BELGRADE, 13.12.2019. – Serbian opposition leaders accompanied by several dozen activists blocked the entrance to the Serbian state TV (RTS) building at noon on Friday, saying that no one would be allowed in but that anyone who wants to can leave.
Vuk Jeremic, the current chairman of the Alliance for Serbia (SzS) and leader of the People’s Party, told reporters that the goal of the gathering was not violent, adding that none of the protesters would try to enter the building. He said the aim was to show that the public broadcaster was not doing its job as envisaged by law.
“It will be peaceful and if there are no provocations we will break up at 8 pm,” he said.
Jeremic said the SzS knows that the gathering will not bring anywhere near the same results as “a phone call from the president’s media advisor or the president himself” and accused the RTS management of following orders from top officials of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that there would be no use of force to disperse the opposition activists in front of the RTS building. “Don’t worry. I guarantee that no one will be in danger. That small group of people can’t do anything,” he said.
Asked if he recalls that the current RTS managers were appointed before the SNS came to power, Jeremic said that Hitler inherited a large number of generals in the Wermacht who later perpetrated his crimes.
“We want this to become a public service which does its job and informs the public about everything,” he said. The RTS reorganized its staff, having been informed of the blockade a day earlier.