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Serbian PM Vučević resigns amid mass protests and corruption allegations.
Serbia’s Prime Minister Miloš Vučević has announced his resignation, stating he did not want to fuel social tensions further after protests engulfed the country.
His statement on January 28, made during a press conference without questions, came after nearly three months of daily protests in Belgrade against his government.
The demonstrations erupted following an accident on November 1, 2024, at the Novi Sad train station, where a roof collapse killed 15 people and injured 30 others.
The incident quickly led to corruption accusations against the government, prompting thousands of citizens, mainly students and younger people, to take to the streets.
“I have made this decision to prevent further unrest in society’” Vučević declared.
“I am proud of our work, of my cabinet and ministers and thank the President for his co-operation.”
He also announced that the mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić, a member of Vučević’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), was also resigning.
The now-former prime minister stated that his resignation was in response to the demands of the “most radical” protesters and accused foreign forces of being behind the demonstrations.
“Since the November accident, Serbia has been caught in a political exploitation of the tragedy. This was all orchestrated from abroad to destabilise the country,” he claimed.
Vučević’s resignation has sparked reactions on the international stage, particularly in the European Union, where Serbia’s accession process remains stalled due to corruption allegations and a lack of transparency.
Brussels has insisted on the need for an independent investigation into the Novi Sad accident.
Elsewhere, the crisis could impact Serbia’s relations with China. The reconstruction of the Novi Sad railway station was awarded to Chinese companies and the accident has intensified criticism regarding the quality of Chinese-funded infrastructure in the Balkans.
If the scandal led to reviews of other contracts, it could affect China’s investment plans in Serbia and in countries nearby.
At the regional level, instability in Serbia could have repercussions across the Balkans, where Vučević’s government has maintained an ambiguous stance between the West and its traditional allies, Russia and China.
Moscow, which considers Serbia a key partner in the region, has claimed that the protests were “an attempt at destabilisation orchestrated by the West”.
The Serbian parliament has 30 days to ratify Vučević’s resignation and decide whether to form a new government or call for elections.
The opposition party Kreni-Promeni has called for the creation of a “government of experts” and has urged other opposition groups not to boycott potential elections.
Protests have continued in Belgrade and other cities, with demonstrators demanding an independent investigation into the accident and broader political reforms.