Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević expressed his disapproval of the European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia, Tonino Picula, in an interview with Radio Free Europe, labeling it a “scandalous interference” in Serbia’s internal matters.

In an interview on February 7, Picula remarked that the ongoing protests and blockades have effectively placed Serbia in a state of emergency.

The student protests in Serbia, which commenced in November of last year, began with a blockade at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade on November 26. The primary demand from students is to arrest and prosecute those responsible for attacking them four days earlier while they were honoring the 15 victims of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse that occurred on November 1.

“It appears to me that the student and civic movement in Serbia is seeking social emancipation, or rather liberation from a state that exhibits characteristics of a captive state and a hybrid regime. Political articulation is essential, which has yet to materialize,” Picula stated.

During the RFE/RL interview, Picula further noted that it is the responsibility of the protesting students and citizens to determine their course of action, emphasizing the need for political articulation of their protests.

“His interference in our internal affairs is scandalous, particularly his public invitation to students to present political demands. I have faith that our youth are wise and love their homeland, and will reject those who seek to undermine it,” responded the Serbian Prime Minister in a written statement.

He accused Picula of harboring animosity toward Serbs, asserting that he has made various accusations against the country and labeled the church as part of a “black hand.”

“Serbia is a sovereign and democratic state, and it will never be governed by one Tonino Picula,” Vučević added.

Students throughout Serbia have united with the demands of those at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, who initially called for the release of all documentation regarding the reconstruction of the Novi Sad Railway Station, the suspension of charges against arrested protesters, and a 20 percent increase in the higher education budget. Students across the country are currently blocking more than 60 faculties at five universities.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the SNS government assert that the students’ demands have been addressed.

The students counter that President Vučić lacks the competence to meet their demands and continue their protests.

The students’ cause has garnered support from a wide array of citizens, including educators, farmers, lawyers, and healthcare employees.

Demonstrations in support of the students, who are demanding accountability for the deaths of 15 individuals in Novi Sad, have taken place in over 200 cities and towns across the nation, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants.

Following the tragic railway station incident, where 15 people lost their lives and two others sustained severe injuries, the prosecutor’s office has indicted 13 individuals, including former Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Goran Vesić, who is currently out on bail.

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