World NewsMass anti-corruption protests put strain on close European ally...

Mass anti-corruption protests put strain on close European ally of Russia

-

- Advertisment -spot_img


Student-led protests pose the gravest threat to Serbian strongman Aleksandar Vucic’s 14 years in power, with over 100,000 taking to the streets of Belgrade and cities across Serbia, calling out systemic corruption throughout the government.

March 15 saw what many believe to be the largest crowds in Serbia’s recent history, with an estimated 300,000 people marching in the center of Belgrade.  

Serbian President Vucic, who remains close to Russia, has remained defiant, ignoring calls to step down and accusing the protest movement of planning violent attacks and stoking a civil war.

HISTORIC RUSSIAN ALLY SNUBS PUTIN IN GROWING SHIFT TO EUROPEAN UNION

Student-led protests pose the gravest threat to Serbian strongman Aleksandar Vucic’s 14 years in power, with over 100,000 taking to the streets of Belgrade and cities across Serbia, calling out systemic corruption throughout the government. (Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo)

“Moscow and Belgrade pledged to combat color revolutions together in 2021. This is dangerous as Russia can provide Serbia with intelligence support,” Ivana Stradner, research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.

“Vucic is hoping that protests in Serbia will stop, but they are growing increasingly,” Stradner added.

Vucic accused the students of orchestrating a Western-backed “colored revolution” and compared the movement to the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine, when the pro-Russian president of Ukraine was ousted from power for seeking closer ties with Vladimir Putin over Europe.

Nongovernmental and civil society organizations accuse the government of using illegal weapons, including long-range acoustic devices (LRAD), a common crowd control device that can cause severe hearing damage, during a commemorative silence for the victims of the Novi Sad railway collapse in November. 

“The Belgrade Center for Security Policy strongly condemns the unlawful and inhumane deployment of prohibited weapons, such as acoustic devices, against peaceful protesters during a public gathering of hundreds of thousands of citizens paying tribute to victims of the collapsed roof in Novi Sad,” the group said in a statement.

Serbia protests

Tens of thousands of college students have been marching since December, demanding justice and accountability after the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of a railway station in the Serbian town of Novi Sad. (Igor Pavicevic/Reuters)

Serbia’s foreign minister, Marko Djuric, denied the allegations in a post on X.

“Serbia categorically denies the baseless accusations that any illegal weapons, including so-called ‘sound cannons,’ were used against demonstrators in Belgrade,” Djuric said.

President Vucic also denied the claims, calling it “a vile lie” in an address to the nation and promised to investigate the matter.

The protests consuming Serbia didn’t just happen overnight and have been sustained for months.

ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA WANTS TO CAUSE ‘EXPLOSION’ IN THE BALKANS

Tens of thousands of college students have been marching since December, demanding justice and accountability after the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of a railway station in the Serbian town of Novi Sad. The canopy at the railway station collapsed Nov. 1 after renovations led by two Chinese companies.

What originally started as spontaneous protests voicing dissatisfaction with the government’s failed response to the railway catastrophe transformed into a movement opposing widespread corruption and the erosion of the rule of law under Vucic.

Serbia protests

What originally started as spontaneous protests voicing dissatisfaction with the government’s failed response to the railway catastrophe transformed into a movement opposing widespread corruption and the erosion of the rule of law under Vucic. (Mitar Mitrovic/Reuters)

“It’s also important to recognize that the cause of the protests runs deeper — many people perceive the state as corrupt and are broadly dissatisfied with Vučić’s government. They are calling for greater press freedom and accountability,” Helena Ivanov, senior fellow at the Henry Jackson Institute, told Fox News Digital.

Ivanov said that the government’s attempts to mitigate the situation, such as arresting individuals involved in corrupt deals from years ago or the resignation of the prime minister in January, have been seen as too little, too late by the protesters and opposition politicians.

SERBIA, CAUGHT BETWEEN EUROPE AND RUSSIA, COULD MOVE ONE STEP CLOSER TO NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH KOSOVO

Many experts and observers of the Balkans were disappointed in the Biden administration’s regional policy, claiming that the administration appeased the Vucic regime and refused to call out his antidemocratic practices. The efforts to sway Vucic and maintain close ties to Belgrade were seen as integral to the Serbia-Kosovo normalization process and their path toward European Union ascension. 

President of Serbia speaking in front of microphones to his nation

Serbian President Vucic, who remains close to Russia, has remained defiant, ignoring calls to step down and accusing the protest movement of planning violent attacks and stoking a civil war. (Milos Miskov/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A former high-ranking diplomat with expert knowledge of the Balkans told Fox News Digital that Vucic wrongly portrays the protesters as inspired and led by the “globalist elite,” hoping to gain the attention and support of President Trump. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

If President Trump wants a quick, cheap win for him and the U.S. in the Balkans, the diplomat said Trump should shift the U.S. regional posture from appeasing Vucic to containing him. Such a posture in Serbia will show that the U.S. is not kidding in the Balkans and wants a peaceful solution to simmering conflicts while utilizing the “peace through strength” doctrine.



Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Messi out for Argentina after MRI reveals injury

Mar 17, 2025, 11:45 AM ETLionel Messi will not be joining Argentina for their World Cup qualifiers against...

Think Tank’s Walker Pro Backpacks Are Made for Photographers

Think Tank’s new Walker Pro backpack series is designed to enable...

Turmeric And Black Pepper: How Effective Is This Combination For Nutrient Absorption

Some food combinations go just beyond taste. They work together in ways that increase their benefits. Think of...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

Weight Loss Success: Woman Loses 30 Kg In 8 Months Without Gym – Reveals Her Vegetarian Diet Plan

Weight loss is often seen as a challenging journey that requires intense workouts, but digital creator Udita Agarwal...

Jesse Colin Young, Singer Who Urged Us to ‘Get Together,’ Dies at 83

Jesse Colin Young, whose sincere tenor vocals for the Youngbloods graced one of the most loving anthems of...

Must read

New country album pays homage to Tom Petty

New country album pays homage to Tom Petty...

At least 10 shot dead as section of Kenyan parliament set on fire

At least ten people were shot dead in...
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_img

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you