Brnabic reacts to protest announced for March 15: It sounds like attempt at violent takeover of power

President of the Serbian National Assembly Ana Brnabic said today that the messages appearing on social networks and in certain media not to bring children to the student blockade announced for March 15 in Belgrade are concerning and disturbing, as they indicate a plan to break into institutions by force.

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"I understand that day as an attempt at a coup - a violent takeover of power in the streets. I don't believe it will happen, but these kinds of calls are extremely worrying and I think the competent institutions must react as seriously as possible," Brnabic told TV K1, when asked about the posts saying that children should not be brought to protests, because "Belgrade will not be like Novi Sad and Nis."

She added that in some media, March 15 is being announced as "D-day" and another "historic March in Serbia."

"It's just that I don't know what that means. Will the president be killed or will the prime minister be killed, what does that actually mean," said Brnabic.

Commenting on articles in certain media that after Nis and the publishing of the "student edict," the "closing of the circle" is being announced in Belgrade, as well as that, "the turning point regarding what kind of country the majority of citizens want to live in is yet to come" - Brnabic said that she understands this as planning a coup and a violent takeover of institutions and power in the streets, and added that such calls are concerning, disturbing and dangerous and that competent institutions should react.

Brnabic said that a piece of fake news was published on Sunday stating that someone from the entourage of President Aleksandar Vucic had caused a traffic accident that left a child suffering from cerebral palsy injured, and added that this is deserving of making it into "the history of dishonor."

"Every word in it is made up. There was a traffic accident, but President Vucic's entourage had nothing to do with that traffic accident. What it is, in fact, is an invitation to people to go to the streets," said Brnabic.

Asked what would instill confidence in her if there was no politics among the protesting students, Brnabic said that she would be the first in favor of student plenums clearly calling on teachers and parents of children attending elementary school to let the children go to school, because there should be no politics in elementary education.

"Let the students say, you will support us by returning to classes. I think it is a civilizational norm and something beautiful for our entire society. Those children have to go to school. Children need to go to school, to acquire knowledge, to socialize," said Brnabic.

She added that she would like the students to adhere to the "student edict" and added that she would sign every word of that.

"I think that they, as one of the most responsible segments of society, should start from themselves, that the student plenums should not distance themselves from every single opinion of a student who thinks differently than they do. That's not freedom of opinion, that's bullying, and that's the opposite of what they state in the student edict," said Brnabic.

She added that a student who wants to study has the right to do so and that no plenum can prevent them.

"For me, that would mean the beginning of a very different society and dialogue in our society," said Brnabic.

She also said that the SNS party is not discussing a new PM-designate because the legal deadline of 30 days has not started to run - this will happen after the confirmation of the resignation of the prime minister - and reminded that the PM-designate is nominated by the president of the Republic.

"Knowing him (Vucic), I believe that he thinks about it day and night. It's possible that he is talking about it with the leader of the party, I was not involved in that. But I'm sure he's thinking about it and will share it with the party that has an absolute majority in the Assembly," said Brnabic.

(Telegraf.rs)