Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, demanding snap elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vucic’s 12-year rule.
Belgrade witnessed a massive anti-government demonstration on Saturday, with students and anti-corruption activists leading calls for early elections and political reform. The protest, one of the largest in years, posed a growing challenge to President Aleksandar Vucic.
Police in riot gear surrounded government buildings and parliament as thousands of Vucic supporters staged a counter-protest nearby in Pionirski Park. The government loyalists included war veterans and bikers who have maintained street blockades in the capital for months.
Demonstrators waved Serbian flags, carried banners naming their hometowns, and sang the national anthem before speeches began.
"We hope for real change after decades of struggle," said Ljiljana Ilic from Valjevo.
Nikola Vukovic from Belgrade said the goal was clear. "We want to change Serbia and bring this government to an end. The next fight will be at the ballot box," he said.
Milica Ivanovic from Lajkovac expressed full support for the student movement. "We are here with strength and courage, standing with them in our hearts," she said.
The protests remained peaceful, with participants stressing non-violence. However, President Vucic warned of possible violence later in the day. Recent weeks have seen more than a dozen arrests as part of what critics call an ongoing crackdown on dissent.
Student organizers had issued an ultimatum, demanding that Vucic call early elections by 9 p.m. on Saturday. The president firmly rejected the call, telling state television on Friday that there would be no elections before 2026.
The unrest began in November following a deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. The incident, blamed on government corruption and neglect, sparked nationwide outrage.
After months of university blockades and street protests, demonstrators shifted their demands to broader political reforms and snap parliamentary elections.
Vucic continues to accuse the opposition of serving foreign interests and attempting to destabilize the country.
As night fell, thousands remained on the streets, chanting and waving flags, vowing to keep up the pressure.
President Donald Trump said Iran is keen to reach a deal with the United States, claiming Washington had paused engagement to allow funeral ceremonies...
West Africa's Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on military position...
Morocco booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a convincing 3-0 victory over Canada, ending the co-host's historic run in the tourna...
Kyrgyzstan’s ex-second in command, Kamchybek Tashiev, has been convicted of plotting to overthrow the country’s President Sadyr Japarov. Tashiev a...
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported...
Thousands of people gathered in the central Serbian city of Kraljevo on Sunday, maintaining pressure on President Aleksandar Vučić a day after he announced plans to step down within weeks and call early elections.
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade.
Thousands gathered in Novi Sad, Serbia, to commemorate the deaths of 16 people in the 2024 railway station awning collapse and renew calls for snap elections.
Serbian police used tear gas and stun grenades Friday to disperse protesters at a university campus in Novi Sad demanding early elections and the resignation of President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Germany has requested urgent talks with China's ambassador following reports that Chinese authorities trained Russian soldiers, adding fresh strain to relations between Beijing and Europe amid the war in Ukraine.
West Africa's Al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on military positions in Mali on Saturday and said it had seized control of at least three of them.
Russia's Defence Ministry has said its forces are clearing the town of Lyman in Donetsk of Ukrainian forces, Moscow's state news agency Tass reported. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to use next week's NATO summit in Ankara to advance his push for greater European responsibility in security, with a bilateral meeting planned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as Paris seeks closer coordination with key allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment