Are you ready for another wave of student protests in Serbia this summer? After seven months of relative calm, the Vidovdan rally in Belgrade turned into pure chaos! Clashes with police, 48 injured officers, 22 civilians hurt, and dozens arrested – this isn’t an action movie scene, it’s the reality on the streets of our capital.
The opposition and students are at odds again, and analysts say protests will continue through the summer as animosity between the regime and its opponents only grows. Although student blockades have been going on for years, now they face problems from more radical parts of the opposition public who shape their agenda instead of the students defining their own goals.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić didn’t hold back – calling the protests a “green light for violence” and announcing more arrests. “There will be many more arrested, it’s a miracle we don’t have dead,” Vučić said, while real civil clashes rage on Belgrade’s streets.
Political analysts like Ognjen Gogić see the Vidovdan clashes as a kind of injection for further protests. People are emotionally charged, and the end of the academic year could bring new tensions and protests in July and August. “We can’t expect students to just go back to classes and exams after all this,” Gogić says.
On the other hand, Aleksandar Ivković from the Center for Contemporary Politics warns about unrealistic expectations fueled before the protest. The goal to physically force the government out is, in his view, unrealistic, but students chose this goal to meet the expectations of part of the public. Vučić, meanwhile, used the situation to score political points while real change doesn’t happen.
Vladimir Međak from the European Movement in Serbia criticized speeches at the protest, especially that of Professor Milo Lompar, who used historical myths and false premises to base 21st-century politics on. “What could possibly go wrong?” Međak rhetorically asked, hinting at the danger of such rhetoric.
All in all, the situation is tense, polarization is growing, and space for dialogue is shrinking. The student movement can’t force the government to call elections, and the government can’t suppress the protests. This leads to a stalemate and escalation of conflict. Announcements of new arrests will only add fuel to the fire.
If you think this is the end, think again. The summer months could bring even more protests, clashes, and political tension. So, what about you? Team peace or team chaos? Or maybe just here for the memes? Drop a comment and let’s see where everyone stands!
