"Police, special forces, army should deal with hooligans"

"Police, special forces, army should deal with hooligans"

According to Kostres, "if it isn't clear today what kind of a problem paramilitary hooligans and mafia hordes hiding behind supporter groups have become, it never will be."

"This has nothing to do with football, basketball, or any other sport. This is a result of the numerous old processes due to all the shootings, fights, showdowns over drugs and who knows what else. Paramilitary, hooligan and mafia groups are hiding behind various supporters' scarves. Both the state and the clubs must finally show they are stronger," said Kostres.

This reaction came after media reports that a group of about ten Red Star (Crvena Zvezda) supporters came under attack on the E75 highway near Novi Banovci late on Thursday, as they were returning from Belgrade where they watched their club play against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the basketball Euroleague.

The van that the fans were traveling in was torched and burned down completely.

The Belgrade daily Blic said it learned unofficially that this was preceded by a fight between several persons, among whom were allegedly supporters of Red Star and their city rival Partizan.

According to unofficial information, several persons have been arrested, but as of Friday morning, the police were yet to issue any statement.