President of Serbia says he will resign from office in a few weeks

The president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said this Saturday (27) that he will resign from office within a few weeks and announced early presidential and parliamentary elections.

Vucic's announcement came after a year and a half of student-led anti-corruption protests that spread across the country following the collapse of the roof of a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, in which 16 people died.

A few days ago, in the city of Novi Sad, students paid tribute to the 2024 victims and demanded early general elections.

"I will be president for just a few weeks and then I will resign," Vucic told his supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade. Vucic's second and final term expires in mid-2027.

Vucic also said he would help his Serbian Progressive Party win elections, including early parliamentary elections originally scheduled for 2027. He did not specify when he would resign or when he might dissolve Parliament, a precondition for holding early parliamentary elections.

Protesters, the opposition and human rights groups allege the train station disaster was a sign of widespread government mismanagement of construction projects and corruption.

Activists of the student-led movement say they want to challenge Vucic and the SNS in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

Source: CNN