Russia accused the West on Monday of wanting to “destabilize” the situation in Serbia, where protesters challenging the results of recent parliamentary elections attacked Belgrade City Hall the day before.
“It is obvious that the collective West is trying to destabilize the situation in the country,” said Russian diplomacy spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency, comparing the demonstrations in Serbia with those at the Maidan in Kiev in early 2014 on the takeover of power by pro-Western forces in Ukraine.
Voting irregularities
Protesters challenging the results of Serbia's recent parliamentary election attacked the capital's town hall on Sunday, smashing windows with stones before being pushed back by police.
Serbian nationalist President Aleksandar Vucic, whose party was declared winner of parliamentary elections on December 17, said two police officers were “seriously injured” in the demonstration while more than 35 people were arrested.
The December 17 vote drew widespread criticism after a team of international observers – including representatives from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – denounced a series of “irregularities”, including “vote buying” and “ballot stuffing”.