Thousands of citizens gathered on Sunday in the Serbian city of Kraljevo, continuing protests against President Aleksandar Vučić, just one day after he announced that he would resign within a few weeks to pave the way for early presidential and parliamentary elections.
Although many protesters welcomed Vučić’s decision to step down from the presidency, they expressed doubts that he would give up power completely.
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According to analysts, Vučić could run for prime minister and install an ally in the presidency, preserving his political influence.
“I cannot imagine that he will leave and hand power over to someone else,” said Marko Gjokić, an information technology expert who had returned to his hometown for the protest, Reuters reports.
Vučić, who has been in power as either prime minister or president for 12 years, has for months faced protests led by students.
The demonstrations began after the collapse of a concrete shelter at the Novi Sad railway station at the end of 2024, where 16 people lost their lives.
The incident became a symbol of what many Serbian citizens view as government mismanagement and corruption.
The protests that followed are the largest in Serbia since the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000. Vučić has repeatedly denied the corruption allegations.
Despite the high temperatures, thousands of protesters gathered in Kraljevo’s central square with banners reading “The students are winning” and waved Serbian flags during a peaceful rally.
“We cannot go on like this, things must change,” said one of the participants, Ilija Čordasić, who came from the city of Zrenjanin.
Meanwhile, Serbian language teacher Jelena Daničić said the protest “is not just a political battle, but a struggle between good and evil.”
Analysts estimate that developments in Serbia will be closely followed by both the European Union and Russia.
