Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) President Miloš Vučević has claimed that the student whose jaw was broken during an attack by SNS activists in Novi Sad last January was not struck with a baseball bat, but instead fell during what he described as “a kind of scuffle” and injured her chin.
Speaking about the incident that led to his resignation as Serbia’s prime minister, Vučević described the injured student as “physically strong, very tall, and big,” claiming that she had also been involved in the physical confrontation.
According to Serbian newspaper Danas, Vučević said he was informed early that morning that a fight had occurred and that a young woman had been injured.
He further claimed that it was later established that protesters had come to attack the SNS party offices that night and that party members had defended the premises, leading to a physical confrontation.
“At the same time, that girl, who is physically strong, very tall and big, also fought physically and during a fall she injured the area around her chin. She was not hit with a baseball bat; she fell during the scuffle, was pushed, fell, and injured her chin. I also don’t think she broke her jaw because we saw her just three days later, on February 1, at a rally in Novi Sad,” Vučević said.
The incident ultimately cost Vučević his position as prime minister.
Following the attack, Vučević resigned, stating at the time that he considered himself objectively responsible for the assault on the students in Novi Sad.
“When I woke up that morning, I saw the news from Novi Sad that there had been a physical confrontation in which a young female student was injured. The conflict allegedly began because people had once again gathered outside the SNS party offices intending to attack them. Others believed they needed to defend the premises, and the verbal confrontation escalated elsewhere,” Vučević said when announcing his resignation.
He wished the injured student a speedy recovery and said he expected those responsible for the attack to be arrested and brought to justice.
However, shortly afterward, Vučević changed his stance. The men accused of assaulting the students were later described as “heroes” by him, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and other SNS officials, before eventually receiving pardons.
