Residents of Novi Sad have sharply criticized Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić following his unexpected visit to the city, calling it a “cowardly assault” rather than a genuine engagement with citizens.
Vučić arrived unannounced at the Sajam Zavičaja, spending only a brief time in the city, ordering a sandwich near the fair and visiting a restaurant on the Petrovaradin Fortress, all under heavy security presence. This marked his first visit to Novi Sad since September 5, 2025, when he came to calm party members after large protests.
Experts and local observers have labeled the visit as staged and performative.
“In this soap opera, a frightened mouse tries to act like a fearless wolf. The scenario was predictable, production cheap, extras unconvincing, and even with his experience, Vučić delivered one of his worst performances. It’s time for him to leave the stage,” said Goran Radojev, professor and member of the Academic Plenum.
Journalist Nedim Sejdinović added that Vučić has abandoned any meaningful communication with citizens who do not support him, reducing engagement to what he described as political sadism aimed at consolidating loyalists.
“He cares little about public ridicule on social media, focusing only on impressions among his followers, those who see him as a brave statesman or accept his staged theatrics,” Sejdinović noted.
Eyewitness Milenko Vujić described the President’s rapid departure from Novi Sad as a maneuver to rally the city’s ruling party members rather than interact with the public.
Former provincial leader Bojan Pajtić likened Vučić’s visit to an invasion of the city, accompanied by battalions of police, arguing that a leader who fears the majority of citizens cannot legitimately govern.
Political analyst Duško Radosavljević characterized the visit as manipulative and self-serving, asserting that Vučić exploited vulnerable populations to secure political gain:
“He arrived and left through secretive routes, using people’s misery to fortify regime support. This was a pretorian defense of the regime, built on manipulation and deceit.”
Radosavljević concluded that the President’s claim that citizens ‘love him’ is contradicted by the brevity and controlled nature of his visit, arguing that the trip will leave no lasting positive legacy in Novi Sad and reflects a policy of scorched-earth politics.
