Božović: SNS Delegation Suffered a Fiasco; Having Only 13 Votes Against the PACE Resolution Is a Massive Blow to the Regime

Author: N1 Belgrade

The possible use of acoustic weapons against demonstrators at the protest on March 15 last year is also mentioned in the adopted Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and having only 13 votes against this document is a massive blow to the regime in Serbia, politician and political scientist Balša Božović told N1.

The Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is a red alarm, but also one of the most precise diagnoses so far of what is happening in Serbia, Božović believes.

“For the first time, citizens who rebelled, who seek justice, and who are trying to free themselves from this authoritarian regime in a democratic way are being defended in this manner. It will be commented on in the European Parliament as well, and when the resolution on Serbia is discussed in the parliament, this resolution will be referenced,” the N1 interlocutor stated.

The delegation of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) suffered a complete fiasco, Božović pointed out.

“Because they tried in every possible way, to their great shame, to accuse the citizens of being terrorists and blockaders, while presenting the government as the victim. They also tried in every possible way to remove the mention of the acoustic weapon or sonic cannon from that resolution. Naturally, they had only 13 votes against—which is a massive blow to the regime in Serbia,” Božović said.

The discussions preceding the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe were catastrophic for Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Božović noted, adding that the entire world now views him through a different lens.

“This is a man who turned weapons on his own citizens and who has no problem ruling by keeping half the nation disenfranchised and the other half governed through fear. This is now known; these are now official documents. His strength and credibility in the international community have diminished, despite his attempts to stir up chaos here just to stay afloat,” Božović said, stating that following this resolution, “it is now a huge problem for Vučić to address the public at 9 PM and declare stolen elections as his victory.”

What is the Goal of the Legal and Political Processes Surrounding the Sonic Cannon?

Božović remarked that the government’s narrative about the sonic cannon resembles political entropy.

“This is Vučić’s only way to keep his voters tense, ramping up their fear and hatred and creating an atmosphere of total division in which he plays the defender. He entered a defensive state a long time ago; he is no longer winning… He is on the defensive now, generating such social tension that he tells his core electorate—if I am no longer in power, you are finished,” the political scientist explained.

Every day, Božović believes, Vučić reads public opinion polls, trying to find a moment to embolden himself and say—this is the right time to call an election.

“It is entirely about the emotions of his voting body; he does not care about the rest of us. He addresses his voters exclusively, telling them—look, they are tearing down the state. Ana Brnabić claims they rehearsed for months to stage a sonic cannon incident…”, he added.

When asked about the goal and scope in a political sense of the ongoing processes regarding the sonic cannon, Božović said that it is intended to divide society even deeper so that no bridges can be built. He also mentioned that the election campaign is active every single day, and that elections could be called tomorrow if favorable polling results land on Vučić’s desk.

“If they do not, it will be September or October. He is waiting, meaning it could happen any day, but it might also not happen at all. He has a scenario for that Plan B as well, where he could become Prime Minister without holding elections and push through until 2028,” Božović concluded.

What the Resolution Says and How the “Sonic Cannon” Case Unfolded

As a reminder, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Serbia on Tuesday, highlighting serious concerns over the lack of dialogue between the government and the opposition, risks to judicial independence, corruption, restrictions on freedom of association and speech, and the state of the media. The text also cited the possible use of acoustic weapons against protesters.

89 PACE representatives voted in favor of the resolution, 13 were against, and four abstained.

To recall, on March 15, 2025, the largest rally in the country’s history was organized in Belgrade following a call by students. As part of the program, a 15-minute silence was observed (another individual later succumbed to their injuries) for the victims of the roof canopy collapse in Novi Sad. However, during the 11th minute, a loud sound pierced the air, which citizens later described as sounding like a jet flyover or a vehicle approaching the crowd at high speed in Kralja Milana Street, coming from the direction of Terazije towards Slavija.

The crowd in this part of the city split into two factions, and a massive panic erupted among the people. In the days that followed, public allegations surfaced claiming that an acoustic weapon—a sonic cannon—had been deployed.

The authorities denied that any such incident took place, but it was discovered that the police do possess sonic cannons known as LRAD 450XL. Initially, officials claimed they did not own them at all, then stated they had them but kept them in storage, until the daily newspaper Danas ultimately revealed that the devices were indeed mounted on police vehicles, and that those specific vehicles were out on the streets of Belgrade that day.

Following the incident, a large number of citizens sought medical attention, reporting similar symptoms—dizziness, headaches, nausea, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

Brussels also responded to the allegations regarding the use of the sonic cannon, demanding an investigation into the event. However, by March 16, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office, led by Nenad Stefanović, had already ordered the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office to form a case to identify individuals who were “spreading false information in public” claiming that dozens of citizens were treated for symptoms at the UKCS Emergency Center.

On April 16, 2025, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that allegations concerning the use of a sonic cannon at the student protest on March 15 in Belgrade were a “pre-planned and deliberate attack on the state designed to provoke absolute instability and the violent overthrow of the constitutional order.”

He had previously announced that both the American FBI and the Russian FSB would conduct investigations into the matter. Ultimately, only the FSB published a report, which concluded: “Based on the obtained results, a categorical conclusion can be made that the LRAD-type acoustic emitter devices possessed by the law enforcement authorities of Serbia were not deployed during the protest.”

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade recently ordered the Service for Combating Terrorism of the UKP (Criminal Police Directorate) to gather information regarding documentation from multiple university plenums. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, these files mention plans to “simulate the use of a sonic cannon” at the protest on March 15, 2025. Orders were also issued to conduct interviews with individuals who publicly claimed that the “sonic cannon” was used during the protest, to have them clarify how they obtained that information and on what basis they made those assertions.