Serbia, Belgrade (AP) – Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic He’s escalating Protest crackdown It has shaken his populist rules over the past few months. What began as a small, student-led campaign against corruption has snowballed into one of the most intense waves of protests in the country. The country of the Balkans A quarter century.
Rights groups and Vic’s political opponents warn More cruel tactics It aimed to silence his decade-long move that has become gripping his biggest challenge to power.
Last week, the tanks involved the capital in preparation for a military parade on September 20th. If the parade becomes a flashpoint for anxiety, protesters fear that the troops will remain on the streets.
Vucic’s nationalist background
Vucic has ruled Serbia for over a decade, restructuring politics while causing accusations of corruption and authoritarianism.
He began his political career as a hard-line nationalist in the Serbian radical party in the 1990s, becoming Minister of Information under the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. He was well known for his independent media and his call to punish wartime rhetoric against Serbian neighbours that he maintains to this day.
Serbia was defeated in a war on the Balkans, and Milosevic was forced into a wave of protest in October 2000, and Vucic reformed his position as a pro-European reformer. He co-founded the Serbian progressive party, which promised modernization and EU integration, but integrated his powers through populism, media control and the rigorous grip of state institutions.
How the latest anxiety started
November 1st, 2024, The canopy collapsed at the train station At least 16 people have been killed in the city north of Nobi. The tragedy linked to the Chinese reform project sparked outrage over the state-run allegations of corruption and negligence.
College students first protested, blocking traffic every Friday for 15 minutes to commemorate the deaths.
But the rage of corruption quickly resonated across campus, attracting a crowd of civilians who were unhappy with rising costs of living and immunity between the elites of the party of rulers.
Protesters are now calling for accountability, transparency and early elections.
Why the protest has become violent
At first, the demonstration was a peaceful march and sit-ins. But tensions rose when authorities deployed a shady staged unit led by riot police, Plaincross officers and even a football hooligan loyal to Wükic, dispersing the gatherings with batons, sticks and flares.
Protesters reported Assault, arbitrary arrest, tear gas, stun grenades, use of sonic devices – A tactic that rights groups accused them of being brutal and excessive.
Strict response from authorities It promoted rebellion. Students expanded their actions by blocking major intersections, occupying university halls and taking sit-ins outside of state institutions. Each new crackdown has drawn more people into the streets, creating a cycle of conflict.
And while previous waves of protests have expanded over disputed property development, stolen election allegations and two massive shootings allegations, this time the protest has been built up over time. Importantly, they spread beyond Belgrade to dozens of cities and small towns across the country.
Vucic response
Vucic is repeated Branded student protesters as “terrorists” Someone who works in cooperation with Western countries to remove him from the workplace without presenting evidence. He asked for dialogue with students, but he refused to call early elections and warned him of even more severe reactions to the protest.
The students completely rejected the offer of meetings before the early election. In response to student demand, authorities have dismissed more than 100 teachers, professors and deans, replacing them with Vucic’s loyalty.
Some schools have reopened with new staff, while others remain closed. Parts of the university’s faculties in particular have been closed.
Strategic location between the East and West
Under intense domestic pressure, Vucic continued its projection Serbian diplomacy In a balanced way, it manages the complex relationships between the European Union and his authoritarian allies, particularly Russia.
He said he attended the summit on September 1 with leaders from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, where he received support to deal with the protests at home. He also refused to participate in international sanctions against Russia due to invasion of Ukraine.
However, he also made no move to block the export of arms to Ukraine, and earlier this year he made it His first visit to Kievshowing an enthusiasm to interact with countries lined with the West.
Serbia has been a candidate for EU membership since 2012, but negotiations are underway Progress is slow.
European mute reaction
Vucic’s tenure is characterized by centralisation of power, suppression of objections, and strict control of the media, depicting scrutiny from human rights groups.
He openly insists on closing the last remaining independent television outlets, N1 and NOVA, or purges reporters and management. He called them liars because of the coverage of the protests, but they are mostly broadcast live and with minimal intervention from editors and commentators.
Analysts and opposition groups argue that Europe must increase pressure on Serbia to prevent further democratic erosion.
EU officials warn VUCIC that progress towards EU membership depends on relying on meeting certain standards, such as judicial reform, media freedom, and fighting corruption.
As Europe deals with the effects of Russian war in Ukraine, the EU has so far shown little willingness to stand up to Vic and his government.
Serbian opposition and some EU lawmakers believe the EU’s response is too ti-disease. Because authorities believe that the EU’s response is ti disease, as they consider themselves the only person who can maintain peace in an area where more than 100,000 people have died from a series of wars in the 1990s and leaving millions of homeless people behind.
High Stakes
Anti-transplant gatherings are more than fighting corruption. They are now a direct challenge to Vucic’s forced rules, demanding protesters free elections, independent judiciary and accountability for police violence.
With neither side showing any signs of a retreat, Serbia faces deepening its political crisis and risking further anxiety and bloodshed.
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Jovana GEC of Belgrade contributed to this report.
