Serbian President Rejects Comparisons to Assad as Protests Escalate

Aleksandar Vučić denies accusations of corruption and foreign influence as demonstrations over a deadly infrastructure collapse grow.

Protests erupted following the November 1 collapse of a train station roof in Novi Sad, which killed 15 people, with critics blaming corruption and substandard construction tied to Chinese state companies.
Demonstrators in cities like Belgrade and Novi Sad accuse Vučić’s administration of nepotism and corruption, fueling broader dissatisfaction with his increasingly autocratic rule.
Vučić has dismissed comparisons to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, vowing not to flee Serbia and accusing Western powers of funding the protests to destabilize his government.
The Serbian government is debating a proposed 'foreign agents' law modeled after Russia’s legislation, raising concerns about its impact on civil society and Serbia’s EU aspirations.
Serbia continues to navigate a precarious balance between pursuing EU membership and maintaining strong ties with Russia and China, complicating its geopolitical position.