Politicians, analysts react to Belgrade violence

Officials and analysts mostly agree today that the police reacted well to hooligan attacks last night. Some analysts and journalists also put the blame squarely on the Radicals' shoulders, as organizers of the pro-Karadzic rally in the capital on Tuesday evening that turned into rioting. Politicians, analysts react to Belgrade violence Minister for Culture Nebojsa Bradic commented the attacks on journalists during the unrest, by saying that reporters should be given the status of official persons. “It is obvious that both the police and media did their jobs well. Unfortunately, they both suffered injuries,” Bradic said. According to this minister, the events of last night made it clear “what to expect when the SRS organize a rally”. The Ministry of Culture is also responsible for the media, and Bradic promised that he would visit journalists who were hurt during last night’s incidents. Earlier, he visited B92 TV cameraman Bosko Brankovic in hospital. Minister for Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Ciplic also praised the police for a job well done. “Belgrade was once again thrashed for the sake of an imaginary ‘patriotic’ Serbia. Fortunately, everything ended peacefully. Last night showed that Serbia was ready to fight those who wished to prevent her from moving forward ,” Ciplic told B92. He also said that the fact a Spanish reporter was injured was not something that could contribute to Serbia’s overall image abroad. Ciplic said that the clashes proved that journalists “need to get a procedural protection”. “We’ll accelerate the procedure for journalists to receive the status of official persons. Thus, an assault on journalists will be treated as an assault on any other official person,” according to him. Meanwhile, the head of the DS-led coalition's parliamentary group Nada Kolundzija told B92 that the organizers of the meeting were responsible for last night’s incidents, "because they must have known that it would be a high risk gathering". “There was incitement with hatred for days. One couldn't expected that pleas from the stage could calm down those who came to the rally already prepared for violence. I expect that political parties who organized it will take full responsibility, and that they will demonstrate their responsible behavior by preventing any further attempts to destabilize the country,” said Kolundzija. Leader of the Vojvodina League Democrats Social (LSV) Nenad Canak told B92 that the protests were "nothing but the continuation of the politics that the SRS had been promoting for years". The LSV said that the SRS, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) were "directly responsible" for last night’s violence in the streets of Belgrade. Belgrade journalist Dragan Bujosevic agrees that it was the Radicals who were responsible for clashes and that the extradition of Radovan Karadzic early this morning came as a consequence of the rally's failure. Vreme weekly journalist Filip Svarm said that the clashes were expected, while with groups of hooligans gathering for days, "obviously wishing to see riots", everything pointed in that direction. Svarm said that the organizers were to blame, and that their claims of the clashes being provoked by hooligans or the provocateurs "could not help them". “The SRS announced a peaceful protest and said that they would prevent any kind of violence,” he continued, and added that the Radicals, in failing to live up to this, came across as "immature". “They have been recruited violent groups since February but they’ve lost control over them. These people came there to fight, to plunder. They are not interested in Karadzic. However, the SRS should have known better, and that’s why they need to be held responsible,” Svarm said. Another Vreme journalist, Milos Vasic, said that the police reaction was "excellent and swift". He said that his sources told him the police relied on the security provided by the organizers, "but then a group of hooligans, who couldn’t wait to start their own private war against the officers, appeared on television". “I am aware that the SRS will say that they were provocateurs sent by Tadic. Yet, I believe that these hooligans will end up in court and I believe that this time the police acted appropriately,” Vasic said. But MUP officers did not receive such high marks from one corner: the Independent Association of Journalist (NUNS), whose president, Nadezda Gace, blamed police as well as organizers for the violence. She said that even though security was tough, police failed to protect journalists reporting from the rally. “It is offensive that we, both as private citizens and journalists, should be clay pigeons,” Gace was quoted as saying. Riot police help an injured colleague last night (FoNet)

Politicians, analysts react to Belgrade violence

Minister for Culture Nebojša Bradić commented the attacks on journalists during the unrest, by saying that reporters should be given the status of official persons.

“It is obvious that both the police and media did their jobs well. Unfortunately, they both suffered injuries,” Bradić said.

According to this minister, the events of last night made it clear “what to expect when the SRS organize a rally”.

The Ministry of Culture is also responsible for the media, and Bradić promised that he would visit journalists who were hurt during last night’s incidents. Earlier, he visited B92 TV cameraman Boško Branković in hospital.

Minister for Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Čiplić also praised the police for a job well done.

“Belgrade was once again thrashed for the sake of an imaginary ‘patriotic’ Serbia. Fortunately, everything ended peacefully. Last night showed that Serbia was ready to fight those who wished to prevent her from moving forward ,” Čiplić told B92.

He also said that the fact a Spanish reporter was injured was not something that could contribute to Serbia’s overall image abroad.

Čiplić said that the clashes proved that journalists “need to get a procedural protection”.

“We’ll accelerate the procedure for journalists to receive the status of official persons. Thus, an assault on journalists will be treated as an assault on any other official person,” according to him.

Meanwhile, the head of the DS-led coalition's parliamentary group Nada Kolundžija told B92 that the organizers of the meeting were responsible for last night’s incidents, "because they must have known that it would be a high risk gathering".

“There was incitement with hatred for days. One couldn't expected that pleas from the stage could calm down those who came to the rally already prepared for violence. I expect that political parties who organized it will take full responsibility, and that they will demonstrate their responsible behavior by preventing any further attempts to destabilize the country,” said Kolundžija.

Leader of the Vojvodina League Democrats Social (LSV) Nenad Čanak told B92 that the protests were "nothing but the continuation of the politics that the SRS had been promoting for years".

The LSV said that the SRS, Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and New Serbia (NS) were "directly responsible" for last night’s violence in the streets of Belgrade.

Belgrade journalist Dragan Bujošević agrees that it was the Radicals who were responsible for clashes and that the extradition of Radovan Karadžić early this morning came as a consequence of the rally's failure.

Vreme weekly journalist Filip Švarm said that the clashes were expected, while with groups of hooligans gathering for days, "obviously wishing to see riots", everything pointed in that direction.

Švarm said that the organizers were to blame, and that their claims of the clashes being provoked by hooligans or the provocateurs "could not help them".

“The SRS announced a peaceful protest and said that they would prevent any kind of violence,” he continued, and added that the Radicals, in failing to live up to this, came across as "immature".

“They have been recruited violent groups since February but they’ve lost control over them. These people came there to fight, to plunder. They are not interested in Karadžić. However, the SRS should have known better, and that’s why they need to be held responsible,” Švarm said.

Another Vreme journalist, Miloš Vasić, said that the police reaction was "excellent and swift".

He said that his sources told him the police relied on the security provided by the organizers, "but then a group of hooligans, who couldn’t wait to start their own private war against the officers, appeared on television".

“I am aware that the SRS will say that they were provocateurs sent by Tadić. Yet, I believe that these hooligans will end up in court and I believe that this time the police acted appropriately,” Vasić said.

But MUP officers did not receive such high marks from one corner: the Independent Association of Journalist (NUNS), whose president, Nadežda Gaće, blamed police as well as organizers for the violence.

She said that even though security was tough, police failed to protect journalists reporting from the rally.

“It is offensive that we, both as private citizens and journalists, should be clay pigeons,” Gaće was quoted as saying.