logo
Serbia: Thousands of anti-government protesters block roads

Serbia: Thousands of anti-government protesters block roads

Times of Oman30-06-2025
Belgrade: Thousands of protesters set up street blockades on major roads in Belgrade and other Serbian cities on Sunday night.
The action comes one night after demonstrators held a huge rally in the capital calling for snap elections and for right-wing populist President Aleksandar Vucic to be removed from power.
Anti-corruption activists said the street blockades were a response to the arrest of "a large number of citizens" after Saturday's rally in downtown Belgrade, which drew around 140,000 people.
Demonstrators erected metal fences and placed garbage containers across the city.
The demonstrators on Sunday demanded the release of dozens of students and other protesters who were arrested for clashing with police during the rally the previous night.
Serbian media reported similar blockades at smaller cities in the Balkan nation.
Serbia has been rocked by months of anti-government protests that were sparked by a deadly rail station roof collapse in November 2024 in which 16 people were killed.
The accident has been widely blamed on government corruption and negligence.
Vucic has repeatedly rejected calls for an early election and accused unnamed "foreign powers" of fueling the student-led protest movement.
Earlier on Sunday, Vucic again rejected demands for early elections and accused the movement of causing "terror."
"Serbia has won, and you cannot defeat Serbia by violence as some wanted," Vucic said in a televised address.
Presidential and parliamentary elections are set for 2027.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bangladesh arrests former Chief Justice Khairul Haque
Bangladesh arrests former Chief Justice Khairul Haque

Times of Oman

time6 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Bangladesh arrests former Chief Justice Khairul Haque

Dhaka: Bangladesh police, on Thursday, arrested the country's former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque. A team from the Detective Branch (DB) Police picked him up from his Dhanmondi residence around 8 am on Thursday. DB joint commissioner Nasirul Islam confirmed the arrest of former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque. "Yes, we have arrested him", Islam told ANI, over the phone. "There are three cases against him", he added, without elaborating. Khairul Haque served as the 19th Chief Justice of Bangladesh. On August 18, Supreme Court lawyer Mujahidul Islam Shaheen filed a case against Khairul at Shahbagh Police Station, accusing him of corruption and altering judicial verdicts, BDNews24 reported. This followed another case lodged earlier on August 15 at Fatulla Police Station in Narayanganj. The case was filed by Abdul Bari Bhuiyan, the General Secretary of Fatulla Thana BNP and a former president of the Narayanganj District Bar Association, according to BDNews24. Bhuiyan's complaint relates to the landmark ruling that scrapped the caretaker government system 13 years ago. He accused Khairul of changing the original verdict to annul the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and committing forgery in the process. Khairul served as Chief Justice of Bangladesh from October 1, 2010, to May 17, 2011. On May 10, 2011, an appellate bench headed by him delivered the controversial judgment that declared the 13th Amendment unconstitutional, effectively ending the caretaker system used to oversee national elections, according to BDNews24. Bangladesh's interim government has been arresting individuals at various levels, including politicians, economists, top election officials, bureaucrats, and police, who served during ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's regime. Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising in August last year. After her fall, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate.

"Truly heartening": PM Modi on warm welcome by Indian community in UK
"Truly heartening": PM Modi on warm welcome by Indian community in UK

Times of Oman

time10 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

"Truly heartening": PM Modi on warm welcome by Indian community in UK

London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic reception given by the Indian community during his visit to the United Kingdom, calling their affection and commitment to India's progress "truly heartening." In a post on X, PM Modi said, "Touched by the warm welcome from the Indian community in the UK. Their affection and passion towards India's progress is truly heartening." The warm reception came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed and greeted by the members of the Indian Diaspora in London during his ongoing visit to the United Kingdom. Members of the diaspora expressed joy and admiration after meeting the Prime Minister, calling the moment surreal and emotionally overwhelming. Gehna Gautam, a diaspora member, shared her excitement after seeing the Prime Minister up close. "I just met the PM. He walked past us. It was a surreal moment. I got to shake my hand. He is so dynamic. It was an amazing experience. The enthusiasm and energy of the people around here is on another level," she said. Echoing similar sentiments, Sanjay said, "I am very happy to meet PM Modi. He has come here for a very important job. We wish him and Bharat good luck. He is doing a great job." Bhavya described his brief encounter with the Prime Minister as unforgettable. "The Prime Minister shook my hand and gave me 'Ashirwad'. It was the best feeling ever," he remarked. Shivani, another member of the diaspora, spoke about the emotional impact of the meeting. "We shook hands twice and he also blessed me on my head. It is my pleasure to meet him. We are very blessed to have him over here. We are really very happy today." Shreya Pareek, who had arrived specifically to meet PM Modi, expressed her appreciation for his leadership and recent initiatives. "I came here to meet PM Modi. I am glad that I got that opportunity. I want to congratulate him for Operation Sindoor and all the other things he is doing for India." The Indian diaspora in London warmly welcomed PM Modi, marking a significant moment during his visit to the UK. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday in the first leg of his two-nation visit, with the two countries poised to further strengthen bilateral ties by signing a Free Trade Agreement.

UK: Indian diaspora in London meets PM Modi, calls it 'surreal' and 'emotional'
UK: Indian diaspora in London meets PM Modi, calls it 'surreal' and 'emotional'

Times of Oman

time10 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

UK: Indian diaspora in London meets PM Modi, calls it 'surreal' and 'emotional'

London : Members of the Indian diaspora in London expressed joy and admiration after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his ongoing visit to the United Kingdom, calling the moment surreal and emotionally overwhelming. Gehna Gautam, one of the diaspora members, shared her excitement after seeing the Prime Minister up close. "I just met the PM. He walked past us. It was a surreal moment. I got to shake my hand. He is so dynamic. It was an amazing experience. The enthusiasm and energy of the people around here is on another level." she said. Echoing similar sentiments, Sanjay said, "I am very happy to meet PM Modi. He has come here for a very important job. We wish him and Bharat good luck. He is doing a great job." Bhavya described his brief encounter with the Prime Minister as unforgettable. "The Prime Minister shook my hand and gave me 'Ashirwad'. It was the best feeling ever." he remarked. Shivani, another member of the diaspora, spoke about the emotional impact of the meeting. "We shook hands twice and he also blessed me on my head. It is my pleasure to meet him. We are very blessed to have him over here. We are really very happy today." Shreya Pareek, who had arrived specifically to meet PM Modi, expressed her appreciation for his leadership and recent initiatives. "I came here to meet PM Modi. I am glad that I got that opportunity. I want to congratulate him for Operation Sindoor and all the other things he is doing for India." The Prime Minister's visit has evoked strong emotions among the Indian community in the UK, with many calling it a moment of pride and a personal highlight in their lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, marking the first leg of his two-nation visit. The two countries are poised to further strengthen bilateral ties by signing a Free Trade Agreement. PM Modi landed in London for a two-day visit to the United Kingdom. In his departure statement, PM Modi had said that India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that has witnessed significant progress in recent years. "Our collaboration spans a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health and people-to-people ties," he said. PM Modi will hold discussions with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer. The two leaders will have the opportunity to further enhance economic partnership, aimed at fostering prosperity, growth and jobs creation in both countries. PM Modi will also call on Charles III. This will be Prime Minister Modi's fourth visit to the United Kingdom since assuming office. He had previously visited in 2015 and 2018, and he was also present in 2021 for the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Within the last year itself, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Starmer have met twice, first on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro last year, and more recently, just last month, in June, in Kananaskis in Canada, on the sidelines of the G7 summit. The India-UK partnership was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021 and has since seen regular high-level political exchanges. Both sides remain committed to taking this partnership to even higher levels. The idea behind the trade deal is to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two nations. This should make Indian products competitive in the UK and vice versa. Both nations desire to increase their trade to USD 120 billion by 2030.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store