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Photo: FMT
The FMS, in collaboration with International Foundation GroenLinks, has started a series on the Serbian anti-corruption protests. During this series, we highlight different sides of the protests, and this time we cover the social democratic perspective.
Last zaterday, March 15, the largest (students)protests in Serbia taking place so far, with more than 300,000 attendees. Demanding the resignation of president Vučić has so far not been granted, but the pressure on the president is mounting. Many of the European Union is not noticeable in the protests. Partly because of this, the FMS spoke to Konstantin Samofalov On February 12. Mr Samofalov is an ex-member of the Serbian parliament and currently international secretary of the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) in Serbia. Together, we discussed the situation in Serbia after the Novi Sad canopy collapse, which killed 15 people and led to massive protests. Konstantin told us about the government's reaction, the role of the European Union and how he sees the protests unfolding.
What is the situation in Serbia right now?
It is now several months since the canopy collapsed. The event was not just an incident, but the result of massive corruption in Serbia and government malpractices. The Serbian people created a massive uprising, led by the students. What we have seen for weeks now is that these protests have spread throughout the country. Even in rural areas, where the current government is more popular, people are protesting and blocking streets. Nothing like this has happened in Serbia since the fall of Milošević's dictatorial system in 2000.
How did the government deal with the canopy collapse?
President Vučić gives himself authority that, constitutionally, he does not have. He changes his statements daily. First, he declared that no rebuilding of the canopy had taken place at all. Then relevant information was published and the opposite was found to be true. This was the beginning of the president's attempts to cover it up. Then we saw his statements and those of his government, which claimed that all the data on the collapse was available, but meanwhile it turned out not to be so. The government started releasing small pieces of information and each time they told the public that this was all the documentation they had. The students responded to the president's actions by telling him, "You don't have the authority; it's not your business. We are addressing the government, the ministries, public enterprises, the legal system, not you." Yet he is the one who goes out and provides information to the public.
How did the government respond to the protests?
The government's strategy was to scare and threaten the students, but it backfired as the number of protests and participants increased significantly. The main reason why this strategy did not work is because students have a different mindset.
Unlike previous generations, who thought about their future and the solution was to leave and move to an EU country, this generation does not want to leave. This is a serious problem for Vučić, as he cannot expel the students from Serbia.
"Attacking our children made everyone angry"
Why are these protests so successful?
In Serbia, we do not regard these protests as a success or not, because it is a sincere reaction of the people demanding normality and a normally functioning state. We have had many different protests over the years, for example against electoral fraud and the mass shooting in 2024, which were led by different structures such as opposition parties and different organisations. Now it appears that this canopy collapse is a sublimation of all the wrong actions of the ruling party, and this time the students had had enough. They reacted with such a high degree of social consciousness that most people of older generations did not expect. They assumed that the students were apolitical and had no idea what was going on around them. The trigger for the mass protests was the reaction and violence of the ruling party's para-security structures. They beat up protesters and drove them over, which flooded the entire glass. Attacking our children angered everyone in the country.
What is the role of opposition parties in the protests?
We have different roles. We participate in the protests as citizens, not just my party, but all opposition parties. We also provide legal support to citizens, so not just students, but anyone who is attacked by the political system. We also work very hard with our international partners to try to bridge the media darkness we have in Serbia. The communication channels we have are the ones that only political parties can maintain. There is almost no free media in the country and we try to make our partners in Europe aware of what is happening here. That is why foreign partnerships are very valuable for us.
What is the role of the European Union?
We faced different approaches from the various institutions of the European Union. Unfortunately, as has been the case for many years, the European Commission (EC) and some members of the Council were silent about the damage the regime was doing to Serbian society. Some of them even supported the government, which is very disheartening for pro-European voters in Serbia. For instance, the Enlargement Commissioner's most recent statements are very weak. A few days ago, she wrote a letter to the Serbian public that did not address the real problems we have in Serbia and consisted of several vague statements.
On the other hand, we witnessed positive engagement from the European Parliament (EP). The EP held a debate on the political crisis in Serbia on the first day of the plenary session in Strasbourg. All MEPs participating in the debate, from across the political spectrum, spoke almost with the same voice.
Do Serbian citizens trust the EU?
Confidence in the EU is at its lowest point in years. It is very discouraging at the moment and it is a direct result of the Union's response to the protests. The reason why polls show low confidence is because EU officials still support the current president and government, and that makes pro-EU voters confused. It may even lead them to turn their backs on the EU. The good news is that many people feel indecisive. They are confused by the European messages, but their hearts and minds can be warmed again. But this cannot be done just with a few statements; EU support must be genuine. A clear message must be sent that Europe wants to see Serbia as a free and democratic state and that Europe wants for Serbia everything that each member state wants for itself.
"The Commission is gambling away the support of this younger generation"
What should the European Union do?
Right now, students are demanding from the Serbian government what the European Union (EU) should demand from Serbia as a candidate country, such as an independent judiciary and government accountability. What we expect from the EU and all member states is that they call events in Serbia by their right name. What we need are clear statements from the European Commission and a clear position on what is going on in Serbia. If there are reactions to autocratic tendencies and election rigging in some EU member states, such as Romania, they cannot remain silent about what is happening in Serbia.
The Commission is gambling the support of the younger generation. This generation is already disappointed by the ambiguous position and if they continue as they are doing now, they will lose the support of the younger generation. It will be very difficult for pro-European political forces to get the message across about European values. If the EU remains aloof and silent on Serbia's shadowy deals with China, there are other global players who are only too eager to play a role in the Western Balkans and south-eastern Europe in general. Serbia is geographically a central country, which makes it interesting for other global players to pull Serbia away from the EU. This will be very damaging for Serbia, the region and ultimately the EU.
"Thanks to these protests, there is no turning back"
What do you think will happen next?
Where we are headed is hard to say. The government is applying repressive methods and we have to wait and see how repressive they will become in the coming days. If President Vučić recognises for himself that he must step down, then society can find a solution. There are many different actors thinking about many different solutions, and this is good because we are now involving society and the population, who were not part of it for years. We will have to think about how to shape Serbian society differently. As a society, we have to change the rules of the game. Hopefully with help from the EU, along with a clear perspective and clear standards in the enlargement process. We would like partners, like the EU, to make Serbia a normal society. We need to recognise that Serbia in its current state is not a normal society. Thanks to these protests, there is no turning back.
