by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
BELGRADE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, facing protests over his perceived authoritarian style, says he does not intend to run in the next presidential election.
Vucic made the announcement on Wednesday after talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, following violent rallies against his rule in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.
Officials said nearly 70 people were injured in the overnight protests, including 16 police officers. Several people were reportedly detained.
It was the latest in a series of rallies involving thousands after the canopy of the central railway station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed in November onto a busy pavement below, killing 16 people and severely injuring one more.
The station building was constructed in 1964 and was renovated from 2021 to mid-2024 with support from China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but protesters view it as another case of corruption.
“I am a political veteran; I can no longer run for president,” Vucic stressed.
He pledged to end his presidential career “in a year and a half” and insisted he had no plans to change the country’s Constitution to remain in power. In addition, he agreed to allow early elections for the Serbian parliament.
GREATER PROGRESS
The move comes amid mounting pressure on Vucic to allow more democratic reforms, as critics voice concerns over his perceived close ties with the leaderships of China and Russia.
Austrian Chancellor Stocker said in Belgrade that he would support reforms in Serbia, which seeks to join the European Union.
“The greater the progress, the greater the steps toward the European Union,” he told reporters after meeting Vucic.
Stocker noted that Serbia and Austria are connected by common history and people. “The Serb community in Austria includes more than 300,000 people; they are an important segment of our society, and it cannot be imagined without them. Accordingly, our economic relations are a strong foundation of partnership,” he said.
Austria is the third-largest investor in Serbia, with more than 800 companies providing around 25,000 jobs, the chancellor added.
Stocker emphasized that stability in the Western Balkans “is vital for Austria and the EU” and that it is essential to protect the region from “destabilization attempts.”
The Austrian chancellor visited Belgrade on Wednesday, August 13, and met Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut. Vucic is a close ally of both Putin and Hungary’s pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A growing chorus of Iranian hardliners is openly calling for the Islamic Republic to pursue nuclear weapons, as internal divisions intensify amid ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel—two nations the regime has long targeted with chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Finland’s top court has convicted a Christian politician, a Lutheran bishop, and his church foundation of “hate speech” after they published Christian views on homosexuality, sex, and marriage in a pamphlet 22 years ago.
The Pentagon is considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East, a move that would significantly strengthen President Donald Trump’s position as his administration confronts the Iranian regime while keeping diplomatic options on the table.
Senate Democrats on March 26 unanimously rejected a Republican-backed amendment to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act that would have required voters to present photo identification to cast a ballot, marking another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over election integrity.
Senate Republicans are urging Donald Trump to consider declaring a national emergency to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are paid, as a funding standoff over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatens to disrupt travel during the busy spring holiday season, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is now actively focused on “dismantling Hezbollah” as part of its broader campaign against Iran, declaring the military effort remains “in full swing” despite reports suggesting otherwise.
Meta and YouTube are appealing a $6 million-plus ruling that held them liable for social media addiction.