BELGRADE – Three additional opposition leaders associated with the pro-Europe Serbia Against Violence coalition have ended their hunger strikes that were launched to demand annulment of general elections that took place in the country earlier this month.
Officials on December 31 confirmed that Marinika Tepic, Jelena Milosevic, and Branko Miljus had ended their hunger strikes after about 12 days, joining Janko Veselinovic and Danijela Grujic, both members of parliament, who on December 28 announced they were ending their hunger strikes on the advice of doctors.
In addition to the hunger strikes, pro-Europe opposition supporters and student groups have held daily protests in Belgrade since the day after the December 17 election. They are demanding annulment of the parliamentary and local elections across Serbia, claiming fraud after President Aleksandar Vucic's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) was declared victorious in the elections.
Opposition figures said there would be a pause in daily protests – held for 13 straight days – with some saying that further major demonstrations would be organized at specific future dates.
On December 30, several thousand protesters filled Terazije Square in the old Stari Grad neighborhood of the Serbian capital.
SEE ALSO: As Postelection Protests Rock Serbia, Hunger Striker Becomes The Face Of The OppositionTepic, a leading figure in Serbia Against Violence, began her hunger strike on December 18. She was placed on intravenous drips on December 25 following a deterioration in her health. She vowed to continue the hunger strike but later indicated that the health concerns were forcing her to call if off.
On December 30, Tepic briefly addressed the crowd at a protest against alleged election theft in downtown Belgrade, after which she went to the hospital.
Opposition leader Dragan Djilas, who is head of the Freedom and Justice Party, on December 31 confirmed the hunger strike had ended and told the FoNet agency on December 31 that Tepic was feeling fine and had started consuming minimal amounts of food.
Local media reports said Milosevic ended the hunger strike after doctors at the Clinical Center in Nis concluded that the continuation of the strike could lead to organ damage.
Miljus confirmed to RFE/RL that he had suspended his hunger strike. He is out of the hospital and undergoing home treatment.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other international observers denounced what they called a series of "irregularities" in the December 17 voting. Domestic nongovernmental election-monitoring groups also alleged that irregularities took place in the voting process.
Viola von Cramon, a member of the observation mission of the European Parliament to the parliamentary and local elections, condemned the alleged irregularities and said the European Parliament expects “higher democratic standards from an EU candidate country.”
Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in Belgrade on December 30.
Vucic and SNS politicians have denied allegations of fraud and vote-buying, saying the elections were held in a democratic atmosphere.
Serbia's national election commission on December 29 rejected the call by Serbia Against Violence to nullify the voting.
Many Western observers have raised concerns over deteriorating political rights and civil liberties in Serbia and increased government pressure on independent media outlets.
Vucic has attempted to maintain good relations with Moscow, even as Serbia seeks closer ties with the European Union. Serbia has not joined the bloc and other Western powers in imposing sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow accused the West, without providing evidence, of orchestrating the Belgrade protests following the elections.