Serbia’s Green-Left Front (ZLF) has called on police to identify those responsible for allegedly tampering with the bicycle brakes of its Sombor councillor, Jovana Đurović, who says she was riding with her two-year-old child when she discovered the problem.
ZLF co-president Radomir Lazović visited Sombor on Wednesday to express support for Đurović and urged authorities to investigate the incident. Speaking at a press conference outside the local police headquarters, he said the councillor had faced persistent pressure because she was one of the most outspoken members of the city council.
“What is also indicative is that, in the past ten days, this is the third female ZLF member and councillor to come under attack by regime loyalists,” Lazović said, referring to incidents in Pančevo and Smederevo as well.
He described the alleged targeting of women expressing political opinions and raising problems in their communities as unacceptable, calling on police to respond and identify those responsible.
Councillor Reports Repeated Incidents
Đurović said she had experienced more serious pressure over the past month, although some of the incidents might appear insignificant at first.
She said her bicycle tyre had been punctured twice in the courtyard of her apartment building, which is locked and accessible only to people with keys. She added that she had reported the incidents to police but had initially chosen not to make them public.
Two days ago, she said, she discovered that the bicycle’s brakes had been unscrewed while she was out riding with her two-year-old child.
According to Đurović, this incident also occurred in the locked courtyard, where access is restricted to residents.
She acknowledged that she had no evidence identifying the person responsible but said she suspected a possible connection to the ruling party. She also noted that the building is home to the mayor and his partner, while stressing that she could not make any definitive claims.
Đurović announced that she would file a criminal complaint against an unidentified person, leaving it to the authorities to investigate the incident.
The allegations have not yet established who was responsible, and the police investigation will be needed to determine the circumstances.
