Over 130 injured as Bosnian anti-government protests turn violent

[Aramis]

Quote:Anti-government demonstrations in Tuzla, Bosnia resulted in over 130 people – including 104 police officers – reporting injuries as protests over unemployment and political intransigence entered their second day across the country.

Tuzla police fired tear gas at thousands of demonstrators throwing stones, flares, and eggs at a local government building. The discontent in Tuzla, feeling the impact of diminished industry in recent years, highlights widespread frustration with a stalled economy in Bosnia, which has the highest unemployment rate – at least 27.5 percent – of the Balkan states.

Police finally dispersed the crowd after protesters began smashing shop windows and setting bins on fire, according to a Tuzla police spokesperson, Reuters reported. Tuzla’s emergency service said it treated 104 police officers and 30 civilians for injuries.

Solidarity protests in support of the Tuzla demonstrations occurred in the towns of Zenica, Bihac, Mostar, and Bosnia’s capital of Sarajevo, where protesters blocked traffic in the city center. Four police agents were taken to the hospital, according to officials.

The clashes prompted the nation’s prime minister to hold an emergency meeting with regional security ministers and prosecutors.

"We put on one side the workers who were left without basic rights, such as pensions and health benefits...and on the other side all hooligans who used this situation to create chaos," prime minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Nikšić, said following the meeting.

Nikšić added that protesters involved in violent action will feel the force of the law.

"We will not come to the solution by destroying property, damaging vehicles and windows and fighting the police," Nikšić said.

The demonstrators initially consisted of workers laid off when state-owned companies that were sold to private entities ended up folding. Workers were then joined by thousands of unemployed in a country still combating political inertia, corruption, and stalled economic development following the early 1990s war in the Balkans.

Four former state-owned companies employed most of the Tuzla population. The contracts agreed to at the time of government sell-off stipulated that the new private owners were to advance investment in the companies, according to Deutsche Welle.

Instead, the new owners sold the assets and halted payment to workers, leading to bankruptcy filings between 2000 and 2008. Sead Causevic, local leader in Tuzla, directed blame at the court system, saying upset workers turned to the law years ago, yet they were ignored.

Causevic told Bosnian state TV that the “rip-off privatization” had occurred before he took office. He called the factory workers’ demands legitimate, Deutsche Welle reported.

"It was our government that sold state assets for peanuts and left the people without pensions, jobs or health insurance," Hana Obradovic, an unemployed graduate from Sarajevo, told Reuters.

Protests are expected to continue on Friday, leading authorities in Tuzla to order schools to cancel classes. Sarajevo and other cities are also planning Friday demonstrations.

According to Reuters, law enforcement has released 27 Tuzla protesters arrested during Wednesday protests.

source


They started off in the town of Tuzla, but rapidly spread to other cities as well. Which is good.
But considering the character of past protests, and the presence of certain ideological key figures (as always, stepping onto the scene from seemingly nowhere), I am quite sure these uprisings will leave a bad aftertaste. Bosnians are too devided, on both ethnical and political level, for such acts to make much sense in the final moment. Amorphous causes, unpredictable consequences. We'll see...

[Aramis]

Just now... The protestors stromed the municipality building in Tuzla, and set it on fire.

[Mustapaita]

Does that graffiti say "Death to nationalism"?

[Osweo]

Damn those Nacionalisti, privatising industries and selling them off for back-handers to faceless and raceless multinational conglomerates!

Perhaps the graffiti was sprayed there months ago, and is nowt to do with the present trouble, just conforming to the usual braindead vandal 'revolutionary' fashion that makes a mess of towns and property all over Europe.

[Aramis]

Yes, it does say "death to nationalism", but I wouldn't worry too much about such slogans, as the Bosnia's identities are deeply intertwined with ethnic (and civic) nationalist elements.

Some heads up. The riots spread on other cities. Govenrment buildings are burned, police has been beaten up. I was there until some moments ago. Football hooligans are on the rise.
The prime minister, as expected, blamed forgein infiltrators (i.e. american?), but based on what I've seen and the info I've gathered from speaking to the head of the rioters, it couldnt be further away from the truth.

The governemnt of Tuzla Canton has already fallen. The prime minister resigned


Some photos from Sarajevo

[Mustapaita]

I can into Bosniak/Serbiak/Croak

[Aramis]

Hmm, my favorit photo from the riots in Sarajevo so far.

[Aramis]

The grafiti, on the bottom right...




"Narod gladuje, peder se raduje". Translation: When the people hungers, the faggot rejoices.

It does sound better in the original, with the rhyme.

[Dussander]

It seems the police is not very keen on beating their fellow citizens.

[Temnozor]

(2014 Feb 07 19:12)Aramis Wrote:  

> Cyrillic on Bosnian police cars in Sarajevo