Students blocking the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Agriculture on Sunday issued their first response to President Aleksandar Vučić’s remarks earlier in the day, in which he promised that Serbia would soon demonstrate “the full determination of the state” in reaction to ongoing protests.
“Calling elections would be the only move that would surprise us,” the students said in a statement posted on the faculty’s official X account.
In a separate post, they added: “The state has won – children are either beaten or in prison.”
Earlier, Vučić condemned recent unrest in Novi Sad and Valjevo, calling it “terrorism.”
“What else could it be? Pure terrorism. I don’t want to call it by an even harsher name. Based on that, dear citizens, you will see some of our surprising decisions in the next three or four days,” Vučić said in a televised address.
“In some places it may seem as if the state has withdrawn or disappeared. But at a certain moment, you will see the full determination of the Serbian state. We will use everything available to restore order, peace and stability,” he said, without specifying what measures would be taken.
Asked whether a state of emergency was being considered, Vučić said that was a “last resort.”
“We have not considered declaring a state of emergency. It is a complicated procedure that requires the consent of the president, the prime minister, and ultimately a vote in the National Assembly. We have enough legal measures at our disposal. This is the final step and I hope we will not have to discuss it,” he said.