Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has urged calm following recent clashes in Belgrade and other areas between ruling party activists and protesting students, as reported by local media. Speaking during a visit to the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, Vucic 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?”
Addressing the political climate, Vucic announced that early parliamentary elections are anticipated within the next two to six months.
He added that if his political opponents win, he would offer his congratulations that same evening. Furthermore, Vucic asserted that public opinion polls do not indicate that the student list rivals the popularity of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The student protestors, who have organized blockades at over 60 faculties in Serbia during 2024 and 2025, are leading anti-government demonstrations.
Their demands include anti-corruption measures and early parliamentary elections. These protests were spurred by a fatal incident in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, when the canopy of a recently renovated railway station collapsed, resulting in 16 deaths and one serious injury. The student body has stated they will not participate in the vote, instead pledging support to a slate of public figures with no prior involvement in national politics.
Topics: #calm #call #let
