Thousands of people lined the streets of Belgrade on Wednesday to greet marching students arriving in Serbia’s capital on the eve of their final rally ahead of a tense parliamentary election challenging authoritarian leader Aleksandar Vucic, reports BritPanorama.
The early election on Sunday is deemed a showdown between the populist leader and a youth movement that has orchestrated nearly two years of protests against his governance in the Balkan nation.
Residents of Belgrade lit flares and cheered as students, who had walked from various regions towards the city over the past several days, reached their destination.
Ilija Srdanovic, a physician and candidate on the Students’ List election ticket, expressed to N1 television that, “this is incredible, this energy is unstoppable.”
Vucic, meanwhile, held a rally in the southern city of Nis on Wednesday, addressing thousands of flag-waving supporters. In his speech, he conveyed confidence that his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party will secure victory in the impending ballot.
After resigning the presidency in September to pursue the campaign, Vucic is aiming to return as prime minister. He vowed, “There will be no more politics in schools and at faculties,” and reiterated accusations that both students and their professors were acting on foreign instructions to undermine the country.
The upcoming election is fraught with tension as both Vucic’s SNS and the Students’ List group are reported to be polling closely, creating uncertainty regarding the outcome and raising fears of incidents if either side claims victory post-polls.
Authorities announced the detention of six individuals suspected of planning unrest on election day. Similar preemptive arrests have been made ahead of major protests, which government critics argue are designed to intimidate demonstrators.
Thursday’s student rally in Belgrade is anticipated to attract thousands of participants. It is scheduled to take place at central Slavija square, a location significant for its historical role during previous protests that have challenged Vucic’s authority over the past 12 years.
Exhausted yet joyful, the marching students were welcomed on Wednesday evening with a red carpet ceremony in central Belgrade. Their multi-day marches aimed to engage Serbia’s rural areas, traditionally strongholds of Vucic’s support.
These student demonstrations were sparked by a tragic incident at a train station in northern Serbia, which resulted in 16 fatalities. The youth have demanded accountability for the tragedy, attributing the blame to alleged corruption and negligence during renovation work.
Concerns regarding the safety and fairness of the election have been raised by international monitors and the European Union, especially following reports of widespread irregularities in previous elections.
A report from the Serbian Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability highlighted a “narrowing of freedoms and deepening of inequality” among election participants and voters. It also noted that opposition activists are being monitored, interrogated, and their communications intercepted, while mainstream media coverage heavily favors Vucic. Additionally, over 100 instances of violence were reported during the campaign.
