Government supporters have repeatedly driven their cars into demonstrations, and students have been hospitalised in street clashes with masked men that opposition groups accuse the government of mobilising against the largely peaceful protesters.

For a government that has committed to reforms based around democracy and the rule of a law as part of its years-long bid to join the European Union, these are heavy accusations. But despite calls from Serbian civil society groups for the EU’s leading bodies to condemn violence against peaceful protesters, and a demand by largely left-wing European deputies for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to cancel a planned meeting with Vučić next week, Brussel has kept largely quiet.

“It is clear – and to many, very disappointing – that the EU has remained silent regarding the deeply corrupt and increasingly authoritarian Vučić regime,” he said. “Back in October, Ursula von der Leyen praised ‘dear Aleksandar’ for ‘delivering on reforms, in particular on the fundamentals, as you just said, of rule of law and democracy. And you have shown that deeds follow your words’. This speaks volumes, not only about the EU’s treatment of Serbia but also about the moral degradation within the Brussels administration.”