Serbian security forces acting under emergency powers to find the killers of assassinated Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic arrested over 50 of suspects in a widespread operation today.
Mr Nebojsa Covic, deputy prime minister said that "several dozen people have been arrested so far," in an interview with B92 television.
Mr Covic also said Mr Jovica Stanisic, the secret service chief under former president Slobodan Milosevic, known as Frenki, were among people being questioned by police.
Earlier, the Serbian government said in a statement that 56 people had been arrested on suspicion of being part of a "joint criminal enterprise" behind the killing of Mr Djindjic, who was gunned down by a sniper in a central Belgrade car park on yesterday.
Despite the arrests, however, the main suspects, led by former special police officer Milorad Lukovic, remain at large.
"The main figures have not been detained yet, but the action continues," Mr Covic said in an interview.
Meanwhile people braved drizzling rain to queue for hours to sign a book of condolences at the government building near where Djindjic was killed.
The Serbian parliament also met to pay its respects to the late prime minister, with a big bouquet of flowers placed in the seat where Mr Djindjic would have sat.
And in a sign of support for Serbia's leaders, EU foreign policy chief Mr Javier Solana and EU External Relations Commissioner Mr Chris Patten arrived in Belgrade to meet top officials.
"We feel profoundly and utterly shocked. We wanted to be physically present here in Belgrade to show our solidarity," Mr Solana told reporters after a series of talks with top state officials.
Foreign Minister Mr Goran Svilanovic said after the talks with the EU officials that their visit was a "sign of the European Union's determination not to allow Serbia to take any other path than the one already chosen" - membership of the EU.
AFP