Sources also suggest that Vucic’s administration is collaborating with criminal organisations implicated in the 1999 murder of the Bytyqi brothers—three American citizens of Albanian descent. It is believed that one group, under Radosavljevic’s leadership, has been tasked with infiltrating the protests to incite violence, thereby justifying a forceful police response.

Amidst these developments, concerns about Vucic’s grip on power are intensifying. Reports indicate his family has been covertly relocated outside Serbia for their safety; his son is now in Switzerland, and his daughter in Germany. Furthermore, President Vucic is reportedly solidifying international alliances, including with Donald Trump Jr., who made a contentious visit to Belgrade this week. Sources claim Trump Jr. received an additional $10 million for his trip, purportedly to bolster Vucic’s image as having Washington’s support.

The president is also said to be maintaining a precarious balance with Moscow, amidst speculation of weakening ties. With analysts predicting that the scale of Saturday’s demonstration could be pivotal, Vucic faces mounting pressure from Western governments, Russian authorities, and now, significantly, his own citizens. “If the expected numbers turn out, it could mark the beginning of the end for Vucic’s tenure,” stated experts from Whitehall to The Gunpowder Chronicles.

In related news, there has been criticism from figures like Grenell, who has condemned student demands for a progressive Serbia¹. Additionally, Milan Radoicic, a staunch ally of Vucic’s operations and wanted in Kosovo on charges related to attempts to annex northern Kosovo in September 2023, is believed to be orchestrating a particular criminal group that is reportedly set to disrupt Saturday’s protest violently.

A Nation Rising: The Background of Serbia’s Student-Led Protests
The upcoming rally is the culmination of months of nationwide protests led by university students, marking one of the most significant uprisings in Serbia since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The movement erupted in response to the Novi Sad tragedy last November, when a concrete canopy at a railway station collapsed, killing 15 people. Many blamed the disaster on corruption and government negligence, sparking a wave of student-led demonstrations across the country.

According to The Guardian², students in Serbia have organised some of the largest youth-led protests in Europe since 1968. The movement has been characterised by its decentralised leadership, peaceful tactics, and an emphasis on democratic decision-making.

Uros Pantovic (left), a 22-year-old law student, joined tens of thousands of other protesters to block one of the Serbian capital’s main intersections. [Photograph: Jeanne Frank/The Guardian]
“We’re here to tell our government that it’s accountable to us,” Uros Pantovic, a 22-year-old law student from Belgrade, told the newspaper. “I came here to help people because the government tries to screw us over in many ways.”

Despite the largely peaceful nature of the protests, riot police have clashed with demonstrators on multiple occasions. Earlier this week, police used batons to break up a blockade outside the Serbian state television station, RTS. Students accuse the broadcaster of biased reporting and acting as a mouthpiece for Vučić’s administration. During a televised interview on Monday, Vucic dismissed the student movement as “a mob” and warned that security forces would respond with force at Saturday’s demonstration.

“You will have to kill me if you want to replace me,” he declared.

In recent months, protesters have gained widespread support from the Serbian public, with rallies drawing tens of thousands in cities such as Nis, Novi Sad, and Belgrade. Many Serbians see the movement as a broader fight against corruption and political dysfunction. “Accidents like the terrible one in Novi Sad could have been prevented if only the simplest of regulations were followed,” one protester told The Guardian. “But the government showed its incompetence.”

Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have maintained a firm grip on power since 2012, facing repeated accusations of suppressing media freedom, rigging elections, and stifling political dissent. The protests, however, have shaken the regime. Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned last month in response to public pressure, but students remain resolute in their demands for systemic reform. “We are not just fighting the regime,” student leader Jovan Stikis said. “We are fighting for the system to be changed.”

As the weekend approaches, tensions continue to rise. Vucic’s rhetoric has become increasingly aggressive, warning that the protests will end in mass arrests. At the same time, opposition leaders and civil society groups fear the government is preparing for a violent crackdown. Reports of Red Berets and criminal groups being deployed to infiltrate the protests only heighten concerns of potential bloodshed.

Despite the threats, protesters remain defiant. “We’re only going to stop when they give us what we ask for,” student activist Tina Pribicevic told The Guardian³.