Serbian prime minister-designate Djuro Macut proposed a 30-member cabinet to parliament on April 14, more than two months after the resignation of his predecessor Milos Vucevic amid mass protests sparked by a fatal infrastructure collapse.

Macut, a medical professor with no prior political experience, was nominated by President Aleksandar Vucic on April 6 in a move widely seen as an attempt to restore public trust after months of unrest. His proposed cabinet retains many figures from the previous administration, with just eight new appointees.

16 people died as a result of the accident on November 1, 2024, when the canopy of Novi Sad railway station collapsed. The tragedy triggered a wave of student-led demonstrations, which escalated after the government’s heavy-handed reaction to public memorials for the victims. Vucevic resigned in January, but protests, blockades and campus occupations have persisted.

Despite expectations of a government overhaul, most key figures from the previous administration remain. Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Health Minister Zlatibor Loncar are among the ministers set to continue in their roles. Five ministers without portfolio will also remain, along with several others shuffled into new positions.

Three newcomers – Boris Bratina, Bela Balint and Demo Berisa – hail from Vucic’s newly formed Movement for People and State. Dejan Vuk Stankovic, a political analyst and media commentator, is expected to become education minister, while Vucic’s agriculture adviser, Dragan Glamocic, is tapped for the top agriculture post.

The cabinet line-up will be submitted for parliamentary approval on April 15, a government statement said.

Macut is a specialist in reproductive medicine with academic credentials from the University of Belgrade and international institutions including the World Health Organization (WHO). Until recently unknown to the wider public, he rose to prominence this year for supporting the government’s stance against the student protests. 

There is speculation that Vucic may be betting on Macut’s non-partisan profile to quell dissatisfaction. However, the continuity within the cabinet and the president’s dominant political role suggest change will be limited.

The new appointments followed a weekend during which Vucic rallied his supporters, staging a three-day rally in Belgrade under the slogan “We will not give up Serbia”. The event, seen as a show of strength by Vucic, is part of officials’ attempts to counter the months-long protest movement.