Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has urged calm following recent isolated clashes in Belgrade and other areas between ruling party activists 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 whether citizens should retaliate when attacked.
Addressing the political climate, Vučić announced that early parliamentary elections are anticipated within two to six months. He added that he would congratulate his opponents on the same evening should they win. Regarding public support, Vučić stated he has not seen any public opinion polls indicating that the student list is close in popularity to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party.
The protests, which included blockades at over 60 faculties across Serbia in 2024 and 2025, were led by students making anti-government demands and advocating for early elections. These demands were prompted by a fatal incident on November 1, 2024, in Novi Sad, where the canopy of a renovated railway station collapsed, resulting in 16 deaths and one serious injury. The protesting students have announced they will not participate in the upcoming vote, opting instead to support a slate of public figures with no prior political involvement.
Topics: #calm #call #let
