Serbian PM Resigns amid Developments in the Country

Milos Vucevic (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Milos Vucevic stepped down as Serbian prime minister on Jan. 28 over the developments in the country following the tragedy in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy collapsed at the local Railway Station, killing 15 and severely injuring another two people. 

Since, students across Serbia have been organizing blockades every day, demanding accountability for the Novi Sad tragedy. The protesting students have been attacked and beaten on several occasions, with the latest incident occurring in Novi Sad in the night between Jan. 27 and 28, in which one young female sustained severe injuries. 

Vucevic took the helm of the Serbian Government on May 2, 2024. 

A Serbian Parliament session, scheduled for Jan. 29 to discuss confidence in the Vucevic cabinet, has been canceled.

Speaking at a news conference at the Serbian Government building, Vucevic said he was proud of his cabinet’s work over the past nine months, primarily in the sphere of economy, noting that he was resigning over divisions and tensions in the society as well as the atmosphere suggesting that “everything is on the verge of conflict.” 

“Objectively speaking, we are responsible for what happened in Novi Sad and we are voluntarily paying the political price. With this, we have met the utmost political demands of a group of the most extreme protesters,” Vucevic said, adding that now, Serbia had a caretaker government, but would continue to do its work “professionally and responsibly” until the appointment of a new cabinet.  

Vucevic also said he looked at himself at a part of political continuity from the first cabinet of Aleksandar Vucic all though to the last one led by Ana Brnabic. He also said that the government “has demonstrated responsibility” in relation to the tragedy at the Novi Sad Railway Station on Nov. 1 last year, while the others “have tried to abuse the tragedy for political purposes and make political gains on the loss of human lives.”