Alexander Vucic took to the stage with a sprig of rosemary in his hand during a campaign rally in Novi Sad. The plant was associated with a folk song of the same name, which was played before his appearance before supporters of the "Alexander Vucic - United Serbia" party.
The event was held on October 16 at "Svoboda" Square and gathered thousands of supporters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. For Vučić, this was the first major rally in Novi Sad since the protests that followed the railway station tragedy in November 2024 began.
Rosemary and the reference to the tragedy
On November 1, 2024, 16 people died when the canopy of the Novi Sad train station collapsed. The incident sparked mass anti-government protests and became a central theme of the student movement against corruption and lack of political accountability.
In his speech, Vucic said: “Let's get to real justice, not political, and let everyone who committed a crime be held accountable.“ He accused his political opponents of using the tragedy for political purposes and said that the victims had been paid respect.
The former president also said that Novi Sad and Belgrade would be among the most contested seats in the election, but expressed confidence in his coalition's victory.
Elections are on October 25
Vucic, who is no longer the head of state, is leading the list “Alexander Vucic – United Serbia“ in the early parliamentary elections in Serbia. The vote is scheduled for October 25, and the main challenge to the ruling party comes from candidates supported by the protesting students.
The rally was attended by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik. Vucic arrived by high-speed train from Belgrade to the Petrovaradin station, then continued on foot to the center of Novi Sad.
The list's election campaign continues with a rally in Niš, scheduled for October 21. The elections will determine the composition of parliament and the political direction of Serbia after nearly two years of protests.
Sources: apnews.com, rtcg.me, tanjug.rs