FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Students in Serbia will hold their first major protest of the year tomorrow, demanding the resignation of President Aleksandar Vučić and his government. Thousands of citizens from across Serbia are expected to gather in Belgrade, in a demonstration that organizers see as the start of a new political battle to oust the current government.
The rally will be held at Slavija Square, where one of the largest anti-government protests in the country took place in March last year. The protest was accompanied by tensions and sudden interruptions, while experts and activists claimed that sound weapons were used against the crowd, an accusation denied by Serbian authorities.
The student movement gained momentum after the tragedy at the Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, when 16 people lost their lives after a concrete shelter collapsed. The event sparked a strong public reaction, with many citizens accusing institutions of corruption and negligence in state projects.
After months of protests and a university blockade in 2025, the Serbian government faced a deep political crisis. The then Prime Minister Miloš Vučević resigned along with his cabinet, but students say the resignation is not enough and are demanding early parliamentary elections.
President Vučić has stated that elections could be held between September and November this year, without yet announcing an official date. Protest organizers believe that Saturday's mobilization will show the real strength of the student movement and the civic support for it.
"We hope that many people will come and continue to support the students because we are preparing for the elections. Serbia needs change and the students will bring that change," student representative Isidora Jovanovic told the Associated Press.
Political tensions in Serbia have been rising sharply in recent months. Just days ago, an elderly man was injured after a vehicle crashed into a protester's blockade in central Belgrade. Other incidents of violence have also been reported during protests and local election processes.
Police have intervened several times to separate Vucic supporters from student protesters. Meanwhile, a camp of the president's supporters has been set up near the Serbian presidency, which according to local media serves as a barrier against anti-government demonstrators.
Vučić continues to call the protests “illegal” and “criminal,” accusing protesters of violence and disrupting public life. Pro-government media outlets have used labels such as “terrorists” and “foreign agents” for the president’s critics, further deepening political polarization in the country.
Analysts and university professors in Serbia estimate that the student movement has now become a real political force. Political Science Professor Dusan Vučićević stated that for the first time in many years there is a group that can seriously challenge the Serbian Progressive Party and President Vučić himself.
A new generation of students is joining the protests, considering participation a "moral obligation" and expressing the belief that Serbia is on the verge of political and social change.
Reports of excessive use of force by police and arbitrary detentions of protesters have also drawn reactions from the European Union. European officials have warned that democratic regression in Serbia could cost the country up to 1.5 billion euros in funding for candidate countries.
Tani sebet do thone qe, Sali Vuchich komandon demonstratat kunder Aleksander Berisha.