We note with regret that the statement quotes as a fact an estimate of 140,000 protesters, although the competent domestic institutions have recorded the presence of about 38,000 people. Council of Europe rapporteurs are expected to use verified and credible sources of information, not data taken from opposition media which are frequently not based on facts.

The events that followed the protests were not the result of police violence against peaceful citizens, but of violent groups attempts to force their way through the police cordon in order to deal with students who wanted to continue their education and whose access to colleges had previously been blocked by the same groups.

Serbian police have acted professionally, with restraint and in accordance with the law, with the aim of protecting citizens' safety and maintaining public order -- with considerably greater tolerance than would be expected in similar situations in most European countries. Its reaction was not directed against peaceful demonstrators, but with the minimal use of force against violent individuals who tried to provoke conflict and intimidate political dissidents, it managed to calm the demonstrations.

It is necessary to underline that in Serbia, the right to peaceful assembly is consistently observed, but at the same time the right of every citizen to move, work and live freely without obstruction and blockades – a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia – must be protected. The daily blockades of intersections and highways, carried out by politically motivated groups, directly threaten these basic rights and disrupt the normal functioning of society.

We call on Mrs Tiblom, in the spirit of objectivity and responsibility, to rely on official and credible sources in future. We also invite her to visit Serbia as soon as possible and to speak on the spot with all relevant actors -- institutions, civil society, academia and citizens -- in order to gain a full, impartial and objective insight into the situation. Only such an approach can contribute to genuine dialogue and the preservation of democratic values in our society.