Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned Tuesday in an effort to ease political tensions following weeks of mass anti-corruption protests triggered by the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy in Novi Sad.
The November 1 tragedy, which claimed 15 lives, including two children, has become a rallying point for widespread discontent with President Aleksandar Vucic’s administration. Critics accuse Vucic of undermining democratic freedoms despite Serbia’s formal pursuit of European Union membership.
“It is my appeal for everyone to calm passions and return to dialogue,” Vucevic said during a news conference announcing his resignation. Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric also stepped down on Tuesday, he added.
Vucevic’s resignation could prompt an early parliamentary election. Serbia’s parliament has 30 days to either confirm a new prime minister or call for a snap vote. Pro-government media reported that President Vucic would attend a cabinet meeting Tuesday evening to decide the next steps.
Opposition parties have demanded the establishment of a transitional government to ensure free and fair elections, citing past allegations of electoral irregularities under Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party.
Vucevic, who took office in April 2024 after a contentious election, has faced mounting criticism over the government’s handling of the Novi Sad disaster and its aftermath.
The protests, initially led by university students, have drawn widespread support from various sectors, including lawyers, judges, farmers, and actors. On Monday, tens of thousands joined students in a 24-hour blockade of a key intersection in Belgrade, demanding accountability for the canopy collapse, which has been linked to alleged government corruption.
Students and protesters have also held daily 15-minute traffic blockades across Serbia at 11:52 a.m., the time the canopy collapsed, to honor the victims.
In an attempt to defuse tensions, Vucevic, Vucic, and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic called for dialogue with the students on Monday. However, the protesters have largely dismissed these invitations.
Vucevic cited an attack on a female student in Novi Sad, allegedly carried out by members of the ruling party, as the immediate cause for his resignation.
“Whenever it seems there’s hope to return to dialogue, it’s like an invisible hand creates a new incident, and tensions mount again,” he said.
While urging calm, Vucevic claimed the protests were being orchestrated from abroad to destabilize Serbia but provided no evidence for the allegation, echoing similar statements from President Vucic.
Prosecutors in Serbia have charged 13 individuals, including a government minister, in connection with the Novi Sad canopy collapse. However, the release of former Construction Minister Goran Vesic from detention has raised concerns about the investigation’s impartiality.
The canopy, part of a recently renovated railway station in Novi Sad under a Chinese-backed infrastructure deal, collapsed on November 1, leading to the ongoing unrest.
Protests have been marked by sporadic violence, including incidents where drivers rammed into crowds, injuring two women.
As Serbia navigates its political crisis, the growing protests underscore public frustration with corruption and demand accountability from the government.
