Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on Saturday that he will step down from office within weeks, ending his second term prematurely. The declaration came during a pro-government rally in Belgrade, following more than a year of mass protests across the country.
Vučić, whose second presidential term was set to expire in mid-2027, told supporters that his time in power will end much earlier. – I will be president for only a few more weeks, and then I will resign – he said at the rally. He thanked coalition partners for their support in developing Serbia and stressed that the final weeks of his presidency would be dedicated to issuing pardons.
– In the coming period, I will pardon many people, both ours and theirs, because they are also ours, we are all one family – Vučić explained, referring to members of the opposition.
Early elections and party support
Vučić also announced that he will call early parliamentary elections and intends to support his party, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). – I told the chairman of the Serbian Progressive Party that in the upcoming elections, if they want, I will help win the trust of the people – he stated. He proposed that the party list be named United Serbia, expressing confidence that they will defeat the opposition more decisively than ever before.
The Serbian Progressive Party has dominated the country’s political scene since 2012. Vučić himself has had a long political career, serving as information minister, deputy prime minister, and prime minister from 2014 to 2017 before becoming president in May 2017.
Protests triggered by tragedy
His announcement of an imminent resignation came after over a year of massive street demonstrations. The protests began following a deadly building collapse at the Novi Sad railway station, which killed 16 people. Citizens managed to pressure the government into forcing the resignations of Transport, Construction and Infrastructure Minister Goran Vesić, as well as Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Tomislav Momirović. Authorities also published some documents related to the reconstruction of the Novi Sad station.
The wave of public discontent has shaken Vučić’s grip on power, though his party remains the strongest political force in Serbia. The president’s decision to step down and call early elections appears to be an attempt to regain initiative and ensure a controlled transition.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
