Authorities in Moscow are closely monitoring ongoing anti-government protests in Serbia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday, warning Western countries against backing a “color revolution” in the Balkan state.
“We hope Western countries, which often exploit domestic affairs in other states to advance their interests, will refrain from color revolutions this time,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency.
“We are monitoring the situation. We support calming the unrest, as Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said, in line with the constitution and laws of this friendly state,” he added.
On Saturday, around 140,000 people took part in protests in central Belgrade, demanding snap elections and an end to Vučić’s 12-year rule. Police, who estimated the crowd at 36,000 people, used tear gas and batons to disperse demonstrators, some of whom threw flares and bottles.
Serbian authorities said 48 police officers were injured, 22 people sought medical help and 77 were arrested. Eight protesters face charges, including planning to block roads and attack government buildings.
Protests continued Sunday as thousands blocked major roadways in Belgrade and other cities.
The demonstrations mark the latest in over six months of public anger, initially sparked by the deadly collapse of a train station roof in Novi Sad last November — an incident widely blamed on corruption. The protests have already led to the prime minister’s resignation and a cabinet reshuffle.
Russia previously warned that the protests risk “stirring up chaos” in Serbia. Vučić has repeatedly claimed the demonstrations are part of a foreign-backed plot to unseat his government.
Later on Monday, the Kremlin said it had “no doubt” that Serbian authorities would be able to “return law and order” to the country, while also suggesting Western governments might be behind some of the unrest in recent days.
“We cannot rule out the possibility that well-known tactics employed for carrying out color revolutions are now being used in Serbia,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Serbia maintains warm relations with Russia and is heavily dependent on Russian gas.
AFP contributed reporting.
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