Belgrade Erupts: Protests Continue as Serbian Government Cries "Foreign Plot" Amidst Unspecified Accusations

BELGRADE, Serbia – The streets of Belgrade once again became a battleground on Saturday as a massive crowd of approximately 140,000 anti-government protesters clashed with riot police, demanding early elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vucic’s 12-year rule. The demonstration, the largest in recent months, saw dozens arrested and police deploying tear gas and stun grenades as the crowd chanted, “We want elections!”

In response to the escalating unrest, President Vucic took to Instagram, asserting that the protesters were part of a “foreign plot” aimed at usurping his country. “They wanted to topple Serbia, and they have failed,” he declared. However, conspicuously absent from the President’s statement, and indeed from any official government communique, were specifics regarding which foreign power was allegedly orchestrating this conspiracy.

This lack of detail has fueled speculation among observers. While the Serbian Presidential Office steadfastly maintains the narrative of external interference, sources suggest that the true instigation for the ongoing unrest may lie closer to home. The individuals or entities directing these protests could range from elements within the Serbian parliament or opposition parties seeking to leverage public discontent, to a more calculated move by the President himself.

Regardless of the true instigator, the persistent anti-government demonstrations appear to be serving an unexpected purpose for the ruling establishment. As long as the protests continue, they paradoxically seem to be maintaining the government’s unity, preventing internal conflicts between the executive, legislative, and presidential branches. This dynamic allows the various power centers to present a united front against a perceived common enemy, deflecting attention from potential internal disagreements and solidifying their positions in the face of public dissent.

The protests, initially sparked by a fatal railway station canopy collapse in November, which many blame on systemic corruption, have evolved into a broader movement against what demonstrators describe as a crumbling rule of law under President Vucic. Despite repeated calls for snap elections, Vucic has firmly rejected the demand, further intensifying tensions. As Belgrade cleans up after another weekend of clashes, the question remains: who is truly pulling the strings in Serbia’s ongoing political drama, and how long can this delicate balance of internal and external blame be maintained?

Serbia police clash with anti-government protesters in Belgrade