Aleksandar Vučić versus the people of Serbia

For the last few months, Serbia has been shaken by a wave of protests after a tragic accident claimed the lives of 15 people, when the canopy of Novi Sad railway station collapsed on 1 November. The uprising, originally launched by Serbian students, has since gained the support of the broader population. The crisis culminated on 28 January, when Prime Minister Miloš Vučević (SNS, right) announced his resignation. The government of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić (SNS) now faces an unprecedented crisis. Vučić accuses the protesters of acting on behalf of “foreign spy agencies” aiming to remove him from office. Though he has offered minor concessions, he has also threatened to use force, claiming that the patience of his supporters “is running out”.

Though the rebellion is historic, it is struggling to make itself heard in the EU. Whether in the mainstream media or at the level of the European institutions, Serbian anger does not seem to attract sympathy. According to certain critics, the likely reason for this silence is the geopolitical context of the region, coupled with European economic interests in the country.

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