Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić declared on Monday that Serbia has recently faced what he described as a “well-organized coup attempt” involving a wide range of state institutions, from schools and universities to power plants and police forces.
During a meeting with student representatives at the Presidential Office in Belgrade, Vučić accused unnamed actors of trying to destabilize the country through orchestrated blockades and unrest.
“When these terrifying details are revealed, you’ll see who was fueling it and who was making deals with whom,” Vučić said, according to the BETA news agency.
Accusations of Foreign Involvement
Vučić implied that the alleged activities were supported by foreign funding and political guidance, though he did not specify the origin of these funds or external influences.
“Such actions require foreign funds, political advice, and strategic lessons,” he stated, raising concerns about external interference in Serbia’s internal affairs.
Student Protests: The Flashpoint
The president’s remarks come amid more than six months of student-led protests and university blockades, sparked by demands for accountability over the deaths of 16 people at the Novi Sad railway station.
The protests have garnered widespread public support, with hundreds of thousands of citizens, including farmers, lawyers, union workers, and artists, backing the movement.
Student leaders have also demanded early elections, citing institutional dysfunction and deep-rooted corruption.
Despite these widespread actions, the government insists that student demands have already been addressed — a claim dismissed by many academics and protest organizers, who continue to block public university campuses.
Government Response and Education Funding
Vučić criticized the prolonged university shutdowns, noting that the government allocates over 54.8 billion dinars (~€500 million) annually to higher education.
“We’ve allowed too much already. People are right to criticize us, but we will prove that the state is still the state,” he said.
In response, the president announced that university entrance exams would proceed, ensuring students are not academically penalized by the ongoing disruptions.
He also hinted at greater support for private universities as a counterbalance to the ongoing public campus unrest.
Divided Nation, Unsettled Institutions
While government officials have rejected the call for early elections, critics argue that the refusal undermines democratic accountability.
Student leaders insist their movement is peaceful and solely aimed at securing their right to access education, while Vučić’s allegations of a coup attempt mark a dramatic escalation in rhetoric and signal deepening political tensions in Serbia.
