The country's president, populist Aleksandar Vucic, said it was an orchestrated attempt from abroad to overthrow his government. He stated that more than 35 people were arrested and that there would be more arrests.
“This was an attempt at a violent takeover of the institutions of the Republic of Serbia,” Vucic told pro-government channel Pink TV.
The country's populist authorities deny rigging the vote and assert that the votes used to elect parliament and local officials were fair. Vucic said on Sunday that the allegations were blatant “lies” from the political opposition.
Vucic also suggested that the unrest was instigated from abroad. During the protest in front of Belgrade City Hall, he addressed the nation, calling the demonstrators “thugs” who would not succeed in destabilizing the state and saying: “This is not a revolution.”
“They won’t get it,” Vucic said. “We are doing our best with our calm response so as not to hurt the demonstrators” who came to peacefully protest.
Riot police barricaded themselves in Belgrade City Hall and fired tear gas as hundreds of protesters smashed windows of the building.
The demonstrators shouted “open the door” and “thieves” and threw eggs at the building. Some chanted “Vucic is Putin” and compared the Serbian president to the leader of Russia.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The results of the December 17 elections showed the victory of Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party in both the parliamentary elections and in Belgrade. The party's main opponent, the Serbian Alliance Against Violence, said it had been robbed of its victory, particularly in the capital.
The vote has raised political tensions in the restive Balkan country, which seeks close ties with Russia but also European Union membership.
Serbia Against Violence said in a letter sent to EU institutions, officials and member states on Thursday that it would not recognize the election results.
The alliance called on the EU to do the same and open an investigation.
SPRING: Associated Press