Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić criticized coalition partners Rasim Ljajić and Usame Zukorlić on Tuesday for failing to condemn a recent incident in Novi Pazar, where clashes broke out between protesters and police following an alleged forceful entry into the State University building by masked individuals.
The incident, which included verbal insults on ethnic and religious grounds, has sparked political friction within Serbia’s ruling coalition. Vučić, speaking to pro-government outlet Informer, said he was “deeply disappointed” with the silence of Bosniak political leaders and accused them of implicitly condoning behavior that threatens public order.
“This has nothing to do with any rector or dean. This is about attempts to undermine the state,” Vučić said. “You dream of defeating the state — it’s foolish and dangerous. No one should play with fire, water, or the state.”
The president also announced a suspension of funding for the State University in Novi Pazar until “internal management issues are resolved,” accusing the institution of mismanagement and financial irresponsibility.
Vučić’s comments were echoed by Miloš Vučević, president of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), who demanded that coalition partners in Novi Pazar publicly declare “whose side they are on” in the wake of the disturbances.
Police said they arrested a 22-year-old man, identified as E.T., for inciting ethnic and religious hatred during the protests.
Ljajić Responds: Novi Pazar Needs Stability, Not Private Militias
Rasim Ljajić, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a member of the government, responded by calling for calm and emphasizing the need to preserve Novi Pazar’s multiethnic harmony.
“We don’t need private security or ethnic slurs in a city like Novi Pazar,” Ljajić said in an interview with Euronews Serbia. “This is a small community where everyone knows each other. We must think about what happens tomorrow — because we all have to live together after incidents like this.”
Ljajić announced his party would seek talks with government partners to address what he described as “growing tensions and unresolved issues” in the coalition.
He praised the police for acting “professionally and appropriately” and warned that the current “toxic political atmosphere” makes it difficult to remain calm and rational. “We must keep a cool head, especially because of Novi Pazar’s complex interethnic and political realities.”
Despite Vučić’s public rebuke, Ljajić maintained that SDP would work to preserve the government’s stability and the city’s social cohesion. “Novi Pazar is neither a utopia of ethnic brotherhood, nor the war zone some make it out to be,” he said.
Protest Sparked by Forceful University Entry
The unrest began on July 29 when masked men, allegedly including university staff, entered the State University of Novi Pazar, claiming there was a fire emergency. Students were forcibly removed from the building in what was later revealed to be an action carried out by private security forces. The Education Ministry has not commented on the incident.
Video footage circulated on social media showed confrontations between demonstrators and police. Eventually, students regained access to the building and resumed their blockade.
Opposition parties, including the SDA Sandžaka, described the university entry as “a coordinated act of intimidation” with state support. In a statement, the party accused the police of arresting citizens who supported the students, while protecting those who “perpetrated the assault.”
“The line between state institutions and party interest has been completely erased,” the SDA said.
The events have drawn national attention amid rising political sensitivities ahead of local and parliamentary elections expected next year.