Serbia’s prime minister resigns as anti-corruption protests grow

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s populist Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said Tuesday he is stepping down following weeks of massive anti-corruption protests over the deadly collapse of a concrete canopy in November.

“It is my unconditional decision to resign,” Vucevic said at a press conference.

The canopy collapse, which killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad, has become a flashpoint reflecting wider discontent with the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic. He has faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms in Serbia despite formally seeking European Union membership for the troubled Balkan nation

Vucevic’s resignation is likely to lead to an early parliamentary election. The resignation must be confirmed by Serbia’s parliament, which has 30 days to choose a new government or call a snap election.