According to “Serbian Economist”, the political movement “Students’ List” (Studentska lista) has presented a plan for a large-scale reform of the Serbian Armed Forces. Unlike the plans of Aleksandar Vučić’s former administration, the document does not call for the reinstatement of mandatory military service.
Instead of mass conscription, it proposes developing a professional army, raising salaries for military personnel, modernizing weaponry, and supporting the domestic defense industry.
What are the young people proposing?
The program calls for six months of voluntary service, involving approximately 3,000 people annually.
Conditions:
• Monthly payments starting at 20,000 dinars.
• Service time to count toward work experience.
• The opportunity to join the professional army after training. The organizers expect that 25–30% of volunteers will choose this path.
Voluntary military service already exists in Serbia. The proposal concerns changes to its format and conditions.
Salaries, Benefits, and Mortgages for Military Personnel
The program provides for an increase in base salaries, as well as additional payments for night shifts, on-call duty, and hazardous assignments.
The proposal includes introducing government-backed housing loans for service members at an annual interest rate of 1–2%.
There are also plans to form an active reserve of 3,000 service members on permanent contracts.
Reservists may be called up for service for up to 45 days annually. They are promised a stipend, a field allowance of approximately 5,000 dinars, an additional annual payment or a 5–10% bonus, as well as benefits when seeking employment in the public sector.
New Air Defense System and Factory Modernization
The “Student List” proposes creating an integrated, multi-tiered air defense system, SOVA 24, covering the territory of Serbia.
A separate focus area is the modernization of military aviation, the development of domestic electronics and software, and the re-equipment of defense enterprises.
There are plans to establish a National Center for Military Electronics in collaboration with engineering faculties.
Audit of defense contracts
The program also calls for an independent audit of government procurement, production, and arms exports.
It is proposed to reopen investigations into the deaths of two National Guard soldiers in Topčider in 2004, the crash of a Mi-17 military helicopter in 2015, and other high-profile incidents.
The main difference in the new program is its focus on a professional army rather than the reinstatement of mandatory conscription.
However, the measures presented are, for now, merely political proposals. Their implementation will require corresponding decisions by the authorities and funding from the state budget.
According to the Serbian business media outlet Parametar, the Ukrainian chain of frozen prepared foods stores, Multi Cook, has opened its second store in Serbia. The new store began operations in Belgrade at 48 Bulevar kralja Aleksandra, the company’s press service announced on Facebook.
According to the chain, the store was opened by a Multi Cook partner that already operates four of the brand’s retail locations in the Balkan countries: two in Serbia and two in Montenegro.
“Our partner has opened its fourth location at the following address: Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 48, Belgrade 11000, Republic of Serbia. Two locations in Montenegro and two in Serbia are the result of hard work, bold decisions, and a deep passion for our business,” the company stated.
The first Multi Cook store in Serbia opened in Belgrade at 2Ž Dunavska Street. Company founder Volodymyr Matviychuk publicly announced the chain’s entry into the Serbian market in early October 2026.
Thus, over the course of the fall, the Ukrainian brand increased the number of retail locations in the Serbian capital to two.
Multi Cook specializes in the production and sale of handmade frozen semi-prepared foods. The chain’s product range includes over 300 items, such as vareniki, pelmeni, syrniki, pancakes, chebureki, stuffed cabbage rolls, cutlets, desserts, and other home-style dishes.
The chain is expanding primarily through a franchise model, which involves local entrepreneurs opening stores under the Ukrainian brand.
According to data released in October 2026, Multi Cook had over 270 stores in Europe, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and other markets.
In addition to the traditional format of frozen prepared-meal stores, the company is developing the MultiBar concept, which combines retail sales with the sale of ready-to-eat meals.
Multi Cook was founded by Ukrainian entrepreneur Volodymyr Matviychuk, one of the co-founders of the “Halia Baluvana” chain, established in Lutsk in 2018.
Multi Cook’s international expansion began in 2022. In 2025, Matviychuk announced his departure from the “Galya Baluvana” brand to focus on developing Multi Cook’s own brands: Multi Cook, GABAR, and MultiBar.
The company did not disclose the investment cost for opening the second store in Belgrade or the financial performance of its Serbian retail locations.
The question of Serbia’s possible participation in sanctions against Russia may be put to a nationwide referendum. Ilija Srdanović, a representative of the Student List, raised this possibility, as reported by the Serbian publication Parametar on November 8, 2026.
According to Srdanović, key foreign policy decisions should be made with public opinion in mind, rather than determined by a single politician or a small group of officials.
The proposal came amid preparations to form a new Serbian government following the October 25 snap parliamentary elections, which were won by the “Student List.”
However, no official decision has yet been made to hold a referendum. Neither a possible date for the vote nor the wording of the question to be put before the public has been determined.
Previously, representatives of the “Student List” opposed the imposition of sanctions against Russia. In a statement dated September 30, they emphasized the need to maintain Belgrade’s current policy.
At the same time, European integration remains one of the “Student List’s” stated foreign policy priorities. The European Union expects Serbia to gradually align its foreign policy with that of the EU, including sanctions against Russia.
The situation is complicated by Belgrade’s economic and energy ties with Moscow. Russia remains an important partner for Serbia in the supply of natural gas, and Russia’s stake in the oil company NIS continues to be of significant importance to the country’s energy sector.
As Parametar notes, Radomir Saicić, a representative of the “Student List,” previously announced that the future government would hold talks in Moscow regarding a long-term gas agreement. At the same time, contacts with Washington are planned regarding the issue of U.S. sanctions against NIS.
Experts point out the complexities of a potential referendum. In particular, political scientist Ognjen Gogić notes that the EU’s sanctions policy includes various types of restrictions targeting individuals, companies, and specific economic sectors. Therefore, formulating a single question for the vote may prove to be a difficult task.
Under Serbian law, a nationwide referendum is called by the National Assembly. To hold it, the established procedure must be followed, and the National Assembly must pass a corresponding resolution.
Thus, a potential referendum on sanctions against Russia remains, for now, a political initiative. It is also unclear how its results might affect Serbia’s ongoing negotiations on accession to the European Union.
Source: Parametar.rs — Studentska lista najavila mogućnost referenduma o sankcijama Rusiji, November 8, 2026.
According to The Serbian Economist, Serbia provided Ukraine with humanitarian aid in the form of life-saving medicines with a total value of 3 million euros. The first shipment of medicines, worth 1.5 million euros, crossed the Ukrainian border on October 29, 2026, and will be distributed among various cities, particularly those located near the front lines, the Ukrainian Embassy reported.
According to a statement from the diplomatic mission, the Serbian side provided medical humanitarian aid throughout October. The medicines are intended for Ukrainian regions where there is a particularly high need for medical supplies due to ongoing military operations.
The diplomatic mission expressed its gratitude to the Serbian government and the Serbian people for their support.
Serbia had already provided Ukraine with specialized medical aid in 2026.
The new shipment of medicines marks a continuation of humanitarian cooperation between Belgrade and Kyiv.
Earlier, in May 2026, Serbia also sent Ukraine equipment for the repair and maintenance of electrical grids and energy infrastructure.
In April 2026, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced that Serbia had allocated 2 million euros to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience, specifically for the purchase of necessary equipment.
Belgrade has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. Serbia has supplied Ukraine with ambulances, medicines, drinking water, water purification equipment, electrical materials, and other humanitarian supplies.
Serbia continues to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, although it has not joined the European Union’s sanctions against Russia.
https://t.me/relocationrs/4017
As reported by Serbian media outlet Parametar, Serbian police detained a 29-year-old Ukrainian citizen, O. G., in Belgrade on suspicion of involvement in a series of telephone scams targeting elderly people. The estimated losses exceed €200,000.
An individual posing as a doctor called elderly people. He told them that their son or daughter had been involved in a serious car accident and urgently needed surgery. To save their relative, they were required to immediately hand over a large sum of money and gold jewelry.
According to investigators, several Belgrade residents were deceived in this way.
The suspect now faces fraud allegations. He has been detained for up to 48 hours, after which he is to be brought for questioning at the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade.
This is not the first such case in Serbia. Throughout 2026, police have repeatedly reported telephone scammers who posed as doctors and demanded money for fictitious emergency surgeries.
Original source: Parametar.rs
According to Serbian Economist, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury has extended until December 11, 2026, the licenses required for the Serbian oil company NIS to operate, for the transportation of oil for NIS via the Croatian JANAF system, and for the Hungarian company MOL to continue negotiations regarding the acquisition of a controlling stake in NIS.
NIS announced on October 30 that it had received a new special OFAC license. It allows the company to continue its operations, fulfill existing contracts and other agreements, refine and import crude oil, carry out operations necessary for supply security and maintenance, and conduct financial transactions. The previous license was valid until October 30.
On October 31, the Croatian oil pipeline operator JANAF also announced the extension of its U.S. license until December 11. The authorization allows the company to continue fulfilling its contractual obligations to NIS within the framework of the current sanctions regime. Thus, the ability to transport crude oil through the JANAF system to the Serbian oil refinery in Pančevo remains intact.
The Hungarian oil and gas group MOL received a separate OFAC license valid through December 11. The company may continue negotiations regarding the acquisition of a majority stake in NIS. MOL officially confirmed receipt of the license on October 30.
The extension of these licenses is of critical importance to Serbia’s energy market. The NIS oil refinery in Pančevo is central to the country’s supply of petroleum products, and the company itself has previously emphasized that the uninterrupted operation of the refinery and a stable supply to the domestic market are critical to Serbia’s energy security.
At the same time, the renewal of the licenses only temporarily alleviates the risk of supply disruptions and does not resolve the main issue—the ownership structure of NIS.
According to NIS data as of September 30, 2026, Gazprom Neft holds 44.85% of the company’s shares, while another 11.30% is owned by JSC Intelligence, which is managed by Gazprom Capital. Thus, the total stake held by Russian entities amounts to 56.15%. The Serbian government owns 29.87% of NIS, with the remaining shares held by minority shareholders.
It was precisely this Russian stake in NIS that led to the extension of U.S. sanctions to the Serbian company. Hungary’s MOL is in talks to acquire a majority stake, but the deal has not yet been finalized.
The new OFAC waivers effectively give the parties about six more weeks to continue negotiations and seek a long-term solution. Until December 11, NIS may import and refine oil, JANAF may continue its contractual operations with the Serbian company, and MOL may negotiate changes to the ownership structure.
If the issue of the Russian stake in NIS is not finally resolved by that date, the companies may again need an extension of the U.S. licenses.
