Schmitt: Shameful that the West is not supporting students in Serbia, but Vučić's regime

Why the protest movement is more dangerous for Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić than previous protests and what role the West plays in the political crisis - explanations by historian and member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Oliver Jens Schmitt.

In an interview published on the website of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, history professor Oliver Jens Schmitt from the University of Vienna spoke at length about the protests in Serbia, which erupted in early November after part of the roof of the train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 15 people. When asked how these current protests in Serbia differ from previous demonstrations in the country, Oliver Jens Schmitt replied: “In the past, the Serbian government was able to suppress any rebellion through concessions, intimidation, threats and, above all, through great pressure on the leaders of each rally. The current protests are different: they unite different social groups, mainly students. And: this movement has no leaders who can be attacked or labeled by the regime. What is particularly dangerous for the government is that the protests are not limited to large cities like Belgrade or Novi Sad, but are spreading throughout the country.”

Regarding the reasons why students became the main force of the protests, Schmitt has this explanation: "Young people suffer especially much from this situation. The country is under the complete control of the ruling party. There is no life perspective beyond the power apparatus of Aleksandar Vučić. In Serbia, few people manage to secure a good job if they are not in some way connected to the political system. These dependencies are not only dysfunctional, but also corrupt. Students see this critically and feel isolated. Many of them even leave the country. However, those who take to the streets are fighting for a better life in their country. The terrible accident (in Novi Sad) is a symbol of everything that is not working in this country."

Professor Schmitt criticized the West for supporting Vučić's regime. According to him, the West has supported this system for a long time: "Vučić would not be in power if he had not had the support of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and now also of Olaf Scholz as a pillar of stability. Even the lithium pact, which Serbia signed with the EU, supports the president. Vučić, the former propaganda minister of Slobodan Milošević, is a hatemonger who has never deviated from his nationalist course. The fact that the spy software comes from Western countries, including Switzerland, is another scandal. The demonstrators who are now taking to the streets do not enjoy the slightest support from the West. This is shameful."

Regarding Russia's role, Schmitt added: "Russia supports Vučić, but he also receives support from other foreign actors, including the EU and the US. For the protesters, this is a difficult situation, as they are largely left alone. The EU, which is closer geographically and politically, shows little interest in the political situation. This raises the question of what the EU wants to see in Serbia – other than a supplier of raw materials, kept under control by an authoritarian ruler. The lack of a clear strategy and support is disappointing and, moreover, cynical and short-term."