The Belgrade Police Department has denied media reports alleging that officers from the Palilula police station refused to secure the area around Pionirski Park, where a registered public gathering is taking place.
In a statement, the Ministry of Interior (MUP) said that claims circulating in certain media outlets and on social networks are “untrue,” insisting that Palilula police officers “did not refuse to secure the Pionirski Park area” and that they are “professionally carrying out all duties and obligations required under Serbian law.”
The statement adds that officers are acting “regularly and continuously” and fulfilling all responsibilities arising from their authority and official duties.
Contradicting Reports From Independent Media
The denial comes after the portal Nova.rs reported on Saturday — citing a source inside the MUP — that a shift of police officers from the Palilula police station had refused to secure the tent settlement outside the National Assembly, commonly known as “Ćacilend.”
At that time, the Ministry did not respond to Nova.rs when asked to comment on the alleged incident.
Miloš Z. Lazić, the Nova.rs journalist who uncovered the information, told N1 that the refusal was not politically motivated, but occurred because officers are overworked and overstretched, especially when they are required to secure individuals who receive higher daily allowances than the police themselves.
Concerns About Pressure and Retaliation Inside the MUP
Lazić also noted that the Interior Ministry has well-established mechanisms of workplace pressure and retaliation, and warned that the police officers who reportedly refused the assignment may face consequences.
According to him, the officers could be reassigned to other stations to break their unity, or moved to lower-paying positions as a form of punishment.
The incident — and the Ministry’s sharp denial — comes amid growing public scrutiny of the government’s handling of protests, policing, and labor conditions within the MUP, with critics accusing the authorities of lacking transparency and accountability.
