Reuters on the Rally in Kraljevo: „Serbs Continue Protests After President Vučić Announces Departure“

A day after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he would resign and pave the way for early presidential and parliamentary elections, thousands of demonstrators are expected in the Serbian city of Kraljevo, the British agency Reuters reports today.

According to the agency, Vučić, who has been in power as either prime minister or president for 12 years, has faced months of protests led by students, sparked by the collapse of a concrete canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad at the end of 2024, which killed 16 people.

This incident became a symbol of what many see as poor government management and corruption under Vučić, and the ensuing protests were the largest in Serbia since the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, the agency notes, adding that Vučić denies any corruption.

The agency also quotes a female protester who says that this is not about a political struggle but a battle between good and evil.

People ignored the heat and came to Kraljevo, where vendors were selling T-shirts with the words „Students Win,“ Reuters reports, adding that what began as demands for justice for those killed in the canopy collapse later turned into calls for Vučić to step down and for early elections.

Although many protesters feel victorious after Vučić’s announcement, they do not expect him to disappear from the political scene, Reuters notes.

Analysts say he could try to run for prime minister and install an ally in the presidency so that he can continue to hold power, the agency writes.

The agency quotes one protester who says he cannot imagine Vučić resigning and leaving power to someone else.

The agency points out that Serbia is at the eastern gateway to the EU and is a candidate for accession to the bloc, but that Belgrade still has strong ties with Russia and China, which, it adds, is a line Vučić has had to tread carefully.

Before joining the EU, Serbia must improve the rule of law, including conditions for free and fair elections, and eradicate corruption and organized crime, Reuters notes, adding that Serbia must also align its foreign policy with that of the bloc and establish ties with its former province Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.

Brussels and Moscow will be watching to see how things unfold in the coming weeks, Reuters reports.

The agency adds that the EU has condemned the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and has expressed concern about media freedom and the independence of the judiciary.