Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Embattled Serbian President Not Running In Elections
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
BELGRADE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, facing protests over his perceived authoritarian style, says he does not intend to run in the next presidential election.
Vucic made the announcement on Wednesday after talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, following violent rallies against his rule in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.
Officials said nearly 70 people were injured in the overnight protests, including 16 police officers. Several people were reportedly detained.
It was the latest in a series of rallies involving thousands after the canopy of the central railway station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed in November onto a busy pavement below, killing 16 people and severely injuring one more.
The station building was constructed in 1964 and was renovated from 2021 to mid-2024 with support from China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation, but protesters view it as another case of corruption.
“I am a political veteran; I can no longer run for president,” Vucic stressed.
He pledged to end his presidential career “in a year and a half” and insisted he had no plans to change the country’s Constitution to remain in power. In addition, he agreed to allow early elections for the Serbian parliament.
GREATER PROGRESS
The move comes amid mounting pressure on Vucic to allow more democratic reforms, as critics voice concerns over his perceived close ties with the leaderships of China and Russia.
Austrian Chancellor Stocker said in Belgrade that he would support reforms in Serbia, which seeks to join the European Union.
“The greater the progress, the greater the steps toward the European Union,” he told reporters after meeting Vucic.
Stocker noted that Serbia and Austria are connected by common history and people. “The Serb community in Austria includes more than 300,000 people; they are an important segment of our society, and it cannot be imagined without them. Accordingly, our economic relations are a strong foundation of partnership,” he said.
Austria is the third-largest investor in Serbia, with more than 800 companies providing around 25,000 jobs, the chancellor added.
Stocker emphasized that stability in the Western Balkans “is vital for Austria and the EU” and that it is essential to protect the region from “destabilization attempts.”
The Austrian chancellor visited Belgrade on Wednesday, August 13, and met Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut. Vucic is a close ally of both Putin and Hungary’s pro-Russia Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Thursday that Iran has lost its ability to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles following nearly three weeks of coordinated U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.
Israel dramatically expanded its military campaign against Iran, striking Iranian Navy targets in the Caspian Sea for the first time since the launch of “Operation Roaring Lion,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com