site.btaAuthorities, Students and Citizens in Active Preparation ahead of Vidovdan Protest in Belgrade

Public tensions are growing before the student protest in Belgrade scheduled for Vidovdan, a national and religious holiday on June 28 commemorating significant historical events for the Serbs and a symbolic day of reckoning.

The students issued an ultimatum, calling on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to sign a decree for early parliamentary elections by 9 p.m. local time on the same day, when the protest is expected to conclude. They have warned of civil disobedience should the demand be ignored.

President Vucic has declined to do so, reiterating that elections might take place only after the EXPO 2027 exhibition, which he described as a strategic project for Serbia’s economy and international standing.

Since the previous week, the President, Prime Minister, Interior Minister, and Belgrade’s police chief have all warned that law enforcement will respond with arrests in case of violence or unrest during the protest.

The student protest movement formed in Serbia after a recently renovated railway station canopy in Novi Sad collapsed on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The movement has since become one of the most significant challenges of President Vucic’s political tenure. What began as local demonstrations soon expanded nationwide, developing into large-scale protests. The public pressure triggered a political crisis, culminating in the resignation of then Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, after supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party assaulted protesting students in Novi Sad.

A new prime minister was appointed with the mandate of the ruling party; however, he is an independent with no prior political experience.