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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has condemned Wednesday's shooting near the National Assembly in Belgrade as a "terrible terrorist attack," after a 70-year-old man opened fire and set fire to a tent outside the Parliament building, Russia Today reported.
Police said the assailant, identified as Vladan Andelkovic, shot and wounded a 57-year-old man, Milan Bogdanovic, before igniting a tent erected by supporters of President Vucic's government. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh but was not critically injured. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze as police cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident. Reports from local media suggested that the suspect threw a handful of ammunition into the fire before being detained by authorities. During a televised address, Vucic condemned the assault, describing it as a "terrorist attack on other persons and property." He said the attacker had deliberately purchased gasoline and set fire to the tent, calling the act an attempt to create fear. "The occupation of the city centre annoys me. I set fire to the tent with gasoline," the suspect said in a video played by Vucic, where he also claimed he had acted with suicidal intent. "I wanted you to kill me because I can no longer live," the man added. The president suggested that the suspect had "tried to pretend to be crazy" but was actually aware of his actions, noting his background in security forces. "This person and his helpers, if any, will be severely punished," Vucic added. The shooting comes amid months of public protests against Vucic's government, some of the largest demonstrations in Serbia in decades. The rallies began after a deadly accident last year that killed 15 people at a newly renovated train station and have since spread across the country, as per The New York Times. Vucic linked the recent violence to growing political tensions and rhetoric from student-led demonstrations. "I saw the anger this caused, those who are against the blockaders want to gather, and I am asking them not to do so," he said. "Revenge did no one any good. Revenge must not exist and I warn everyone not to do it." Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar said the wounded man was being treated for serious injuries but remained in stable condition. The police investigation is ongoing as authorities assess the motive behind the shooting and possible connections to ongoing political unrest. (ANI)
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