Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has urged calm following recent clashes in Belgrade and other areas between activists associated with the ruling party and protesting students, according to local media reports. Speaking during a visit to the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, Vučić stated, “I call on everyone to calm down. Let everyone present their programmes, let them express their positions, let them go to the podiums, but not call for killing, not call for violence.” He also questioned the appropriateness of retaliation, asking, “I also ask my people, if you are attacked, should you also hit back?”
During the address, Vučić announced that early parliamentary elections are anticipated within two to six months.
He added that should his political opponents secure victory, he would offer his congratulations that same evening. Regarding public support, Vučić claimed not to see any opinion polls indicating that the student movement is close in popularity to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The student protests, which involved blockades at over 60 faculties across Serbia during 2024 and 2025, have centered on anti-corruption demands and the call for early elections.
This movement gained traction following a fatal incident in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy at a renovated railway station collapsed, resulting in 16 deaths and one serious injury. The protesting students have stated they will abstain from voting, opting instead to support a slate of public figures with no prior involvement in national politics.
Topics: #calm #call #let
It is concerning to hear about the clashes, and hopefully, the call for calm leads to genuine dialogue rather than further conflict.
What measures will the government take to prevent future confrontations between political groups and students?