Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić once again targeted the so-called “blockers,” blaming them for the decline of the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) and accusing them of not building a single meter of gas or oil pipelines.
The term “blockers” remains ambiguous, with Vučić not clarifying whether he refers to students, citizens, the opposition, or the political parties from 13 years ago, often referred to as the “yellow” parties.
Vučić stated: “These experts, these blockers, left us without pipelines, relying on the old Yugoslav pipeline from Croatia to Pančevo. They didn’t build a single meter of oil or gas pipeline.” He made these remarks while discussing the US sanctions on NIS, portraying all problems as the fault of others, rather than the current government.
The comments sparked a wave of social media reactions, with some mocking Vučić:
- “Wait, doesn’t the blame still fall on the previous government… the ‘yellow’ parties… DOS?”
- “Since when is it students’ or citizens’ job to build pipelines, roads, or sewage systems?”
Political critics responded strongly:
- Srđan Milivojević, former Democratic Party leader, criticized Vučić’s statements, highlighting the destruction left by past regimes, including the bombing of refineries and energy infrastructure in the 1990s, and accused Vučić of profiting from sanctions and mismanaging the country.
- Radomir Lazović, co-chair of the Green-Left Front, condemned Vučić’s foreign policy as a “total collapse” and suggested nationalizing NIS to secure Serbia’s strategic energy sector. He also criticized Vučić for shifting blame to citizens for issues like pipeline construction, calling it reckless and irresponsible.
This is not the first time Vučić has blamed “blockers” for implausible events; months earlier, he claimed they were responsible for handing Slobodan Milošević over to the Hague Tribunal, a statement that went viral online and sparked a satirical trend among students.
