Serbia’s Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigns and appeals for peace as anti-corruption protests grow

Serbian President Vucic resigns amid protests over canopy collapse, sparking calls for dialogue and early elections.

Serbia’s populist Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said Tuesday (January 28, 2025) that he is stepping down following weeks of massive anti-corruption protests over the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy in November.

The canopy collapse, which killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad, has become a flashpoint reflecting wider discontent with the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic. He has faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms in Serbia despite formally seeking European Union membership for the troubled Balkan nation.

Mr. Vucevic told a news conference that his resignation is aimed at lowering tensions in Serbia. “It is my appeal for everyone to calm down the passions and return to dialogue," he said.

Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric also will step down on Tuesday, Mr. Vucevic said.

Mr. Vucevic’s resignation is likely to lead to an early parliamentary election. The resignation must be confirmed by Serbia’s parliament, which has 30 days to choose a new government or call a snap election.

On Monday, tens of thousands of people joined striking university students in a 24-hour blockade of a key traffic intersection in the Serbian capital. The students have been protesting for weeks, demanding accountability for the canopy collapse that critics have blamed on rampant government corruption.

In another attempt to defuse tensions, Vucic, Vucevic and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic on Monday evening urged dialogue with the students, who have garnered widespread support from all walks of life in Serbia with their call for justice and accountability.