The president claims that the unrest is part of a coordinated "color revolution" backed by Western governments and NGOs.
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| Source: Unsplash |
RT reports: In light of the ongoing anti-government protests, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced that he will call for early parliamentary elections.
The unrest began in November 2024 after a roof collapse at a railway station in Novi Sad killed 16 people. Activists have accused the government of corruption and demanded snap parliamentary elections and Vucic’s resignation in the wake of the tragedy.
Vucic and his supporters claim that the protests are externally driven attempts at regime change and part of a coordinated "color revolution" backed by Western governments through NGOs. He has accused opposition forces of collaborating with Western, Croatian, and Albanian intelligence agencies to overthrow his government.
On Sunday, Vucic told reporters that parliamentary elections "will be held before the end of the term" of the current National Assembly, which expires in December 2027.
"The competent institutions in our country will make decisions in accordance with the Constitution and the law. However, with respect to the protesters' demands to hold the elections early, they will be held ahead of schedule," he said, adding that the exact date will be decided later.
In later remarks, Vučić mentioned a "six-month term," which some Serbian media outlets interpreted as a hint that the snap vote could take place as early as next year.
Vucic’s announcement followed days of renewed demonstrations marking the first anniversary of the Novi Sad tragedy. Supporters and opponents of Vučić’s ruling SNS party clashed in Belgrade on Sunday, despite police efforts to separate them. Serbian media reported that bottles and firecrackers were thrown and that dozens were detained.
Earlier, under public pressure, the government offered concessions to protesters, including several ministerial resignations and the release of documents related to the Novi Sad collapse.
In September, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused the EU of attempting to orchestrate a Ukraine-style “Maidan coup” in Serbia by inciting protests. The agency claimed that EU institutions were "brainwashing" Serbian youth, who make up the majority of the protesters, by using the media as tools of influence.