The Chinese Communist Party has now been exposed for building an advanced nationwide digital surveillance system for the Serbian government that is currently being used to shut down the resistance to the regime. Citizens have been protesting since a November 2024 train station canopy collapse that killed 16 people.
The government led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by President Alexsander Vucic, is being accused of being corrupt to the point of making Serbia a dangerous place to live due to mismanaged public works projects. Now, protestors are being met with pro-government counter-protestors, with the violence reportedly only increasing in these clashes.
Leaked Files Reveal Serbia’s Secret Expansion Of Chinese-Made Surveillance – rferl.org
Source Link
Excerpt:
BELGRADE — The Serbian government is substantially expanding its advanced Chinese-made surveillance system, leaked documents reviewed by RFE/RL show, despite years of protests and backlash from the public over its use.
The documents seen by RFE/RL contain contacts with the Chinese technology giant Huawei.
They show large purchases of software and services necessary to increase the scale of a program called Safe City, a project first sold by Huawei in 2017 through a strategic partnership deal with Serbia’s Interior Ministry.
The program aims to provide facial and license-plate recognition and other surveillance capabilities integrated into a unified, citywide system.
Months of protests in Serbia reached a new intensity Wednesday night as riot police intervened to separate rival demonstrations of anti-government protesters and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. The president once again accused unnamed foreign powers of orchestrating the protests, which first began after the deadly collapse of a subway station sparked accusations of widespread government corruption.
Supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) threw flares and firecrackers at anti-government protesters in Novi Sad on Wednesday evening, prompting police to intervene to end the standoff, a major escalation of nine-month-long protests in Serbia.
The student-led protests in Serbia first started in November after a train station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people and triggering accusations of corruption in state infrastructure projects.
Protests have since drawn hundreds of thousands of people, shaking President Aleksandar Vucic’s firm grip on power. His supporters have recently started organising counter-demonstrations, fuelling fears of possible violence.
Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally – ABC News
Source Link
Excerpt:
Several hundred student protesters have blocked Serbia’s public television station building in Belgrade as tensions are soaring in the Balkan country days ahead of a planned large rally over the weekend billed as an endgame in months of anti-government demonstrations.
The students first blocked the TV building in central Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, late on Monday and several hundred gathered again early on Tuesday, after announcing that their blockade will last for at least 22 hours.
University students in Serbia are behind almost daily rallies that started after a concrete canopy crashed down in November at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15 people. The protests have rocked populist rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his firm grip on power.
Serbia’s prime minister resigns as anti-corruption protests grow – Colorado Springs Gazette
Source Link
Excerpt:
Serbia’s prime minister resigns as anti-corruption protests grow Colorado Springs Gazette
Serbian farmers join striking university students’ 24-hour traffic blockade in Belgrade – The Associated Press
Source Link
Excerpt:
- Serbian farmers join striking university students’ 24-hour traffic blockade in Belgrade The Associated Press
- Serbian students block Belgrade road junction to increase pressure on Vučić The Guardian
- A driver rams an anti-government rally in Serbia’s capital and injures one protester The Washington Post