Violence

At the session of the National Assembly, MPs considered the Report on the security situation that arose after the mass murders in the Elementary School "Vladislav Ribnikar" and in the area of Smederevo and Mladenovac, which was submitted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

The Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) in Cyprus has released data revealing a concerning surge in domestic and partner violence incidents in 2022. Throughout the year, SPAVO's services dealt with a total of 3,122 cases, marking a steady escalation compared to 2,854 incidents in 2021, 2,147 in 2020, and 1,384 in 2019.

According to UNESCO, school violence is a major problem. Its report, Behind the numbers: ending school violence and bullying, published in 2019, shows that more than one in three students (36%) has been involved in a physical fight with another student, and almost one in three (32.4%) has been physically attacked at least once in 2018. 

Two days later, a 21-year-old man went on a shooting spree in the Belgrade suburb of Mladenovac, killing eight and wounding 13.

Thousands of Serbs have since taken to the streets to protest what they say is a culture of violence in Serbian society fed by irresponsible politicians and tabloid media.

In other news, the new Hungarian chief of defence staff puts military boot in mouth; more evidence emerges that object found in Polish forest was indeed a Russian cruise missile; and Czechs unveil draft legislation aimed at tightening protection for victims of domestic violence.

The task of the Council for the Prevention of Peer Violence will be, among other things, to ensure the organization of mobile teams for peer violence through protocols between centers for social work and other services, such as educational and health institutions and the police, which will respond urgently when this type of incident occurs.

After two mass shootings last week that took 17 lives and injured another 20 people, Serbia has started imposing tough and in some cases controversial restrictive measures, including arrests for social media posts that appear to to advocate violence, a push for more police in schools and even demands for lists of "anti-social" school pupils.

After the second mass shooting in Serbia in 48 hours, President Aleksandar Vucic compared the situation in the country today to the 9/11 attacks in the United States and to the mass murders in Christchurch, New Zealand. In an emotional address to the nation, he announced that the most important goal now is to protect the children and police units will be stationed in front of all schools.

A gunman apparently firing at random killed eight people and wounded 14 in a series of villages in Serbia, authorities said, shaking a nation still in the throes of grief over a mass shooting a day earlier. Police arrested a suspect Friday after an all-night manhunt.

The boy broke into the history class and started shooting at the students. One child is already on the operating table. He has head injuries and his life is in danger.
The other two children who were admitted to Tirova have gunshot wounds and are in intensive care.