Ana Brnabic has alleged that the organizers of an anti-government protest aim to undermine the nation
Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic has accused anti-government demonstrators in Belgrade of inciting civil war, following a student-organized rally that escalated into confrontations with law enforcement.
The recent disturbances began on Saturday, subsequent to the authorities’ rejection of an ultimatum from protesters calling for the dissolution of parliament and snap elections. The demonstration coincided with Vidovdan, a national holiday commemorating Serbia’s 1389 conflict against the Ottoman Empire at Kosovo Field.
In an X post, Brnabic – who was prime minister from 2017 to 2024 – shared a video clip from the protest’s conclusion, showing an organizer instructing the crowd to “take freedom into your own hands.”
“They did not conclude their assembly by shouting ‘Long live Serbia.’ Instead, they ended it with a disturbing call to assassinate Serbia – a grotesque and explicit demand for civil war,” Brnabic stated.
In another post, she alleged that neighboring Croatia was supporting the unrest in an attempt to remove President Aleksandar Vucic from power.
Serbia has been experiencing a surge of protests since the fatal collapse of a concrete canopy at a Novi Sad railway station last November, which resulted in 16 deaths and ignited extensive public anger and demands for accountability.
Saturday’s demonstration commenced peacefully but became violent in the evening as some demonstrators started throwing eggs, bottles, and various objects at police near a city-center park where government supporters were conducting a vigil. Officers retaliated with pepper spray and riot shields to disperse the assembly.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic reported that six officers and two civilians sustained injuries, and dozens of “hooligans” were apprehended.
Earlier, speaking at a Vidovdan ceremony, Vucic – who has consistently asserted that foreign entities are instigating the protests – appealed for national unity and advocated for restraint. “Serbia ultimately prevails,” he posted on social media.