Tens of thousands attend anti-government protest in Serbia's capital

Euronews

15-03-2025

Europe needs to be able to defend itself against Russia, with or without the United States. That's the consensus in Brussels in light of Donald Trump's increasing alignment with the Kremlin. The EU reacted with proposals for massive defense spending programmes worth 800 billion euros. Other countries like the United Kingdom, Canada and Turkey are part of the process too.
Are Europeans ready for a new geopolitical reality and defend itself? This comes with a hefty price tag. Germany is approaching the issue with a whatever-it-takes mentality… Should Europe be willing to do that?
Questions to this edition's guests, all of them members of the European Parliament: Li Andersson from the Left group, Krzysztof from the Socialists & Democrats and Pekka Toveri from the European People's Party (EPP).
When the Berlin Wall came down, Europe was jubilant. It symbolized the end of the Cold War - and the beginning of chronic under-investment in defense. Many European countries stopped mandatory military service and reduced arsenals and troop strength.
The gaps were filled by 100,000 U.S. troops and nuclear weapons under the NATO umbrella. That era seems to be coming to an end. Trump's dizzying changes to the post-war order leaves European leaders scrambling to re-organize Europe's own defense, no matter the hefty price tag.
The aim is twofold: to continue to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with Ukraine and to be ready for the moment that may or may not come - the moment America turns it back on Europe completely. Is Europe finally waking up and smelling the coffee brewing in Washington and Moscow?
Another topic: Trump's long-term vision of replacing taxes with tariffs has already caused nervousness among consumers - and among investors, who hate nothing more than uncertainty. Yet Washington keeps punishing its major trading partners Canada and Mexico, only to grant deferrals or exemptions the next morning. Meanwhile, the EU hit back at Trump's imposed 25% global steel and aluminum announcing retaliation. Can a trade war still be avoided?
Donald Trump hates the European Union. According to him, the bloc was only created to "screw the United States". Now he's on a mission to seek payback for past decades during which the Europeans took advantage of America, as he believes it. Is Europe prepared for an economic rollercoaster that could end up in a global recession?
Trump was elected on a pro-growth platform, but now the 'Trump bump' risks becoming the 'Trump slump' across financial markets. Can Europe escape such an economic downturn? Where should we look for support?
Finally, the panel discussed women's rights in the EU. A few days ago, the European Commission unveiled a roadmap for women's rights – the only mention of equality in its entire work programme. Last term, key legislation for equality was passed, including the Pay Transparency Directive, new EU rules on gender balance on corporate boards and the Work-Life Balance Initiative.
This time, however, equality doesn't appear to be a priority. Yet, Europe remains far from achieving gender equality, with persistent pay gaps, gender-based violence and unequal domestic labour still posing major challenges.
A deafening sound of whistles and vuvuzelas echoed throughout downtown Belgrade on Saturday as a major rally was held against populist President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.
Huge crowds converged on downtown Belgrade for the rally, which is a culmination of months of almost daily anti-corruption protests that have posed the biggest challenge to Vucic's 13-year firm grip on power in Serbia.
Many city residents came out to welcome the protesters, most of them university students, who came into Belgrade from across the country, waving flags and chanting slogans.
With public transport suspended, columns of people flowed into the city centre from nearby municipalities.
A large number of cars also headed towards the city, decorated with Serbian national flags, greet citizens with their horns, creating a carnival atmosphere.
President Vucic has repeatedly warned that violence is planned at the rally and threatened arrests over any incidents. Vucic supporters have been camping in the city centre, further fuelling fears of clashes.
Hundreds of pro-Vucic bikers also placed themselves in a line in front of Serbia's parliament, seemingly to protect it if any protesters were considering gathering in front of it.
He's also warned and repeated claims that Western intelligence services were behind the protests that aim to oust him from power.
'I do not accept blackmail, I will not agree to pressure, I am the president of Serbia and I won't allow the street to set the rules,' Vucic said.
Students have led the nationwide anti-graft movement, which started after a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station and killed 15 people in Serbia's north more than four months ago.
A 15-minute silence was held just before midday to remember the victims.
Earlier, police detained six opposition activists on suspicion of 'preparing actions against the constitutional order and security' a day after an alleged recording of their meeting was broadcast on pro-government television stations on Thursday.
'The Serbian state will do everything to secure peace,' Vucic said. 'Those disrupting peace will be arrested and severely punished.'
Previous student-led rallies in other Serbian cities have been peaceful while drawing huge crowds.
In Belgrade, tensions soared after Vucic's supporters, including former paramilitary fighters, set up a camp in a park outside the presidency building. Tractors were parked around the camp on Friday.
Authorities said that the parliament building across the street would be locked for the next three days because of security reasons. Railway traffic was suspended, along with many bus links to Belgrade.
Responding to tensions, the European Union's mission in Serbia said on Friday that 'freedom of assembly is a fundamental right' and the safety of participants and institutions must be ensured. 'Violence must be avoided,' warned the EU.
Serbia is formally seeking EU membership, but the incumbent government has been accused of stifling democratic freedoms while strengthening relations with Russia and China.
Russia announced on Friday that its forces had recaptured another settlement in the Kursk region previously held by Ukraine. The Russian Defence Ministry specified in a statement that it had reclaimed the settlement of Goncharovka, in addition to 28 other settlements in western Kursk over the past week.
Russian state media released a video on Friday showing drone footage from Sudzha to support their recapture claims.
Sudzha, with a reported population of about 5,000 people before the offensive, was the biggest town seized by Ukrainian forces last year as part of their surprise cross-border offensive.
Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Thursday that Russian aircraft conducted so many strikes on Kursk, adding that Sudzha was almost completely destroyed. Kyiv says it was able to successfully repel close to two-dozen Russian attacks in the region.
He did not comment on whether Ukraine still controlled the settlement, but says Ukraine was 'manoeuvring troops to more advantageous' positions.
The Kremlin says that Ukrainian forces suffered major losses in military assets in their counteroffensive. A spokesperson for the defence ministry note that more than 260 Ukrainian troops were killed in Russian operations.
Additionally, five armoured personnel carriers, two combat armoured vehicles, four artillery pieces, two mortars and three UAV control points on the frontlines in Kursk were destroyed.
More than 200 civilians were evacuated from their homes in Sudzha during the Russian offensive. The Kremlin says evacuees were moved into temporary shelters until the settlement is deemed safe for civilians.