Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević has stepped down from his role.

Vučević stated that his resignation follows an incident last night in Novi Sad where a female student was severely injured.

He expressed that he considers himself objectively accountable for the occurrence.

According to him, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić accepted his reasoning and decision.

“The party I lead, which has consistently won elections since 2012—presidential, parliamentary, and local—must exhibit utmost responsibility by implementing and demonstrating new principles in Serbian politics. We must prove we are the most responsible party,” Vučević remarked during an extraordinary press conference. “Thus, following the unfortunate incident in Novi Sad last night, I’ve made the irrevocable decision to resign as Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia.”

He added that he is resigning to avoid exacerbating societal tensions.

“Upon waking this morning, I learned about the incident in Novi Sad, where a student, a young woman named Ana, was injured due to a physical altercation that stemmed from an attempted disruption of our party’s premises. Those present believed that such actions couldn’t be ignored, leading to the conflict that continued elsewhere. I wish Ana a swift recovery, and I was informed by the director of the Clinical Center of Vojvodina that she has been discharged for home treatment at her request.”

Vučević condemned the act, stating it is “unacceptable and merits strong condemnation,” and expressed his expectation for the attackers’ arrest. “It is possible they are already in police custody and will face justice.”

He also announced the resignation of the Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić.

“I spoke with Mayor Đurić this morning, and he too will resign from his position, demonstrating accountability. By doing so, we have met some of the political demands voiced by the more radical protesters who have persistently targeted both Milan and me, seeking accountability from the President of the Republic,” Vučević explained. “The Prime Minister and the Mayor of Novi Sad acknowledge their responsibility for the occurrence, and we are resigning from our elected positions.”

He indicated that he would remain in his role until a new Prime Minister of Serbia is appointed.

“With my resignation, the entire cabinet effectively resigns, as the government is operating under resignation. We will strive to fulfill our responsibilities until a new government is formed or a different political decision is reached.”

“Designed from abroad, the goal is to threaten Serbia”

At the start of the press conference, Vučević voiced pride in the government’s accomplishments in collaboration with the president over the last nine months.

“What overshadowed this past year and the mandate of this government was the tragic incident in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, resulting in the loss of 15 lives and two severe injuries. Since then, Serbia has seemed trapped by that tragedy. Sadly, we’ve witnessed political exploitation of such tragedies and attempts to politically gain from the loss of lives,” he added.

However, he believes that there are no privileged individuals.

“We attempted to release all relevant documents that students expected to be available to the public… What creates profound repercussions for our society is a severe division—not just in terms of voter support—but in fostering a climate that teeters on the brink of conflict, where even students are counted to see who attends school, and teachers argue in assembly rooms… Those orchestrating this—I assert it was planned from abroad—attacked the most delicate aspect: children’s education. It was a despicable plan aimed at threatening Serbia as a state,” asserts Vučević.

He emphasized the necessity for dialogue, stating that “otherwise, there will be no resolution to the situation.”

Vučević mentioned the obligation to initiate steps towards reducing societal tensions.

He expressed that he could “never condone or understand many of these protests, such as life blockades, road closures, interruptions to citizens’ freedom of movement, or attacks on citizens with differing opinions, including students seeking education, and professors wishing to conduct exams.”

Vučević, along with Vučić and Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, held a press conference yesterday addressing students’ demands, during which Vučić called for an urgent government reshuffle.

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