Serbia sees detentions and resignations after student-led victory

A wave of detentions and resignations has swept through Serbia in the week following the October 25 parliamentary election, where a student-led movement defeated the party of former strongman Aleksandar Vucic. The rapid changes have prompted the creation of an anonymous website that uses artificial intelligence to track developments in real time, a tool many view as a sign that Vucic's power structure is collapsing before the new government formally takes over.

Authorities have jailed several officials linked to Vucic's administration. Marko Kricak, the chief of criminal police, and another senior police official were detained on suspicion of abuse of office related to a high-profile murder investigation. On Monday, prosecutors also detained Davor Macura, the owner of Alta Bank. Macura faces charges of abuse of office after his bank's license was revoked and he was suspected of attempting to remove millions of dollars from the vault.

The new political leadership has urged prosecutors and judges to resume full duties or resign. This demand comes as scores of investigations into alleged top-level corruption remain incomplete, including a probe into a train station tragedy in November 2024. The Higher Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade issued a statement on Tuesday complaining of political pressure and an atmosphere of persecution. The office said it had informed the European Union mission and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe about the situation.

New complaints are piling up in the courts, covering incidents from suspected election fraud to violence against activists. Lawyer Ivan Ninic alleged a criminal conspiracy involving a justice ministry official and more than 30 prison wardens who pressured inmates to vote for Vucic's party. In the border town of Mali Zvornik, police detained six people accused of issuing false residence papers to Bosnian citizens to secure votes for the ruling party.

Media outlets have also shifted their stance. State television RTS overhauled its leadership and apologized for unprofessional reporting. Other previously loyal channels canceled programs, and some owners reportedly left the country. However, broadcasters Informer and Pink remain loyal to Vucic, who appears on their shows daily.

Vucic, now the leader of the opposition, maintains he is not afraid of arrest. On Sunday, he told Pink TV that he would persist through anything and denied that any evidence of wrongdoing would be found against him. He described the student-led movement as engaging in revolutionary terror. Analyst Slobodan Stupar said the expiration date for Vucic's party has passed, predicting the remaining structures will fall like dominoes.