Vucic: Blockades “pure thuggery,” when violence can no longer be tolerated, it’ll be over

“The moment we can no longer tolerate this violence, it’ll be over,” Vucic told reporters in Cacak while visiting the construction site of a section of the highway between Preljina and Pozega.

Vucic described the blockades as acts of violence, calling every one of them “pure thuggery.” He stressed that it’s crucial for people to recognize this and increasingly condemn it.

He claimed that student protests, which began last November following the collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad train station that killed 16 people, have “destroyed the country” over the past six months.

Vucic noted that no one has formally requested snap elections, despite some students and opposition groups floating the idea.

He added that, since the protests and blockades began six months ago, the students haven’t made any specific demands of him, as he’s “not the relevant authority” for their demands. Vucic said he never thought of the students as “flip-flopping opportunists without ideas or ideals.”

The president also said he feels like a “free man” in every part of Serbia and vowed to visit all 17 cities where local communities have declared him persona non grata.

This comes after Vladeta Jankovic, a retired professor from the University of Belgrade, remarked that Vucic’s popularity has “plummeted dramatically” since the student protests began. Jankovic called it “staggering” that 17 Serbian cities have labeled their head of state persona non grata.

Next two weeks critical for Serbia on the global stage

Vucic also highlighted that the next two weeks will be pivotal for Serbia internationally, as he is scheduled to meet with key politicians from several countries, potentially including US President Donald Trump.

“I’ll be meeting with very important officials, possibly Trump, though I don’t have confirmation yet. We’re also hosting several European leaders—Marta Kos, Kaja Kallas, Antonio Costa, among others, all within the next 15 days. Plus, a trip to Moscow,” Vucic told reporters.