Anti-Government Protesters Clash with Police in Serbia’s Capital

Police in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, have used tear gas to disperse crowds protesting at alleged fraud in last week’s general election.

They intervened after some of the crowd outside the city hall smashed windows and attempted to force their way in.

The protesters say the government bused in thousands of people to swing the vote in Belgrade’s city elections. They want the poll to be re-run.

The vote saw Mr. Vucic’s Serbian progressive party returned to power with a majority in parliament.

In an emergency address to the nation on Sunday evening, Mr. Vucic blamed the unrest on foreign interference.

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President Aleksandar Vucic says the allegations are rubbish and lies.

His populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won about 46% of the vote in the parliamentary elections, while the leading opposition coalition Serbia Against Violence (SPN) received 23.5%, according to official results.

The SNS also claimed victory in municipal elections in the capital, Belgrade, where the party faced its stiffest challenge from SPN. Opposition groups have questioned the validity of the contest, accusing the government of allowing unregistered voters from neighboring Bosnia to vote illegally in the capital.

A team of international observers, including representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), decried a series of irregularities, including vote buying and ballot box stuffing.

Protests have been taking place outside the election commission since the vote, denouncing the alleged fraud.