Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić compared the student movement to the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia and the Afghan Taliban during a pre-election rally of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Aranđelovac.
“In Cambodia, in Southeast Asia, there was the Pol Pot regime, and they engaged children because children were considered the purest. The largest camps and most severe crimes were organized there because they believed they had the right to do anything. Just as some here thought they had the right to prohibit political activity for anyone who thinks differently,” Vučić said.
He also cited the Taliban in Afghanistan, explaining that the word “Taliban” comes from “talib,” meaning student.
“The Taliban are students. They took power from 1994 to 1996 after the Soviets left Afghanistan, saying: ‘We students of the madrasa, followers of Mullah Mohammed Omar, want a different life, sharia law, and different social relations.’ And you saw the results they brought to the country,” Vučić added.
Addressing domestic student activists, he emphasized that elections and the state are not toys, and that the government must ensure that young people finish their education and gain experience before taking on leadership roles.
“They are always welcome. We will always extend a helping hand so they can participate with us. But the state is not a toy, and they are playing with it. They want to bring back the old politicians under a different name,” Vučić warned.
Vučić also highlighted the upcoming local elections on 29 March, stating he will only be satisfied with a convincing victory for his SNS-backed list, “Aleksandar Vučić – Aranđelovac, Our Family.”
He promised infrastructure investments, including:
- Fast traffic route “Vožd Karađorđe” connecting Šumadija, Pomoravlje, and eastern Serbia, with €10–11 million from Belgrade.
- Reconstruction of the historic “Staro zdanje” palace in Aranđelovac.
Other speakers at the rally included Goran Orlić, the head of the SNS list in Aranđelovac, Deputy Mayor Marija Elez, and film director Predrag Gaga Antonijević.
