Vučić set to visit Novi Sad after at least seven unfulfilled announcements, as assemblies prepare to tell him he is not welcome

After 22 months and at least seven public announcements, Aleksandar Vučić is now expected to appear in Novi Sad on September 4. The Serbian president has repeatedly said he would visit the city, but residents have seen him there only once in the past year and a half, through social media footage of him eating an “indeks” sandwich.

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Today I will set aside 15 minutes to walk around Novi Sad

This time, supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party say they are preparing to stand alongside him at Freedom Square. Novi Sad Mayor Žarko Mićin said people were calling the party’s city committee because they wanted to attend. The exact details of the gathering, however, have not been officially announced.

Opposition to the visit is also taking shape. Novi Sad assemblies are preparing what they describe as a peaceful and dignified gathering. Mihajlo Ždrnja said people were angered by events in Užice and accused the authorities of repeating a pattern involving large numbers of police and people from criminal structures. He also said he feared the use of chemical agents, citing an earlier incident.

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We are thinking about Novi Sad, whether for June 28 or July 5

Political scientist Duško Radosavljević said Vučić had “painted himself into a corner,” while journalist Aleksandar Latas predicted a large anti-government turnout, possible blockades and a heavy police presence. Latas also said SNS gatherings were tightly controlled and could include public-sector workers and groups accused of assaulting citizens who opposed them.

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People are massively calling the City Board of the Serbian Progressive Party and want to be at Freedom Square that Friday, to stand with our president Vučić

A pro-president rally has been announced, but not with a precise time or formal public call. The expected start is around 6 p.m. at Freedom Square, while restaurant owners have reportedly said they will not operate outdoor terraces there that day. N1’s interlocutors consider a presidential walk through the city unlikely because of the expected blockades.

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People are outraged by the way things unfolded in Užice. This is the modus operandi of this government, which repeatedly uses the same patterns: a large number of police, and behind the police people from criminal structures who terrorize the population