Protest in Belgrade/ Vučić: We did not use a sonic cannon, we are ready for investigations by the FBI and FSB

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that the Serbian Army and the Military Police Unit "Kobrat" do not have a sound cannon, which some claim was used in Saturday's protest in Belgrade. Meanwhile, outgoing Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević said that the executive branch is ready to invite the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) for investigations.

"We are ready to immediately invite the Americans and the Russians," Vučević said at a press conference at the Serbian government. President Vučić warned that within 48 hours the investigation into those who, according to him, have spread lies about this issue will be completed.

"The investigation will be fully completed within 48 hours and then all those responsible for these fabrications and lies will be brought to justice," Vučić said in a video message posted on Instagram.

He claimed that the sonic cannon was not on the road, because, as he said, “you can’t not see it, you can’t not hear it.” Vučević also said that the use of sonic cannons is “a made-up story,” adding that no such weapons were used. Vučić stressed that some people mistakenly thought that members of the “Cobra” unit, who were on top of the Presidency building, were carrying this weapon, but that in fact, according to him, it was an anti-drone rifle.

The Serbian president also claimed that on the day of the protest, no one complained about poor health or its deterioration, but that "the next day they sent their activists." He noted that similar stories were also spread during the protests in Ukraine, which led to the overthrow of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

"You remember the accusations that Yanukovych had brought in snipers who were shooting at the people... That's how it started here too," Vučić said.

The European Commission said it has seen reports of the alleged use of sound cannons or similar weapons against peaceful protesters in Serbia and has called on Serbian authorities to fully investigate these allegations, spokesman Guillaume Mercier said.

"We expect a swift, transparent and credible investigation into these allegations and recall that under European Union human rights law, authorities must protect all protest participants from harm and violence," Mercier said.

He added that the EU is closely monitoring the situation and “the protests in Serbia, where people are demanding the rule of law and strong democratic institutions and accountability.” The EC also confirmed that it expects Vučić to travel to Brussels next week to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Video footage posted on social media shows citizens gathered at Saturday's protest near Slavija Square, who have been protesting for months over the death of 15 people in a concrete shelter collapse at the Novi Sad train station, leaving after making a noise. The incident caused panic among citizens and there is currently no official information on what caused such a reaction from the crowd.

Student protesters, who organized the March 15 protest demanding accountability for the Novi Sad incident, accused authorities of using sound cannons as protesters observed a 15-minute silence for the 15 dead. Serbia's Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry earlier also denied using sound cannons at the March 15 protest.

The High Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade has ordered the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office to open a case and identify the persons who have disseminated information to the public that the emergency center on Saturday received dozens of citizens with concerns that may have been caused by the impact of the so-called sound cannon.

The Belgrade High Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that they reacted after the emergency center of the University Clinical Center of Serbia denied these claims that circulated on social media. The non-governmental organization Belgrade Center for Human Rights announced on March 16 that a large number of citizens had approached them reporting that they had felt the effects of the sound cannon during Saturday's protest.

This NGO also said that citizens felt a strong heat wave, a noise and something resembling the sound of a plane or car moving at high speed, and then "like a wind that moved them and knocked them down, as if a missile had passed by."

The opposition Freedom and Justice Party announced on March 17 that it had filed a criminal complaint with the Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office against responsible officials appointed by the Serbian Parliament, the Serbian President and the Government, as well as their executioners, for, as they claim, the illegal use of a sound weapon against peaceful citizens during Saturday's protest in Belgrade.

The opposition Democratic Party has also filed a criminal complaint with the Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office against unknown persons, suspecting that a "sound cannon" was "activated" during Saturday's student protest, the use of which is not regulated by Serbian law./ REL