Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić came close to organizing a violent coup to remain in power after his election defeat before unexpectedly backing down on Sunday, according to politicians and a former senior police official cited by The Times.
The accounts suggest that Vučić was determined to retain power after 12 years in office but retreated when it became clear that the student-backed Students’ List had secured a majority with a margin of approximately 500,000 votes in the general election. He also reportedly received phone calls urging him not to escalate the confrontation.
Spasoje Vulević, the former head of Serbia’s police counterterrorism unit, alleged that the authorities had mobilized security forces and individuals he described as hooligans in central Belgrade to protect the government.
“He sent 4,000 police officers and 3,000 hooligans to the center of Belgrade on Sunday to protect the regime. I am 100 percent certain that he was planning not to accept the result,” Vulević said.
The allegations suggest that the period following the election was marked by concerns over whether the outgoing political establishment would accept the result and allow a transfer of power.
However, the claims about preparations for a coup remain allegations attributed to Vulević and other sources cited by The Times. The available account does not establish independently that a coup plan was formally organized.
