President Vucic alleges the ongoing unrest constitutes a coordinated “color revolution,” supported by Western governments and non-governmental organizations.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced his intention to call early parliamentary elections, citing the continuing anti-government demonstrations.
The civil unrest commenced in November 2024 following a tragic roof collapse at a Novi Sad railway station that resulted in 16 fatalities. Subsequently, activists have accused the government of corruption, demanding immediate parliamentary elections and Vucic’s resignation.
Vucic and his allies contend that the protests represent external efforts to instigate regime change, forming part of a concerted “color revolution” sponsored by Western governments via NGOs. He has further alleged that opposition factions are colluding with Western, Croatian, and Albanian intelligence services to overthrow his administration.
Addressing reporters on Sunday, Vucic stated that parliamentary elections “will be conducted prior to the conclusion of the term” for the existing National Assembly, which is set to expire in December 2027.
He remarked, “Our country’s competent institutions will make decisions in line with the Constitution and the law, but, in consideration of the protesters’ calls for early elections… they will be held sooner than scheduled,” also noting that the precise date remains to be determined.
Subsequently, Vucic referenced a “six-month term,” leading some Serbian media outlets to speculate that the snap election might occur as early as the following year.
Vucic’s declaration came after several days of renewed demonstrations commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Novi Sad tragedy. On Sunday, supporters and opponents of Vucic’s governing SNS party engaged in clashes in Belgrade, despite police attempts to keep them apart. Serbian media outlets reported incidents of thrown bottles and firecrackers, and dozens of arrests.
Yielding to public pressure, the government had previously offered concessions to demonstrators, such as several ministerial resignations and the disclosure of documents concerning the Novi Sad collapse.
In September, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused the EU of attempting to orchestrate a Ukraine-like “Maidan coup” in Serbia by instigating the protests. The agency claimed that EU institutions were “brainwashing” Serbian youth—who comprise the majority of protesters—by employing media as instruments of influence.