Belgrade has seen days of large demonstrations, sparked by the parliamentary elections and the questions surrounding who won the shift toward populism. Thousands of Serbians gathered in the capital to demand accountability and the release of protesters detained during the margins of a weekend march condemning corruption in the country’s recent parliamentary and local elections. In this backdrop, Russia continues to wield influence in the region and has framed the events as a Western attempt to spur unrest in Serbia.
This marks the eighth consecutive night of protests in Belgrade. Early demonstrations focused on street closures and peaceful assemblies, a contrast to the more chaotic scenes reported on Sunday. President Aleksandar Vucic argued that Sunday’s disturbances were orchestrated, while Moscow accused Western powers of meddling and possibly funding the unrest to destabilize the country.
Official results from the Electoral Commission show that Vucic’s party, the Serbian Progressive Party, captured about 46.7 percent of the vote. The opposition bloc campaigned under the banner Serbia stands against violence and believes that widespread irregularities affected the outcome, arguing that corruption tainted the process and the results.
Observers raise concerns
A preliminary assessment from a panel of international observers pointed to troubling patterns such as vote trading and ballot irregularities at multiple polling sites. Such findings contribute to the ongoing debate over the integrity of the electoral process and the broader political climate in the country.
Russian officials have continued to frame the episode as outside interference, with ministry spokespersons asserting that external actors are attempting to destabilize Serbia. In response, European Union officials and partners, including Germany, have rejected these accusations as unacceptable and urged dialogue and lawful processes to address the tensions.