Tensions Escalate as Shooting Rocks Belgrade Amid Ongoing Protests

A supporter of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was shot outside the Belgrade parliament during anti-government protests. The incident, labeled as terrorism by Vucic, highlights tensions fueled by ongoing political unrest. Protests began after a train station collapse, with opposition critiquing governmental shortcomings.

In a pivotal incident occurring outside the parliament building in Belgrade, a man shot and injured a supporter of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. This event has intensified year-long anti-government protests, which ignited following the collapse of a Novi Sad train station last November, resulting in 16 fatalities.

The suspect, Vladan Andjelkovic, reportedly entered a tent set up by Vucic supporters with a gasoline can, allegedly due to aggravation caused by the tents interrupting city life. When Milan Bogdanovic, a supporter, peeked into the tent, Andjelkovic shot him, leading to serious injuries requiring urgent medical attention.

President Vucic has called the shooting an act of terrorism, attributing Andjelkovic's actions to political motivations. Opposition parties argue that the tents act as catalysts for confrontation, laying responsibility on institutions for permitting what's seen as an artificial provocation in Belgrade's urban core.

(With inputs from agencies.)