On 17 June, the seventh protest under the slogan “Serbia Against Violence” took place in Belgrade. During the gathering in the Serbian capital, it was announced that the protests would escalate in the coming week if the demands of the protesters were not met.

After the organizers delivered speeches, the protesters began marching along a highway, causing traffic to be blocked until 9:00 PM.

Similar protests have also been held in Novi Sad, Nish, and Kragujevac.

The protests were sparked by two major killings that shook Serbia in early May. Protesters are demanding the dismissal of the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Security and Information Agency, as well as members of the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and the leadership of Serbia’s Public Service.

Protesters are also calling for the closure of tabloids that spread violence and the allocation of national frequencies to television stations that promote violence through their programs.

These protests in Serbia have been ongoing for a month and are being organized by parliamentary groups in opposition, such as the People’s Party, the Democratic Party, and the Leftist Green Coalition. However, opposition parties have stated that the protests are not politically motivated.

Meanwhile, at the request of 61 deputies in the Serbian Parliament, a discussion on the dismissal of the Minister of Interior Bratislav Gašić has begun. Prime Minister Ana Brnabić also attended the session held on 15 June, stating that she “absolutely” would not propose Gašić’s dismissal. According to her, he is carrying out his work responsibly and seriously.

The parliamentary debate on this issue will continue on 21 June. The Serbian government has accused the opposition of “politicizing the tragedy”.