How Serbia’s record protests shook Vučić and whether a change of power is coming
15 March could well become a turning point for Serbia and its president, Aleksandar Vučić.
The largest peaceful protest in the country’s history, held in Belgrade, demonstrated that the president is unable to stop mass demonstrations.
Attempts to bribe or intimidate protesters have not only failed but have further weakened the Serbian government.
A particularly troubling move by Vučić’s administration was the alleged use of a "sonic cannon," a riot control device prohibited for use against civilians.
Read more about the challenges facing the Serbian government and the potential consequences of these protests in the article by Yurii Panchenko, European Pravda's editor – A cannon to defend Vučić: how Serbia’s president lost public trust and what comes next."
"15 for 15" was the name of the protest that took place in Belgrade last Saturday. The number 15 refers to the victims of a deadly train station roof collapse in the city of Novi Sad.
This tragedy, which occurred on 1 November last year, has become a symbol of the current Serbian government. The reconstruction was carried out by Chinese companies operating under the "Belt and Road Initiative," while supervision was entrusted to a secretive Hungarian firm, rumoured to be linked to the Serbian president’s brother.
The project had already been long overdue, with repeated delays and ever-increasing costs.
In other words, the Novi Sad station disaster illustrated how authoritarian rule kills its own citizens, not directly, but through corruption.
Students and university faculty have emerged as the driving force behind the protests. And Vučić appears unprepared to confront an opponent that cannot be compromised or bribed.
The protesting students emphasised restoring the proper functioning of state institutions rather than focusing on individual politicians. Meanwhile, the opposition, energised by the protests, is demanding not just snap elections but the formation of a transitional government to ensure fair elections.
For Vučić, this demand is entirely unacceptable.
The Serbian president has made it clear that he intends to put an end to the protests soon, and the authorities have done much to make this seem likely.
However, if there was a plan for a violent crackdown, it appears to have crumbled due to the sheer scale of the demonstrations.
Independent estimates indicate that between 275,000 and 315,000 people took to the streets in Belgrade, an absolute record for the country.
The protest remained entirely peaceful, without attacks on government offices or pro-government TV stations, despite Vučić’s prior warnings of such incidents.
However, one major incident did occur, and it could have serious repercussions.
Multiple videos and eyewitness accounts suggest that around 8:00 PM, during a 15-minute silence in memory of the victims, a "sonic cannon" may have been used.
The Serbian authorities immediately denied its use. First, President Vučić issued an urgent statement, followed by other government officials.
Yet these denials seem to have done little to reassure the public.
In his address, Vučić tried to portray the events of 15 March as a victory. At the same time, he was forced to acknowledge that the sheer number of protesters was a signal to the government and that this signal had been heard.
Nevertheless, the protests are causing a sharp decline in trust in Vučić, which may ultimately lead to a change of power in Serbia. But such a shift is unlikely to happen immediately.