The address of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Wednesday evening was accompanied by such a thunderous noise and shouts of students gathered in front of his office that it was heard in a live broadcast on RTS.
Vučić estimated that "about six hundred of them" had gathered.
"It doesn't matter if there are 6000 of them, I respect them extremely, I value them extremely. You know that I held press conferences here and when there were many, many thousands of them, and when they spoke until Easter, until St. George's Day, until I don't know what, they were going to stay. I thought that these people were apolitical, at least that's what they said, they said that they don't deal with politics, that they are only interested in justice. They don't know what I want to tell them, and I want to tell them wonderful news tonight," Vučić began his speech, clearly deconcentrated and red in the face.
He assessed that "it's not a matter of faculty blockades, but of politics, and that's what he wanted to see."
"I managed to make the leaders of the political parties show their true colors, as well as those who serve them in various movements and non-governmental organizations," said the President of the Republic and assessed that the fact that the citizens booed him so much means that he was right when talked about the "exclusively political nature of the protest".
"Some were smarter and wiser so they stayed at the faculties, but those who are ringleaders from political organizations and their youth organizations, as you can see, never understood what more serious people who have been doing this work for decades can and want to tell them," Vucic said.
Monument to the victims of the tragedy in Novi Sad
He announced that he plans to visit every family whose loved ones died in the accident when the canopy of the Railway Station building in Novi Sad collapsed by January 7, if those families want it.
"I have already visited some. "My idea is, and this is what I will propose to the authorities in Novi Sad, to erect a monument at the place where the tragedy happened, which will clearly indicate the unforgettable," said Vučić.
He stated that the monument would serve "to never forget the people and children who suffered, to never forget their fate, nor the lessons we could learn from it."
"We have fulfilled all the demands, and the demonstrations will continue because the demands are just an excuse", Vučić said, referring to the cries of "get out" and "cowards", and announced the fulfillment of several demands of the students who blocked university faculties in Serbia.
He said that the request for a 20 percent increase in allowances for the material costs of universities and colleges in Serbia will be fulfilled.
"It is around 22-23 million euros. The government will make that decision right away," announced Vučić.
Vučić will hand over the documentation to the students
On the occasion of the demand that the contracts for the reconstruction of the railway station in Novi Sad be made publicly available, Vučić said that he himself requested all documentation from the Ministry of Construction as the President of the Republic and from all places available to him.
Photo: Marko Dragoslavić / FoNetProtest in front of Aleksandar Vučić's office
"I brought it to show it to the public, to give it to students." Let them authorize someone, so that I don't give it to someone on the street," said Vučić and showed a dozen thick folders that supposedly contain "all" the documentation about the fatal accident.
"There are 195 different documents in nine binders, and I will ask Prime Minister Miloš Vučević to put everything on the website tomorrow," announced Vučić.
Vučić also said that the country is facing attempts of a "hybrid war" being waged against it, produced by various "pressure groups", with significant support from outside and the help of the media, which "deceives the public on a daily basis".
"He will personally pardon all those convicted of rampage"
So he then emphasized that he never granted a pardon, but that "he will personally pardon all those convicted of rampage in Novi Sad or Belgrade."
"We expect those who made the demands to say that they have been fulfilled and to return to classes," said Vučić.
Photo: FoNet/Milena VlajićProtest in front of Aleksandar Vučić's office
"Do I really expect that?" Well, of course not, but it will be clear to everyone what it's all about and that there was never a single moment when demands were in question, but pure and dry politics, like this tonight, and I thank them endlessly for that," said Vučić.
Then he asked Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, who was present at his address, to put on the agenda of the National Assembly the demands of the opposition for her dismissal and the dismissal of the Government of Serbia, as well as that the deputies of the Serbian Progressive Party would provide a quorum for that.
Vučić also addressed the Prime Minister Miloš Vučević with the request that the Minister of Agriculture Aleksandar Martinović resolve with the farmers the issues surrounding the placing of their farms in a passive status
