(MENAFN) Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, demanding the dissolution of Serbia’s parliament and the announcement of early elections. The protests mark the latest surge in unrest following eight months of intermittent demonstrations, originally sparked by the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station in Novi Sad last November, which killed 16 people.

The latest rally was organized after the government ignored an ultimatum from student groups, who had called for a formal announcement to dissolve parliament by 9 p.m. Saturday. Protesters warned that failure to meet their demands would result in acts of civil disobedience.

Footage from the scene showed large crowds gathering in Slavija Square, chanting anti-government slogans and displaying a massive Serbian flag.

The Serbian government dismissed the ultimatum, with President Aleksandar Vucic stating that while the administration is willing to listen, it will not yield to demands. He also cautioned against violence and suggested that foreign actors were attempting to destabilize the country, branding the protests a potential "color revolution."

Speaking earlier on Saturday, Vucic reaffirmed this belief, accusing unnamed foreign powers of inciting the unrest. “The country will be defended, and those inciting chaos will face consequences,” he said.
The protests coincided with Vidovdan, Serbia’s most significant national and religious holiday, observed on June 28.

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