Will Serbia’s protests change its future?
#BalkansDebrief
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15-Aug-2025
After more than nine months of peaceful, student-led marches, Serbia has been rocked by its most violent political confrontations in over a decade. Tear gas over Belgrade. Gunfire in Novi Sad. Dozens injured and detained.
At the heart is what many local and foreign observers call the worst crisis of President Aleksandar Vučić’s tenure.
Are we witnessing the turning point for Serbia’s democracy, or the start of something more dangerous?
Ilva Tare, Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, is joined on this episode of #BalkansDebrief by Professor Florian Bieber from the University of Graz and the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG), one of the leading experts on Serbia and Balkan politics.
The conversation unpacks what is driving the escalation, whether dialogue is still possible, and if these protests can truly change Serbia’s future.
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 08/15/25
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