LOC22:18
19:18 GMT
SARAJEVO, Feb 7 (KUNA) -- Angry people protesting against mismanagement and
poor economic conditions stormed the Presidency Council building in Sarajevo
Friday and set the entrance alight, in a dramatic development to protests in
other Bosnian cities.
Protesters were also clashing with police in Tuzla and Mostar, and have
stormed government buildings and set them afire. The unrest injured scores of
people from both sides.
Workers in Tuzla began the protests two days ago, and the protests expanded
to 20 cities today.
The protesters were angry at the Bosnian authorities' failure to address
economic and political problems. They called for the change of methods of
management, address wide-spread economic corruption and unemployment.
TV reports said columns of smoke could be seen in the Presidency Council
building, where police hardly succeeded in ejecting the protesters. The
government building of the Sarajevo district was also set on fire.
A local TV in Tuzla said the Prime Minister of Tuzla Sead Causevic resigned
from office in answer to protesters' calls.
The TV showed empty streets of Tuzla, while the situation in the southern
city of Mostar was tense after the government building was burnt.
The radio of Banja Luka said 1,000 people took to the streets in the city
in solidarity with the protesters in Sarajevo and Tuzla.
The Bosnian Presidency Council and Federal Government are holding meetings
under tight security measures to discuss the deteriorating security conditions.
The office of the EU envoy to Bosnia urged the citizens to express their
views in peaceful manners without damaging public properties. The US embassy
issued a statement expressing solidarity with the protesters and urged the
police to refrain from the use of force.
Bosnian Interior Minister Fahrudin Radoncic cut short his visit to the US
and is due to arrive later tonight because of the developments. (end)
aa.bs
KUNA 072218 Feb 14NNNN