Opposition protesters are girding for more demonstrations in Serbia, targeting President Aleksandr Vucic whom they accuse of stifling media freedoms and suppressing the opposition.
The January 11 action is the latest in a series of protests against Vucic.
The demonstrations were triggered last month when thugs beat up opposition politician Borko Stefanovic.
Last week, an estimated 15,000 protesters marched in Belgrade, chanting "Vucic, thief!" and waving banners that read "Stop the Treason, Defend the Constitution and Back the People."
For many protesters, the assault on Stefanovic echoed attacks on political opponents in the 1990s under the rule of late Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic.
An umbrella group of opposition parties called the Alliance for Serbia blamed Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party for the attack on Stefanovic.
Authorities denied involvement.
A former nationalist, Vucic now is guiding Serbia toward membership in the European Union. He has also sought to maintain ties with traditional ally Russia and to develop relations with China.
The European Commission last year raised concerns about media freedoms in Serbia, denouncing threats, intimidation and violence against journalists.
Serbia Girds For More Opposition Protests Against Vucic
![Antigovernment protesters mob Belgrade's streets on January 5, 2019.](https://gdb.rferl.org/6280b842-22e9-4975-881b-91d06b2302ba_w250_r1_s.jpg)
With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service and AFP
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
U.S., Canadian Warplanes Intercept Russian, Chinese Military Aircraft Near Alaska
2Crowdsourcing Russia's Future: Poll Of Experts Considers What Comes After Putin
3Russia Attacks Ukrainian Danube Port For Second Day As NATO Scrambles Warplanes Over Romania
4Turkey Detains Russian Man Suspected Of Car Bombing In Moscow
5Ukrainian Forces Fight Intense Battles In Donetsk Region, Zelenskiy Says
6Live Briefing: Russia Invades Ukraine
7Pentagon Finds Another $2 Billion Of Accounting Errors For Ukraine Aid
8'Don't Even Whisper In Your Language': Russian Course For Central Asians Lays Down Strict Rules
9Under Relentless Russian Attacks, Ukrainian Power Plant Workers Race To Get The Lights Back On
10Bulgarian President Admits Blocking Pro-Western Envoy To Kyiv
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.