Serbien

The offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have been set on fire during a fifth night of unrest in a row that saw fresh clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police.

For a fifth night in a row, protests in Serbia were marked by clashes between demonstrators and police – with each side accusing the other of provoking conflict. Numerous members of the public, police officers and soldiers were injured on Wednesday night during another night of protests in Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities.

[…] In a statement, they called on the Serbian government to ensure the safety and rights of students, educators, human rights defenders, civil society actors and citizens, and to engage in meaningful dialogue with academic institutions.

A Serbian military special operations brigade has completed joint training with a Chinese brigade in China despite strong objections from the European Union and the United States. … In recent years, Serbia has expanded its military cooperation with China, including the purchase of Chinese weaponry such as the FK-3 air defense system.

A court ordered the release pending trial of eight students accused of plotting to ‘overthrow the state’, but new roadblocks set up by protesters and a contested local election kept tensions at boiling point.

Faced with mounting pressure from the authorities, Serbia's students have issued an "ultimatum" to the government to call snap elections and are urging citizens to continue the push for change.

Serbia is facing backlash from the Kremlin after it recently lashed out over Serbian-made weapons used by Ukrainian forces, but there is little sign that Belgrade is preparing to align itself with Brussels anytime soon. 

Opposition representatives on the Municipal Election Commission of Serbia’s western municipality of Kosjeric refused to adopt the results of Sunday’s local elections, citing irregularities, after the ruling party declared victory. … The votes were widely seen as a popularity test for Serbia’s ruling party and its leader, President Aleksandar Vucic.

Students who have been protesting for months in Serbia have added snap parliamentary elections to their demands, claiming that the current administration is too tainted by corruption to function properly.

Serbia has appointed a new government led by Duro Macut, a doctor and academic with no prior political experience, amid street protests that have rocked the Balkan nation. … Macut was handpicked by President Aleksandar Vucic, who has led the country since 2017. Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) controls 112 seats in parliament.