Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó received Serbian Minister of EU Integration Tanja Miščević in Budapest on Thursday, where they discussed a wide range of challenges facing both countries. Among the key issues addressed were the months-long anti-government protests in Serbia. Szijjártó described the demonstrations as an attempt at a ‘colour revolution’, arguing that Serbia serves as a prime example of how foreign forces seek to destabilize patriotic governments in Central and Eastern Europe.
‘In recent years, international actors have repeatedly inspired colour revolutions around the world. And these colour revolutions have all ended in tragedies, destabilizing entire regions for long periods of time,’ Szijjártó emphasized. While condemning such efforts, the Hungarian foreign minister expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for ending Washington’s foreign policy of meddling in other nations’ domestic affairs—a reference to the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to programmes funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). During the first weeks of Trump’s second presidency, an extensive network of NGOs and media outlets was exposed for promoting a globalist agenda and working to destabilize governments that refused to accept it—all funded by US taxpayers through USAID.
‘Some political and media actors have served and continue to serve foreign interests in our countries. We need to investigate which political and media actors rely on foreign funding,’ Szijjártó stated. He then underlined that Hungary is committed to supporting Serbia’s stability and peace, stressing that the two countries are strategically interdependent in key areas.
Months-Long Protests
Serbia has faced anti-government protests since November 2024, following the collapse of a railway canopy in Novi Sad that killed 15 people. The tragedy fuelled allegations of corruption, leading to strikes, road blockades, and multiple resignations, including that of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević. In an attempt to restore stability, President Aleksandar Vučić proposed a confidence referendum on his leadership; however, the vote never materialized.
Tensions escalated last week when opposition MPs, in a well-coordinated action, disrupted a session of the Serbian parliament, resulting in clashes that left three people injured. Meanwhile, amid Trump’s sweeping reforms at USAID, Serbia has launched investigations into the alleged misuse of US funds by local organizations. Vučić has claimed that Western powers have spent $3 billion to remove him from office, accusing them of orchestrating the ongoing unrest. Serbian Deputy Minister Aleksandar Vulin has also warned of a potential colour revolution, alleging foreign interference in the protests.
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