Blockade of RTS buildings continues

BELGRADE - A blockade of RTS buildings in central Belgrade and the Kosutnjak Park continued on Friday - as a result, the national public broadcaster did not air its morning news programme for a second consecutive day.

Students and groups of citizens who have set up a blockade outside the main entrance of the RTS building on Takovska Street in the city centre were joined by bikers.

A section of the street is blocked to traffic, a Tanjug reporter said.

Traffic on Kneza Viseslava Street in the Kosutnjak Park is also halted.

Defying rain throughout the night and early morning, students who are blocking the RTS building in Kosutnjak said they would not be blowing whistles and vuvuzelas on Good Friday.

Earlier, the protesters announced they would be outside the RTS buildings on Easter Day as well and called on citizens to join them.

Due to circumstances arising from the blockades, the RTS was forced to alter its schedule and now broadcasts only the latest news and re-runs of various shows.

The protesters, who have been blocking the RTS buildings since the evening hours of April 14, have announced the blockade would last until "a new competition is opened for members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) or until the RTS is shut down."