Protests – Serbia: “We are faced with the conflict between two future”

The protests in Serbia born by students do not ebve. On 28th June there were again large demonstrations with around 150 000 participants. Since then there have always been street fights and blockages across the country. The demand is early elections and release of all arrested demonstrators. Will the students win?

That is the question of millions. In a way, they have already won when you think of the hearts and heads of the people. They have almost mobilized the whole society for the idea of justice. That was abstract enough to pull many. They also used direct actions such as marches, meetings and performances – this has given back the lost feeling of cohesion for many. In this regard, this is a great victory. But of course that doesn’t mean that they also won politically.

So in other words: Can the students win against Aleksandar Vučić and the system he created?

There are two views. Some say: No, this is not possible with such movements. Vučić is legally elected and recognized internationally. To overthrow the regime, it would need new elections. The other – rather idealistic – opinion is that students and citizens have to hold up the pressure until the system implodes by itself.

Which of the two strategies is promising?

The more realistic way is to rely on institutional solutions such as new elections. But they will also take place under the control of the regime, so they will not be really free and fair. This is the classic mechanism of changing power and supported by the EU and others. The question remains: can you beat the regime in unfair elections? This is an open question that hovers over the movement.

Interview

Igor Stiks is a writer, philosopher and professor at the Faculty of Media and Communication in Belgrade. In German, he appeared “a castle in the Romagna” (2002) and “The Archives of the Night” (2008). With Krunoslav Stojaković he published “The New Balkan Left”.

That sounds pretty pessimistic.

Yes, that’s it too. We are in a paradoxical situation: the students and many citizens have won the battle for legitimacy. The majority are behind the demands of the students. But institutional ways to change are blocked because Vučić does not allow negotiations. So we are waiting for the unexpected, like the tragedy of Novi Sad, who has changed everything.

Can such an unexpected event come back?

The unexpected can come back – maybe when the regime panic and provokes a revolt. At the same time, Vučić managed to secure support from Russia, China, the EU and probably also the USA. That has never happened before. This gives him the confidence of being able to exist against the movement.

The hypocrisy of the EU is obvious: the students fight for ideals that should actually make up the EU, but the EU prefers to support stability and economic interests, for example the lithium project in West Serbia. Citizens experience this as a betrayal of democracy and the rule of law. We are now in a phase in which Serbian and other societies in the region are more and more Latin American conditions approach: local oligarchies are used by international interests.

Is Vučić a guarantee for stability in the region?

Yes, he plays with interests, such as those of the German auto industry. The western actors rely on him because he delivers, as Ursula von der Leyen said. This is real policy: counting economic and geopolitical interests. Vučić knows how to use this. In the country itself, however, the support for him and his legitimacy are disappearing. At the same time, he undermined the institutions in Serbia and placed loyalists everywhere. His regime is closely involved with the underworld – that’s no secret.

Compared to the much smaller protests in Georgia since last October or the Euromaidan from 2014 in Ukraine, western support for the Serbian protests is zero. Trust in the EU is at the low point-curiously, Vučić is now the greatest advocate of EU membership.

With the protests you can hardly see EU flags, but mostly Serbian flags. Has the West disappeared as a model?

The protests are ideologically very different, which often confuses outsiders. The students rely on direct democracy, such as plena, which is more left. However, their demands are very liberal: they want independent judiciary, the rule of law, transparency. There are many national symbols, slogans and nationalism on the streets. This is perceived as new togetherness or even new patriotism.

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According to the tragedy from 1. November 2024 in Novi Sad was the protests. There have been many scandals and violence before. Why this movement now?

The students only became politically active after this tragedy. Before that, she was hardly interested in politics. However, society has experienced 13 years full of scandals, crime, drug smuggling and violence – everything has been thawed. The previous protests could never mobilize so many people. Now it was just too much. Sometimes you need such a trigger. We are now in a political crisis in which many people are no longer willing to simply give up.

Are there socio -economic reasons for the protests?

Sure, but it would be too easy to push everything on poverty or unemployment. Due to the opening of the country for investors and many questionable deals, there are now even more jobs. So far, Vučić has given the workers just enough to prevent an uprising. Now, however, many different layers are going on the street together against the regime because they see no future in Serbia. In addition, the fear of selling out the country and environmental degrees is great; People feel that the soil is literally pulled away from them under their feet.

The movement combines different social groups, but with further social demands I am skeptical whether this would have a mobilizing effect today. The left has lost this potential throughout Europe. In Serbia, the movement is currently fighting for the most basic democratic rights.

Has a new political culture arise in the course of the protests?

In any case. For someone who, like me, worked in the field of activist aesthetics, this is an impressive example of political creativity. The past few months have been full. It has become completely normal for many to go on demos every day, in the evening in the plenary or to political debates. This has also changed everyday life – at the moment optimism and hope are still there, but also fear of what is coming.

When the protest movement wins, the country will be shaped by courage and optimism. If the regime prevails, there will be depression and a emigration of the boys. If Vučić manages to clean the universities of critical students and professors, many will leave the country. We are faced with the conflict between two future: one that gives hope and one who takes all hope.