Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called for dialogue with anti-government protesters in the Balkan country, following more than nine months of demonstrations that have challenged his rule.
“Serbia has to solve its problem is with democratic dialogue, not with violence,” Vucic wrote in a post accompanied by a video that he shared on Instagram on Friday.
Vucic invited the representatives of the blockade movement to a conversation and a public debate about visions, to discuss plans and programs for the future, and to condemn the violence on the streets.
In the video address from his office in Belgrade, Vucic expressed his willingness to speak with representatives of students and other anti-government protesters, including in TV debates.
“I propose discussion and debate on all our televisions, on all our [internet] portals with legitimate representatives, that is, those they choose,” Vucic said.
The months of protests across Serbia were prompted by the deaths of 16 people when a roof on a renovated railway station in Novi Sad collapsed last November.
However, Savo Manojlovic, the head of the centrist opposition Move-Change party, dismissed the possibility of talks.
“A president who resorts to violence is not someone with whom you can debate about political issues, this is a corrupt government that tramples on democracy and human rights,” Manojlovic said. “You don’t make a fire department with an arsonist.”
The opposition party’s stance highlights the deep-seated mistrust and skepticism towards Vucic’s government.
The protests in Serbia have been mainly peaceful until earlier this month, when dozens of police officers and civilians were injured in clashes, and hundreds were detained.
Vucic’s second and final five-year presidential term ends in 2027, when parliamentary elections are also due.
Representatives of the students said they would debate with Vucic only during an election campaign. “He [Vucic] has no answer to the popular rebellion … We will debate … during the campaign, after the elections are announced,” students from the Belgrade-based Faculty of Philosophy said in a statement.
Vucic emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, saying, “I want us to confront visions … to solve that through dialogue and conversation … no conflict, no violence.
To rebuild the country again, to get it back on track where it was nine months ago.” The call for dialogue comes as the country grapples with the aftermath of the protests and the ongoing economic challenges.
The situation in Serbia remains volatile, with the opposition and protesters demanding early elections and an end to Vucic’s rule.
As the country heads towards a critical juncture, the outcome of the protests and the government’s response will have significant implications for Serbia’s future.