"It's been a week since the mass protest in Belgrade, but the students' fight against Vučić's government is not over. There are suspicions that his security forces used special weapons. If this turns out to be true, it could completely change the situation," Velt says.
The German newspaper carries an extensive analysis of the events in Serbia by journalist Tatjana Om. She herself was a direct witness to what happened in Belgrade during the commemoration of the victims from Novi Sad. She describes it this way:
"But then the silence is suddenly broken by a sound, a hundred meters away, on Kralja Milana Street. A sound that forces hundreds to flee in panic. They run towards Slavija Square, through the crowd standing there. People are crushed, pressed against the walls of buildings, falling. After a few minutes, the situation slowly calms down, partly because many managed to keep their nerves. We keep hearing the call not to panic."
The article recalls that the moment was recorded on numerous videos and that "those who were directly affected by the sound describe it as a jet flying low towards them, causing pain". It assesses that "there is suspicion that the sonic weapon was used either to disperse the crowd or to cause mass panic" and recalls that "the use of such weapons is prohibited in Serbia".
The German journalist also states that all of this has sparked major public debate. She then concludes: "The students and their protest are currently somewhat overshadowed by this discussion. Last Saturday was the peak of their fight against Vučić's system, but it is not over yet. 'This is not a sprint, this is a marathon,' said one of the speakers last week. However, if it is proven that the security forces used sonic weapons, the situation could change faster than many currently believe. The marathon could become a half-marathon."
The Balkan Spring of the European Union
The fact that the protests in Serbia and North Macedonia are now sparked by corruption is why the movement is so widespread, says Tagesschautung. "Corruption sounds harmless. A few bills here, a small favor there. But corruption has long been widespread and violent in the former Yugoslavia, even without the two deadly incidents in Novi Sad and Kočani."
"Politicians in the successor states of Yugoslavia wanted to eliminate political corruption from the communist era, and they themselves became corrupt politicians and officials. For years, one could watch as trust in the state melted faster than glaciers during climate change," the German newspaper writes.
"At the same time, trust in the European Union has also declined. Frustration and fear are building not only in Serbia and Macedonia, but also in Croatia, because the lack of judicial independence continues to flourish almost unhindered, even in one EU country. The fact that corruption in Southeast Europe is no longer ignored - despite all the tragedy of the events - finally offers the prospect of a future worth living there," the Tagesspiegel reports. It concludes: "If the EU were to consistently confront corruption, it could experience its own Balkan spring."
Deep alienation of citizens from politicians
"State failure and corruption are mobilizing citizens in Serbia and Romania, but the images from the protests could not be more different: in Serbia, young people are marching through the country, cheerful and non-violent, while just a few hundred kilometers to the east, in Romania, frustrated citizens are gathering around right-wing extremist parties," writes the Swiss Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
"If we look closely, both phenomena have similar roots: it is a deep alienation of citizens from a political class that does not achieve what it was elected to do and from institutions that can be bribed. Something is brewing in the Balkans," says the author of the article, Andreas Ernst.
"What can Europe do? Not much," the Swiss journalist believes. And he states: "First of all, there are a few things it should not do. In Romania, it should not support the questionable exclusion of right-wing extremist Calin Đorđescu from the presidential election. This non-transparent ruling has further increased distrust in the judiciary and politics, and thus the influence of extremists. Neo-fascists should be eliminated at the polling stations."
As for Serbia," the author states, "the EU should abandon the idea that Vučić is the guarantor of regional stability. He may have once been, but now that he is in serious trouble, he could become a risk. With Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west and Kosovo to the south, Serbia borders two crisis areas. Vučić has direct influence through his allies in Republika Srpska and northern Kosovo. Europe and the US (to the extent that they still care) should be on guard here. An open crisis in the neighborhood could give Vučić an excuse to stop the process of the civic movement."
The Swiss newspaper concludes: "The responsibility for greater democratization in Romania and Serbia lies with the citizens of those countries themselves. Recent years have shown that the EU's influence in the region is steadily declining. This has increased political risks, but at the same time personal responsibility and civic spirit have increased. The protests in the Balkans ultimately show that Romanians and Serbs are emancipating themselves."
Bonus video:
