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Belgrade police charged Serbian President Boris Tadic for allegedly violating anti-hooligan laws by opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate Serbia's World Cup qualification, they said Friday.
Tadic and a number of other officials uncorked the champagne in a VIP lounge at Red Star Belgrade stadium last Saturday after Serbia's victory over Romania qualified them for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Police filed charges to a magistrate in Belgrade against Tadic, Serbia's Football Association chief Tomislav Karadzic, Sports Minister Snezana Markovic-Samardzic and other officials for "violating the law preventing violence and indecent behaviour at sports matches," the statement said.
The law, aimed at supressing violence at sports events in Serbia, prohibits the sale or consumption of alcohol in stadiums and arenas.
Tadic has already said he would pay a fine if a magistrate found him guilty of the misdemeanour.
In the past weeks, Serbia has seen a surge in extremist violence, notably by ultranationalist extremist groups and football hooligans.
The spate of attacks coincided with plans to hold a gay pride parade on September 20, the first for nearly a decade since the last one in 2001 broke up amid violent clashes with right-wing extremists.
Organisers cancelled the event after authorities said it should be moved from the city centre for security reasons following a series of threats by the extremists.
Just days before the scheduled parade, a French fan of a visiting team died after being was severely beaten by a group of football hooligans on September 17.
