Russia says West trying to 'destabilize' Serbia amid elections

On Monday, Moscow accused the West of seeking to "destabilize the stability" in Serbia, where protesters attacked the Belgrade city municipal building the previous day, expressing their opposition to the results of the recent legislative elections.

Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for Russian diplomacy, stated, "It is clear that the collective West is seeking to destabilize the situation in the country," likening the demonstrations in Serbia to those in Kyiv that led to pro-Western forces coming to power in Ukraine in early 2014, as reported by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Protesters opposing the results of the recent legislative elections in Serbia attacked the municipal building in the capital on Sunday, smashing windows with stones before being dispersed by the police.

Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, who announced his party's victory in the legislative elections held on December 17, stated that two policemen were "seriously injured" during the protest, and more than 35 people were arrested.

The voting on December 17 faced widespread criticism after a team of international observers, including representatives from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, condemned a series of "violations," including "vote-buying" and "ballot stuffing."

AFP