Vucic: Our intel agencies know when and where decision to call to violence was made

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday Serbian intelligence agencies knew when and where a decision had been made to issue a call to violence at Saturday's protest on Belgrade's Slavija square.

"As far as the 'you have the green light, go into attack, go into violence' rhetoric is concerned, our intelligence agencies know both when and where the decision was made because a debate on the last sentence lasted for 4-5 days. We have all that, the police will definitely react in line with what they get, it is just a question for the prosecutor how that will be qualified - to me, it seems that is more than clear," Vucic said in a public address.

He noted that all people involved in the direct call to violence would be held responsible.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said 48 police officers and 22 citizens had been injured during clashes in central Belgrade and that 38 of 77 people who had been arrested had been placed in detention.

Quoting a police estimate, Dacic said around 36,000 people had taken part in the unregistered rally on the Slavija square.

"As previously announced, violations of public law and order began after 9 pm, when all groups of protesters were given the green light to act as they see fit," Dacic said.