President Aleksandar Vučić has been under great pressure since the disaster in Serbia. Society defends itself against violence in everyday life. How will this affect the region?
Serbia takes to the streets. against violence. And against the authoritarian government of President Aleksandar Vučić.
Since the massacre, including at a school, about three weeks ago with a total of 18 deaths, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets. These are the largest anti-government protests since Slobodan Milošević’s dictatorship 20 years ago. “The massacres have made many people in Serbia aware of everything that is going wrong in society,” said expert Vedran Džihić from the University of Vienna to “Krone”.
Daily life in Serbia is characterized by violence. According to international estimates, Serbia has the highest number of firearms per 100 inhabitants in the world, after Yemen and the US, together with Montenegro. Many date back to the time of the Yugoslav war. Domestic violence is ubiquitous, as is gang crime. “The private media controlled by the Vučić regime is full of violent language, and politicians, including Vučić, also rely on polarization and threats.”
Vučić is coming under increasing pressure. On Friday, he had people transported from all over Serbia to a major event in Belgrade, and tens of thousands again demonstrated against him on Saturday.
“The pressure from the street is dangerous for Vučić,” says Džihić. “It cannot be ruled out that the regime will still make major mistakes and thus further intensify the protests. That would probably be the beginning of the end of the Vučić regime.”
Fragile region: concerns about the situation in Kosovo
What does this mean for an already fragile region in the Balkans? The protests could strengthen pro-democracy forces in the region. Džihić sees a real risk of escalation in Kosovo. “The stronger the domestic political pressure on Vučić, the more intransigent and nationalistic he is towards Kosovo to score points here as protector of the nation.” Serious riots broke out in the Serb-populated north of the region on Friday. . Serbia even put the army on alert. The situation calmed down a bit on Saturday.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
