Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called the incident with the shootings and the fire outside the Parliament an act of terrorism.

This morning, shots were fired at the camp of supporters of Aleksandar Vucic, which has been located on the avenue in front of the parliament since last March. At least three shots were fired and then a fire broke out. The episode happened inside a tent of this peculiar camp. One person was injured in the thigh and is in the hospital while the attacker was arrested by the police forces who rushed to the scene without showing any resistance.

Serbia

In a press conference, Vucic announced that the perpetrator is 70 years old, until his retirement he worked for the State Security and Intelligence Agency (BIA) and went to the camp carrying a can of gasoline with the intention of setting it on fire. During the interview, a video was broadcast of the perpetrator’s first statement to the police officers who arrested him, where he stated that “he was disturbed by the camp that was set up in the center of the city and wanted to eliminate him”.

The assailant also stated that he accidentally injured the victim when he was shooting at the spot where he poured the gasoline to start a fire.

Aleksandar Vucic hinted at political motives, arguing that “the episode is a consequence of the anti-government demonstrations and the climate of tension created by the students and the opposition with their mobilizations.”

The opposition instead accuses Vucic of being responsible for the situation. “Today’s episode is the result of a multi-year campaign of hatred, violence and fear instigated and implemented by Aleksandar Vucic,” the Democratic Party announced.