Serbia’s Election Winners Reject Russia Sanctions, Defying Vučić’s Predictions

Serbia’s victorious Student List has ruled out imposing sanctions on Russia or ending Russian gas imports, rejecting European Commission pressure and directly contradicting outgoing leader Aleksandar Vučić’s prediction that the country would change course within months.

Jovo Bakić, a representative of the student-backed movement that won Sunday’s snap parliamentary election, told RT Balkan that Serbia would maintain its existing approach to Moscow, citing historical ties and the limited impact of sanctions imposed by a smaller country.

"We respect Russia, both as a great power and as a historically important partner, and in many cases, as a protector. There will be no changes in this regard. Sanctions that a small Serbia would impose on Russia would change nothing, but from a symbolic point of view, it would be very bad," Bakić said.

Student List Rejects Vučić’s Sanctions Forecast

The declaration challenges a central warning made by Vučić during the election campaign and repeated after he conceded defeat on October 25.

"It won't pass until March or April, you will have sanctions introduced against the Russian Federation," Vučić said after acknowledging his party’s defeat.

Five days before the election, Vučić had suggested an even faster reversal, claiming sanctions would follow within 10 days of a new government taking office.

He portrayed a potential change in Russia policy as one of the principal consequences of removing his administration from power.

Bakić’s remarks instead indicate that the incoming parliamentary majority intends to preserve Serbia’s refusal to join Western sanctions against Moscow.

Russian Gas Supplies Remain A Priority

The Student List has also rejected the prospect of abandoning Russian natural gas, despite European Commission demands for Serbia to align its policies more closely with those of the EU.

Bakić said the movement would approach energy decisions according to Serbia’s domestic priorities rather than external expectations.

"We are not here to satisfy foreigners, but to work in our national interest," he said.

Serbia remains heavily reliant on Russian gas, which has historically accounted for more than 80% of its requirements.

The country has maintained energy ties with Moscow through successive short-term gas arrangements while pursuing alternative supply routes, including connections involving Azerbaijan and neighboring European markets.

The EU has sought closer foreign-policy alignment from Serbia, an accession candidate, including restrictions on Russia and a reduced dependence on Russian energy.

The Student List’s position suggests that a change of government will not automatically translate into a shift toward Brussels on either issue.

Election Victory Ends Vučić’s Grip On Power

The October 25 election brought an end to more than a decade of political dominance by Vučić’s ruling camp.

Preliminary results indicated that the Student List had secured approximately 52.5% of the vote, compared with about 39% for Vučić’s United Serbia alliance.

Independent projections suggested that the student-backed movement could control roughly 140 seats in Serbia’s 250-member parliament, sufficient to govern without a coalition partner.

Vučić acknowledged the outcome on election night.

"Based on a stratified sample, it is clear that we have lost this election. The student blockade list won," he said.

The movement emerged from nearly two years of student-led protests following the November 2024 collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people.

The disaster triggered demonstrations over corruption and government accountability, eventually developing into a nationwide political movement.

Foreign Policy Continuity Despite Political Upheaval

The Student List had already signaled before the election that it would maintain Serbia’s opposition to sanctions against Russia.

In a September 30 foreign-policy statement, the movement reaffirmed that position, citing Serbia’s historical experience with international sanctions and questioning their effectiveness in resolving conflicts.

Its platform also supports continued military neutrality and maintains Serbia’s constitutional position on Kosovo.

The EU remains Serbia’s principal economic partner, but the movement’s Russia policy highlights potential limits to foreign-policy alignment with Brussels.

Although the Student List appears positioned to form a majority government, its future leadership and the implementation of its energy and sanctions policies will depend on the formation of the new administration.

For now, the election has produced a decisive change in Serbia’s political leadership without the immediate break with Moscow that Vučić had predicted.