Serbian Student List Names High-Profile Team to Challenge Vucic

The student-backed political movement in Serbia has formalized its candidate list, featuring prominent figures from economics, sports, and culture who pledged to overhaul government operations. The group, which recently secured an electoral victory, aims to replace the current administration with a team focused on accountability and institutional reform. These candidates bring specific professional backgrounds to their roles, ranging from central banking to cardiography.

Dejan Soskic, a 59-year-old economist who served as governor of the National Bank of Serbia from 2010 to 2012, is the only list member with high-profile government experience. Since leaving that post, he has consistently criticized corruption in the country. He stated that this issue is much more prevalent in Serbia than in neighboring countries. Soskic promised that his administration would fire ineffective staff from government positions and launch investigations into the property ownership of public officials.

On foreign policy, Soskic criticized Western sanctions against Russia and called for a revised approach from Brussels toward the Kremlin. He also vowed to accelerate reforms required for Serbia's European Union membership. The final decision on accession, he said, would be determined by a referendum.

Ilija Srdanovic, a 56-year-old cardiologist and professor at the University of Novi Sad, was named the lead candidate for the movement in September. He has not ruled out becoming prime minister but noted that the list has more than one candidate for every position. Srdanovic said the group will prioritize tackling organized crime and corruption. He supported Serbia's claims on Kosovo and insisted that citizens would make the final call on EU entry.

Dejan Bodiroga, a 53-year-old former basketball star and current president of Euroleague Basketball, is described by Serbian media as the list's most famous name. His political positions are less defined than those of his colleagues. He condemned the government's treatment of student protesters, specifically its portrayal of them as terrorists. During rallies, he urged the public to fight for freedom, dignity, and a society built on mutual respect rather than division.

Estela Radonjic Zivkov, a cultural heritage expert, gained prominence during a scandal involving plans for a Trump-branded hotel on the site of Belgrade's NATO-damaged General Staff building. While serving as deputy director of the Republic Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, she accused the government of violating heritage laws to approve the project. She was later removed from that role. Zivkov said her priority would be to restore independence to protection institutions so experts can decide based solely on law and professional rules, without political or economic pressure.

Engineer Zoran Djajic, 71, was among the first to publicly blame corruption for the fatal collapse of the Novi Sad railway station canopy. He photographed and reported on poor construction at the site while working as a stonework consultant until 2023. He was arrested in April 2025 after calling for the death penalty for then-president Aleksandar Vucic. Following the electoral victory, Djajic vowed that Vucic would face charges of high treason and wrote that the time of truth and justice is coming.

Tihomir Stanic, a 65-year-old actor from Bosnia-Herzegovina, resigned from Belgrade's Academy of Arts in October 2025 along with several colleagues. They cited a gross violation of academic practice and integrity that culminated in threats to students. Stanic called for politics to be removed from Serbia's cultural institutions. He claimed the Vucic government began determining who would manage theaters, how they would function, and who would work or be punished.