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Serbian Professor Accuses Regime of Attempting to Criminalize Student Movement
🇷🇸 Serbia /Crime & Justice

Serbian Professor Accuses Regime of Attempting to Criminalize Student Movement

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A Serbian professor suggests President Aleksandar Vučić is pressuring public and private sector employees to secure support, potentially influencing election outcomes.
  • The professor views accusations of students simulating protest tactics as a regime strategy to discredit the student movement after failing to lure them into early political traps.
  • The government's claims are dismissed as absurd, with the professor arguing the regime is seeking distractions amid recent scandals.

Zoran Stojiljkovic, a retired professor and member of the UGS Nezavisnost Council, alleges that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is actively testing his ability to garner support through pressure tactics on employees in both public and private sectors. Stojiljkovic indicated to N1 television that the absence of early July elections suggests these efforts may not have produced the desired results. He believes the regime remains fixated on maintaining power, employing all available means to control election outcomes.

"He (President Aleksandar Vučić) finds it important that the other side, if it is in balance somewhere, be absorbed by a number of lists that will fall below the threshold or by individuals through a relatively discreet import of the electorate. He is working on that with the law on foreigners," Stojiljkovic explained, suggesting a strategy to dilute opposition support.

He (President Aleksandar Vučić) finds it important that the other side, if it is in balance somewhere, be absorbed by a number of lists that will fall below the threshold or by individuals through a relatively discreet import of the electorate. He is working on that with the law on foreigners.

— Zoran StojiljkovicExplaining President Vučić's alleged strategy to manipulate election outcomes by influencing voter lists and foreign electorate import.

Regarding recent accusations that students faked the use of a "sound cannon" during a March 15, 2025, protest, Stojiljkovic interprets this narrative as a calculated move to discredit the student movement. He argues that since students have resisted early political maneuvering, the regime has shifted its focus to criminalization. "Since he sees see that (the students) will not fall for it by coming out too early with a list, then he will smear everyone who is there," the professor stated.

Stojiljkovic dismissed the official government claims as baseless, highlighting the absurdity of suggesting that tens of thousands of citizens could coordinate a mass performance leading to genuine medical interventions. He concluded that the regime is desperately seeking a "fierce" distraction following recent scandals, such as the murder case in Senjak, but cautioned that such extreme narratives are increasingly losing public credibility.

Since he sees see that (the students) will not fall for it by coming out too early with a list, then he will smear everyone who is there.

— Zoran StojiljkovicDescribing the regime's alleged shift to discrediting the student movement through criminalization tactics.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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