A man has opened fire near the parliament building in Belgrade and set ablaze a tent belonging to supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. The incident occurred on Wednesday, with gunshots ringing out outside of Serbia’s parliament building, leading to a 57-year-old man, Milan Bogdanovic, being wounded. Local reports suggest that the suspect, identified as 70-year-old Vladan Andelkovic, has been detained and is said to have shot and wounded Bogdanovic before igniting a large tent erected by Vucic’s supporters. Kurir, a local news outlet, reported that the suspect threw a handful of ammunition into the flames, further intensifying the scene.
Firefighters have reportedly extinguished the flames while police cordoned off the area, initiating an investigation into the incident. In a televised address, President Aleksandar Vucic condemned the attack as a “terrorist act” against innocent civilians, emphasizing the attempt to spread fear among the public. He mentioned that the suspect had deliberately purchased gasoline for the purpose of setting the fire, reinforcing the claim that the attack was intentional. Vucic also displayed a video of the suspect, who could be heard claiming he had acted with suicidal intent, stating that the occupation of the city center had annoyed him and that he wished to die because he could no longer live.
The president, however, suggested that the suspect had “tried to pretend to be crazy” and knew exactly what he was doing, citing his background in security forces. He expressed hopes for the recovery of Bogdanovic, who remains in surgery with a bullet still lodged in his body. The incident has sparked additional concerns about social unrest and security measures within Serbia, particularly as the country continues to grapple with internal political tensions and public demonstrations, such as the recent student protests in Novi Sad.