Belgrade, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned on Tuesday, making him the highest-ranking official to step down amid a series of anti-corruption protests that have swept through the Balkan country.
The anti-government movement began after a fatal accident at a railway station in Novi Sad, where 15 people died, prompting calls for Vucevic's resignation. Initially small gatherings in Novi Sad, the protests have since grown and reached the capital, Belgrade, drawing thousands of students, teachers, and other workers who blame the station tragedy on government corruption under President Aleksandar Vucic.
While the ministers for construction, transportation, and infrastructure, as well as the trade minister, have resigned in connection to the incident, the protests have continued unabated.
"I decided to take this step to ease tensions," Vucevic said during a news conference on Tuesday, announcing his resignation, along with the forthcoming resignation of the mayor of Novi Sad. "By doing this, we have met all the demands of the most radical protesters."
Now, analysts are focusing on the potential repercussions for the president, whose party won a snap election in 2023 but is facing mounting pressure.
Opposition parties and human rights groups have accused Vucic and the SNS party of voter bribery, media censorship, violence against dissenters, corruption, and ties to organized crime. Vucic and his allies deny these accusations.
Mario Bikarski, a senior Europe analyst at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, does not anticipate Vucic being ousted, citing the absence of credible political alternatives. Nonetheless, he predicts that protests will persist.
"The government's reluctance to meet the protesters' demands has diminished confidence in state institutions and political leadership," Bikarski noted. "Serbia is likely to see ongoing unrest."
Vucic, known for his role in Serbia's diplomatic relations with Russia and the West, is also crucial in the country's bid to join the European Union, contingent on resolving issues with Kosovo.
The opposition Kreni-Promeni party has called for an interim government comprised of experts endorsed by the protesting students, urging other opposition factions not to boycott potential elections.
The protests, notably featuring student blockades at key intersections in Belgrade, have remained largely peaceful. However, three demonstrators in Novi Sad were recently assaulted, with blame placed on members of Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party. One victim, a young woman, sustained head injuries and was hospitalized.
Amid ongoing tensions, four individuals were arrested in connection with the attack, as confirmed by Novi Sad's prosecutor's office.
In a show of solidarity, thousands of students gathered in Novi Sad to denounce the assault on their peers.
Lazar Stojakovic, a faculty member at Belgrade University, posted a message on X, highlighting continued opposition: "Those who have been escalating tensions for the past 13 years are now attempting to defuse them. It won't work; you had been attacking us, hitting us with cars, assaulting our colleagues in Novi Sad. We will meet again on the streets."
Vucic was scheduled to address the nation at 8:00 PM local time (7:00 PM GMT).