic, president of the Army Syndicate, said at the protest that the army and the police will not “leave their people behind.” Since Monday, citizens of Serbia, mostly youth, have been protesting in Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad, and all major cities. They claim the presidential election in Serbia was conducted under unfair and undemocratic conditions. They also demand the end of austerity measures, arguing that the government keeps taking the money from its citizens and giving it to corporations.

 “We have been accused by our Government of being foreign hirelings while they bring to their rallies the people who led the NATO bombing of Serbia,” said Antic. 

He said that he will be with the people of Serbia and not “with criminals.”

“When I was just a young Officer, I received an order to lock and load and go against my people,” said Antic referring to the protests of 5th October 2000 and the ousting of Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. “That is why I appeal to my colleagues, if you receive a similar order, do what we did - refuse to obey such an order,” said Antic.

President of the Police Syndicate of Serbia, Veljko Mijailovic, said that times have changed and the police will stand with the people.

“The time when politicians in Serbia could turn the police and the army against their own people has past. Today, the people, the army, and the police stand together,” he said.

 Jelena Jankovic