Description: Last weekend’s violent clashes between anti – government protesters and the Serbian police in Belgrade brought about no conclusive outcome to Serbia’s revolving political crisis. President Vucic has strengthened the control around the student movement that inspired nationwide discontent against his methods and policies of governance. Domestic media sources have started affiliating the movement with Serbia’s political opposition citing statements from last weekend’s demonstrations which further labeled the demonstrations’ independence as politically motivated to topple the incumbent government. The students have strenuously objected to be connected to the political opposition in Serbia, claiming their intentions were to tackle systemic issues stemming from Vucic’s governance malpractices, and disrupt the country’s monopolized political system which enabled the President to remain in office for more than 12 years.
Impact: The student movement remains insistent in their intent to pressure the standing government to call for early elections effectively challenging their 12 – year governance of the country. Vucic would continue to exercise his control over the country’s security apparatus in an attempt to remain in power as long as he can, resisting calls for early elections. Serbia has been put at a crossroads between their powerful allegiance to Russia and the country’s path towards the European Union, which Vucic has poorly managed considering the public outrage which has accumulated over the years. The protests are expected to continue in enlarged form, with demonstrations potentially spreading nationwide in larger numbers which would escalate the public safety and security risks in the country and precipitate the longevity of the political crisis.