Largest Step Yet in Efforts to Topple Regime, Jutarnji List Reports
Serbia’s political turmoil deepens as students, protesting for months, take their boldest step yet against President Aleksandar Vučić’s government. According to Jutarnji list, Vučić’s attempt to demonstrate his power through a three-day rally in Belgrade has been overshadowed by student demands for a transitional government.
From Friday to Sunday, Vučić hosted the “Ne damo Srbiju” (“We Won’t Give Up Serbia”) assembly, heavily promoted by state-aligned media as a historic gathering. Organizers paraded a 200-meter-long flag and bused in supporters from Kosovo, miners, and so-called “honest students” to bolster Vučić’s image as a national leader.
However, during this orchestrated spectacle, a significant development emerged: students issued their first openly political demand after months of general protests calling for justice in the Novi Sad tragedy and anti-corruption measures.
Students Demand Transitional Government
Protesters are now calling for a government of experts to navigate Serbia out of its current crisis. The proposal, backed by universities in Niš, Novi Pazar, Kragujevac, and Novi Sad, as well as professors and opposition groups like ProGlas, outlines strict conditions:
- No political party members may serve in the transitional government.
- Ministers must be proven experts in their fields with public integrity.
- A commitment to stay out of politics for eight years after serving.
- A strict mandate limited to 8–12 months, focused on preparing fair elections.
The University of Belgrade’s student body has yet to officially respond.
According to opposition portal Peščanik, this move aligns closely with opposition proposals, suggesting a growing unified front against Vučić’s rule. However, analysts caution that Vučić’s mass rally could mark the beginning of a new, harsher phase of repression.
Student Activism Reaches Europe
In a striking move, around 80 students are cycling from Serbia to Strasbourg to bring international attention to their cause. On Friday, they reached Munich, where Bishop Grigorije (Đurić) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Germany welcomed and supported them.
Unlike Patriarch Porfirije (Perić), who remains aligned with Vučić and recently urged students to end their boycott, Bishop Grigorije praised the students as “the avant-garde not only of Serbia but of Europe.”
Vučić’s Response: A New Government or Elections?
Despite failing to suppress the student movement, Vučić continues to maintain a parliamentary majority, holding 129 out of 250 seats, bolstered by the Socialist Party and minority representatives. He recently proposed Đuro Macut, an endocrinologist with no political experience, as the next prime minister.
While Vučić can choose between forming a new government or calling fresh elections, the opposition has indicated it would likely boycott any new vote, citing concerns of election rigging.
Earlier this year, former Prime Minister Zoran Živković proposed uniting democratic forces into a shadow government, but no substantial progress has been made.
