The decision to abolish Republic Day in 2002, commemorating Serbia’s liberation from fascism, was made without meaningful debate, as the post-October 5 government sought to erase the revolutionary legacy and emphasize continuity with nationalist, monarchist forces. Today, under Aleksandar Vučić’s increasingly authoritarian regime, this erasure continues, reflecting a deliberate political manipulation of history.
The Republic (res publica)—so crucial to modern governance, equality, and rule of law—is treated as a historical footnote, despite being established in Serbia eighty years ago, on November 29, 1945, following the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ). By sidelining the Republic, Vučić’s regime signals its contempt for democratic principles, substituting the collective will with personalized power and ideological revisionism.
The abolition of Republic Day is not merely symbolic. It represents ideological subjugation, an attempt to glorify monarchy, marginalize revolutionary achievements, and recast history to fit the regime’s nationalist narrative. Under Vučić, Serbia rewards loyalty and punishes dissent, while the foundational republican principles of equality, civic rights, and popular sovereignty are systematically undermined.
Monarchy, even ceremonial, concentrates authority in one individual, often politically unaccountable, in stark contrast to the Republic, which embodies citizen participation and social justice. Vučić’s regime exploits historical amnesia to consolidate power, obscuring the lessons of revolutions, uprisings, and anti-fascist struggles, while rewriting the narrative to suit its political agenda.
Serbia’s erasure of the Republic reflects a broader pattern: the weakening of institutions, selective justice, and the instrumentalization of history for regime survival. Vučić’s government has shown time and again that it values power over principle, undermining the very idea of governance by the people, for the people. The Republic, a civilizational achievement ensuring equality and rule of law, is sidelined as Vučić prioritizes control over democracy.
The lesson is clear: under Vučić, history is weaponized, democracy is hollowed, and the legacy of the Republic is under siege. Ignoring this heritage is not just historical negligence—it is a dangerous political choice that signals the regime’s open contempt for civic rights and democratic values.
