VUČIĆ APOLOGIZES TO STUDENTS AND PROTESTERS: On the anniversary of the collapse of the canopy, he calls for peace and dialogue!

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, apologized for the things he had said about students and protesters, as well as about other people with whom he disagreed.

On the occasion of tomorrow’s anniversary of the collapse of the canopy at the Railway Station in Novi Sad, when 16 people lost their lives, he expressed condolences to the families and said that since then, the country has been in turmoil.

“Tomorrow, on November 1, I will go to church to pray to God and light a candle for each of them. I invite people to do the same. I know that in their grief some people seek comfort in gatherings; everyone mourns in the way they think is best. As long as it is done peacefully, I fully support it,” said Vučić.

He added that he knows many people are angry and feel helpless because no one has yet been identified, let alone punished, as responsible.

“That is disappointing for me as well,” Vučić said.

“I can understand the anger. I sincerely hope that answers to those questions will soon be provided. For me, it is not only important to discover what happened but also how to prevent such things from happening again—or at least to reduce them to the smallest possible degree,” said the President of Serbia.

He added that “a year after the (collapse of the canopy), I can conclude that many in our society made serious and major mistakes, myself included.”

“Many have broken rules and committed violence against the state and other people’s property. Just as some showed anger, I also regret some of the things I said. I apologize for that,” Vučić stated.

He again called for social dialogue.

“All that hatred boiling in our society brings nothing good—it leads only to greater destruction. My sincere wish is that tomorrow passes peacefully, respectfully, with more silence than shouting… blaming each other will lead us nowhere. True justice must be served, but not justice invented on the streets—justice must come from institutions. Some may think they are incapable, but they are the only ones we have, and we must support them and urge them to do their work,” Vučić said.

He added that this is necessary so that institutions work more diligently and quickly, to uncover the truth.

“Not the truth of one side or the other, but the only truth—the one supported by evidence. That is the truth all sides of society should be willing to accept. Let tomorrow be a day that unites us, not a day that tears us further apart,” Vučić said.

He also stated that those who wish to protest can continue to do so, “but with more respect toward their fellow citizens who disagree with them.”

“However, protesting itself is not a substitute for dialogue. It is good for shouting slogans but not for solving problems. Once again, I invite those who protest to come to the table, express their desire to participate in talks and debates—not through ultimatums, but as part of a conversation,” he said.

Vučić also added that Serbia will face enormous challenges in the coming weeks and months.

“They have nothing to do with tomorrow’s day. They have nothing to do with the protests. Things we have taken for granted are collapsing in today’s world. Structures that functioned for years are disappearing. The world around us is changing rapidly. Tremendous shifts are happening, and we must respond to all this in the best way—together and united,” Vučić said.

He extended his condolences to the families of the 16 people who died in Novi Sad.