Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić addressed the nation in a long and harsh speech in which he commented on the worsening security situation in the country following a wave of riots and violence in several cities, including Valjevo, Belgrade and Novi Sad.
In a dramatic message, he warned of "unexpected decisions" from the state in the coming days, stressing that Serbia will decisively confront any form of violence and terrorism.
"The events in Valjevo were terrible, a little less so in Belgrade, and just as serious in Novi Sad. We must tell the truth, it was not a protest, it was an organized attack. In the coming days you will see a state reaction unlike any other time. We will no longer allow gangs to rule the streets ," Vučić said.
According to Vučić, all those who participated in the violent actions will be arrested within 10 days. He stressed that authorities are analyzing the footage and identifying the individuals responsible.
"A good portion of the more aggressive ones will be caught and held accountable. We will restore order in any way we can."
This statement was followed by a strong warning of a possible extreme act by the protesters.
"My question to everyone is: Who are they going to burn tonight? And my warning to people is that it's a matter of days before they kill someone. I'm not exaggerating! All other actions have been carried out, the only thing left for them is the killing. And then they will say: the revolted citizens did this peacefully," he declared.
The president did not spare criticism of the judiciary and opposition media in Serbia.
"Prosecutors are acting as if they don't know the law. I'm reading Article 331 of the Criminal Code – this is pure terrorism! We can't pretend nothing is happening," Vučić underlined.
Vučić's appearance before the media came after several Serbian cities have faced severe unrest in recent days, accompanied by arson, attacks on public buildings, and clashes with security forces and supporters of the President's party, SNS.
According to Vučić, the acts of violence have exceeded the dimensions of a protest and he qualifies them as "terrorist acts", which, according to him, are aimed at destabilizing the country. The president accuses "organized elements" and "foreign support" for the deterioration of the situation, while emphasizing that those who avoid dialogue with domestic institutions and cooperate with foreign circles aim to "overthrow Serbia".