site.btaSerbia's Ministry of Defence: Army Was Not on High Alert during March 15 Protest in Belgrade

The army was not on high alert during the big protest in Belgrade on March 15, Serbia's Ministry of Defence quoted by local media reported on Tuesday.

A press release published on the Ministry of Defence's website reads: "At the request of the Ministry of the Interior and in accordance with the Law on the Serbian Armed Forces, a certain number of military police personnel provided assistance to the Ministry of the Interior in guarding public administration buildings, as well as the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces buildings."

The comments came after earlier on Tuesday, Party of Freedom and Justice Vice-President Marinika Tepic asked whether the military police and the special brigade were armed with live ammunition and were on high alert during the protest on March 15. The Ministry's press release reads: "Regarding the allegations made by certain opposition politicians about the Serbian Armed Forces’ activities conducted in the period before and during the protests held in Belgrade on March 15, 2025, we stress that these are malicious claims that have no basis in reality."

The Ministry alleged that such questions are "fake news and an attempt to cause a public disturbance in order to score minor political points."

After the March 15 protest, more than 3,000 Serbians contacted several NGOs to report that they heard a sound that caused panic, disorientation, and dizziness. Serbian authorities stated that no sound cannon was used against the demonstrators in Belgrade, as such devices are prohibited by law.

Fifty-six protesters were admitted to hospital the following day, and according to the regional television station N1, 30% of them were diagnosed with hearing impairment.

Serbia's outgoing Prime Minister Milos Vucevic separately asked Russian and US special services to investigate and clarify what happened during the protest in his country.