Interior Ministry bans all gatherings announced for Saturday

Interior Ministry bans all gatherings announced for Saturday

"I am warning all those who are thinking of showing up after all, that the police will not allow nor tolerate any gatherings in front of the Serbian Parliament nor the holding of rallies that have been banned," said Stefanovic.

He explained that five different gatherings were scheduled at different times, by Zavetnici, Dveri, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, the Association of Families of Kidnapped and Killed from 1998 to 2000, and by citizen Nikola Aleksic.

Recalling that several organizations and individuals announced their participation, Stefanovic said there had been "a lot of irresponsible statements which create chaos, calling for intolerance and various divisions," as well as "a lot irresponsible people who have no interest in considering what is the security of Serbia and the interest of its citizens."

"The Ministry of Interior finds the safety of all citizens important and we will not allow chaos in the streets of any city in Serbia, likewise in Belgrade," Stefanovic said.

He added that, "given the complexity of the situation in the region" his ministry "decided in favor of a move that guarantees peace and security in all of Serbia."

Another gathering has been announced in front of the National Assembly building in Belgrade - one dubbed "#sedamhiljada" (#seventhousand), planned for Saturday, on the occasion of the anniversary of the crime in Srebrenica.

Representatives of several NGOs that support the #sedamhiljada campaign assessed at a press conference today that "any ban would be purely a political decision."

However, the Serb Radical Party (SRS) said it would respond to the invitation of these NGOs - "and join the #sedamhiljada campaign marking the 20th anniversary of the crime in Srebrenica."

But, the party added, "we intend to come with Chetnik flags with the inscription, 'with faith in God, freedom or death'."