Necessary reforms are stalling in the Western Balkans. One reason may be the widespread belief that violence is a legitimate means of resolving conflicts, both in public and private life.
Violence occurs in many countries worldwide. However, in Serbia, it is tolerated and even encouraged by the highest levels of government. Moreover, political elites use violence as a tool to maintain power.
In Serbia and other countries of Southeast Europe, the development of democratic governance—parliamentarism, separation of powers, freedom of speech and media, and the right to demonstrate—is impeded from the outset by violence being accepted as a means of conflict resolution.
Mass Shootings in Serbia and the Region
Repeated mass shootings have occurred in Serbia and other Western Balkan countries. In May 2023, at Ribnikar Elementary School in Belgrade, a 13-year-old student shot and killed nine children and a security guard using two pistols belonging to his father.
A day later, a 21-year-old man shot and killed nine children and injured 13 more near Mladenovac, Serbia. In early January 2025, a 41-year-old man killed twelve people in the Montenegrin city of Cetinje.
Violence in the Private Sphere
Physical attacks by men against women or partners remain particularly alarming within families. According to the Commissioner for Equal Opportunities, Brankica Janković, 430 women have been killed in Serbia over the past 14 years. The notion that women are the property of men remains widespread, and the situation in neighboring countries is similarly concerning.
At the end of 2023, Serbia’s Ministry of Culture published a survey showing that 85% of citizens consider violence against women a private matter that should not be interfered with.
Against this backdrop, a heated debate emerged in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina after a femicide in central Mostar went unnoticed, even though the victim had run through the streets screaming for help before being attacked by her ex-partner.
Such violent incidents would be less likely if fewer weapons circulated in the Western Balkans—many of which originated during the wars that broke up Yugoslavia (1991–1999). Officially, 770,000 firearms are registered, but unofficial estimates put the number as high as two million.
Violence in Public Spaces
Violence is not uncommon in the parliaments of Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Physical attacks by parliament members against opposition representatives also occur frequently in municipal councils in cities such as Sjenica, Kraljevo, Čačak, and Kula in Serbia; in Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja in Montenegro; and in the representative bodies of Prnjavor, Foča, and Sarajevo in Bosnia.
Another dark chapter in public life is violence against the judiciary. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić regularly publicly blames judges and prosecutors for not issuing indictments and decisions according to his wishes. Last March, over 600 judges and prosecutors expressed their grievance in an open letter, accusing the president of “enslaving” and “humiliating” the judiciary, arguing that everything was being done to force it in line with his will, violating democratic principles.
Media as Megaphones for the Rulers
Media in Serbia are a major source of hatred, discrimination, and defamation. Their censorship and centralization make them instruments of propaganda and spokespersons for Vučić. The president exerts direct control over nearly all media—print, TV, and digital.
Controlled media create a virtual world disconnected from reality for citizens. Aggression, hate speech, sensationalism, and fabricated stories are common, all serving to maintain the ruling elite in power and discredit opponents.
Vučić: Generator and Beneficiary of Violence
The primary generator and beneficiary of violence in Serbia is the head of state. As in previous years, he appeared on television nearly 350 times by mid-November 2025—a possible global record.
Uniquely, Vučić never allows discussion partners; he asks his own questions to answer them himself. His key statements often target supposed enemies: Croats, Bosniaks, Albanians, the EU, the U.S., the Council of Europe, the UN, or individuals such as George Soros or the Rockefeller family, against whom he “protects” citizens.
Many Serbian experts, including psychologists Žarko Trebjesanin and Mila Jovanović, criticize Vučić’s language as “street jargon.” He labels opponents as monsters, scum, hyenas, or traitors; lawyers are “filth,” professors are lazy, and opposition members are criminals, fascists, or foreign mercenaries.
This confrontational and vulgar vocabulary now has a toxic effect on the country’s youth. Through his overwhelming media presence, Vučić spreads fear and threats as methods of control.
Thus, a vicious cycle emerges: the spread of violence by high-ranking politicians in the public sphere leads to the acceptance of violence in private life. Physical attacks, open death threats, and support for mob justice have become routine in both public and private domains.
Violence in Protests
This phenomenon is magnified during ongoing protests against Vučić’s government. Numerous cases of excessive violence by police, thugs, and gangs directed by the president have been documented.
Meanwhile, Vučić instructs the judiciary to arrest and punish critics and demonstrators under flimsy pretexts, while pardoning violent offenders acting in his interest—unless they are punished by a “disobedient” judge.
