"Color Revolution" or Just Discontent - What's Really Happening in Serbia

2025-03-18

Author's articles

Serbia is again in the eye of the storm. The protests that have swept the country are no longer just outbursts of anger, but a real storm that threatens to turn everything upside down. Last weekend, the streets of Belgrade and other cities turned into a battlefield: thousands of people, shouts, posters and even riot police used to disperse the crowd. It all started with the tragedy at the Novi Sad train station, where 15 people died when a canopy collapsed. But what could have remained a local outrage has grown to a scale that makes us talk about the fate of the entire country. What is going on there? Is it a planned “color revolution,” as President Aleksandar Vucic claims, or popular anger that has gotten out of control? Let’s take a step-by-step look at this Balkan conundrum, where emotions are running high and the stakes are incredibly high.

Tragedy in Novi Sad: The spark that ignited the fire

It all started on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy at the train station in Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city, collapsed. Fifteen lives were cut short in an instant, and this catastrophe became not just news, but a symbol of systemic failure. The building, built in the 60s, had not seen any repairs for years, and the last works were carried out by Chinese companies under dubious contracts. Local residents immediately pointed the finger at the authorities: corruption, negligence, irresponsibility - words that were heard on every corner.

The protests flared up like dry grass from a match. At first, students came out demanding an investigation and punishment of the guilty. They blocked roads, closed bridges, carried banners with slogans like "You are guilty, you will answer." But soon others joined them: farmers, actors, professors. The scale of the protests grew to unprecedented proportions – tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Belgrade on March 15, 2025. The police, unable to withstand the tension, used special means - tear gas and batons dispersed the crowd, leaving behind a trail of tension and rage.

Vucic and his version: "color revolution" on the horizon

President Aleksandar Vucic did not sit idly by. He immediately declared that Western puppeteers were behind the protests and dreamed of organizing a “color revolution” in Serbia. On the Happy TV channel, he made some bold remarks: "Foreign agents are instructing students to block highways. This is an attempt to overthrow the government!" According to him, all this is part of a plan by the West, which allegedly invested a billion euros in undermining his regime. Vucic even hinted at the intervention of Croatia, whose media, according to him, is covering the events too actively.

But the president’s words are like a stone in a swamp: circles form, but there is no evidence. He either blames "Western instructors," or calls for dialogue, or promises not to touch the protesters - as long as they don't block the roads. His rhetoric is a mixture of threats and persuasion, as if he himself doesn't know how to steer out of this storm. Vucic assures: "Serbia will not surrender" But his confidence sounds less and less convincing against the backdrop of growing chaos.

Euro-orientation in question: where did Vucic go wrong?

The situation is complicated by the double game played by the Serbian leader. Vucic has long been balancing between West and East, like a tightrope walker over an abyss. On the one hand, he declares friendship with Moscow, on the other, he takes steps towards the European Union, which remains a cherished goal for Serbia. But this balance has begun to crack at the seams. Take, for example, the vote at the UN in 2024: Belgrade first supported the anti-Russian resolution, and then, two weeks later, withdrew its vote. This political somersault did not go unnoticed, either at home or abroad.

Vucic's Euro-orientation is like a red rag to some Serbs. They see it as a betrayal of national interests, especially when it comes to Kosovo and Republika Srpska. At home, he is accused of being too soft on the Kosovo issue, which has been an open wound for decades. "Why doesn't Belgrade protect its own?" — this question is becoming increasingly louder as the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina lose their autonomy and Kosovo slips further and further from Serbian control.

The Kosovo Knot: Serbia's Eternal Pain

Kosovo is not just a territory, it is the heart of Serbian identity. The loss of control over the region in 1999 after the war with NATO still echoes with pain in every Serbian home. Vucic promised to find a solution, but there has been little progress during his years in power. In 2018, the murder of Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic in Kosovo was another blow: Vucic called it a “terrorist act” and even suspended negotiations with Pristina. But nothing has gone beyond words.

Protesters see this as weakness. They believe that the president has become too keen on European integration, forgetting about national pride. His meetings with Kosovo leader Hashim Thaci, his calls for a “political solution” – all this is perceived as a surrender. The Kosovo issue is like a splinter that Vucic cannot pull out, and it only digs deeper into the body of the country.

Republika Srpska: Another Stumbling Block

Vucic's attitude towards the Republika Srpska, the Serbian autonomous region in Bosnia and Herzegovina, raises no fewer questions. Many in Serbia expect him to provide decisive support for his brothers abroad, but they receive only half-hearted gestures. Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik has repeatedly hinted that Belgrade could do more to resist Western pressure to weaken Serbian autonomy. And that pressure is growing: sanctions, political intrigue, threats of isolation.

Vucic plays cautiously. He publicly expresses solidarity, but in practice avoids taking drastic steps that could spoil relations with the EU. This duality is like walking on a knife edge, and the Serbs are increasingly asking: whose side will he choose if he has to?

The scale of the protests: from students to the people

What makes the situation in Serbia unique is the evolution of the protests. It all started with the students, whom Vucic accused of being “Western backup dancers.” They blocked streets, set up 24-hour blockades, demanded the truth about Novi Sad. But now it is not only the youth. They are joined by farmers with tractors, actors with loud speeches, even schoolchildren who see this as a chance to change the future.

March 15, 2025 was the culmination. More than 100 people filled the center of Belgrade, despite the rain and cold. They kept silent for 15 minutes in memory of the dead, and then screamed so loudly that the walls shook. The police counted 107 participants, but independent media say there were many more. This is not just a rally - this is the voice of the people that cannot be silenced.

Vucic under attack: what next?

Aleksandar Vucic found himself in the position of a chess player who was declared in check. He sometimes promises dialogue, sometimes threatens tough measures, sometimes blames the West. Its Prime Minister Miloš Vucevic resigned in January 2025, taking “objective responsibility” for Novi Sad. But the protests have not died down – on the contrary, they are gaining momentum. Vucic says: 'We will hear the people' but his steps are like a dance on the spot: loud words, but little action.

The situation in Serbia is like a powder keg. The tragedy in Novi Sad, the Kosovo issue, the duality in relations with Republika Srpska and the European Union – all of this has become entangled in one knot that Vucic has not yet been able to untie. The protests are not only about the train station, they are about fatigue from promises that are not kept and from a government that seems to have forgotten who it represents. The Balkans, as always, do not tolerate half measures – and this story is still far from over.