The European Union said it is closely monitoring the situation in Serbia and called for easing tensions in connection with the upcoming large protest in Belgrade on March 15, BTA reports.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned of "major violence" during the demonstration and threatened arrests, the Serbian edition of Radio Free Europe reported.
"Fundamental values are at the heart of our European project and must be respected. This includes freedom of assembly as a fundamental right," the EU press service said in an official response to the media.
The statement emphasizes that active citizen participation is essential for building a democratic society, promoting transparency and accountability.
In recent days, President Vučić has repeatedly stated that "the opposition organized major violence on March 15" and that all participants will be arrested, Radio Free Europe recalls.
Brussels emphasizes that the EU has consistently called for a reduction in tensions and encourages an inclusive dialogue involving all stakeholders - political actors, institutions and civil society. According to the EU, such dialogue is necessary for Serbia's progress on the path to European integration.
In response to Vučić's claims that "the West is behind the color revolution" in Serbia, the EU said that "disinformation and political rhetoric against the EU and its member states have no place on the path to European integration".
Serbian students are organizing a large protest on March 15 in Belgrade, calling for "the largest gathering ever". Many of them are already walking to the capital from different parts of the country.
The student protests have been going on for four months. They are demanding accountability for the deaths of 15 people when a canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad train station on November 1 last year.
The students are demanding the publication of all documentation on the station's renovation, the indictment of those who attacked protesters, and the suspension of trials of arrested demonstrators.
The Serbian authorities claim to have met the protesters' demands, but an independent expert group formed by the Senate of the University of Belgrade rejects these claims in a report.