Description: In a televised address to the nation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called protesters to hold discussions and negotiations for resolving the political crisis in the country through dialogue. Vucic stated that he was ready to hold public and televised debates with legitimate representatives of the student movement in order to conclude the crisis with a non – violent resolution. The protesters quickly renounced any possibilities of holding discussions with the President and stated that any debates would be held during and after the ruling establishment calls for elections. The protests have been lasting for over 10 months with Vucic’s government being accused of widespread corruption, media oppression and colluding with organized crime groups in suppressing political opposition.
Impact: Vucic’s calls for negotiations with the protesters arrives in a period of substantial escalation of public upheaval and as a last resort for defusing political tensions in the country. Having strenuously opposed the ruling establishment for the past nine months, the student movement is unlikely to accept any proposals for negotiations as they remain adamant in their demands for early elections. The political crisis in Serbia enters a crucial period, where the government faced with growing pressure is likely to resort towards more repressive means of neutralizing the civil movement, while the protesters continue to push towards early elections in the country. Vucic’s call for negotiations also serves as a political maneuver which would be most likely exploited as a pretext for the use of more violent methods in suppressing the protests in the upcoming period.