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Building Civic Resilience: Challenges and Solutions in Central Europe
12 December 2024
In a carefully orchestrated spin – planned for months in advance – President Vučič had sought to extend his grip on Serbia with a new national movement, aiming to unite centrist and right-wing voters. Everything was going well until mass shootings in May sparked the country’s largest protests in decades.
Tens of thousands of Serbs marched through the streets of Belgrade for the third time in a month last Friday. Some waved flags while others held up handmade placards; almost all wore solemn expressions of grief and frustration.
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The crowd was there to protest against guns, against the continued violence in society – epitomised by two tragic mass shootings which occurred within days of each other earlier in the month. They were also calling for political action, the revoking of broadcasting licenses for two TV networks and the resignation of the interior minister, Bratislav Gasic, as well as the pro-Russian head of intelligence, Aleksandar Vulin.