Milos Vucevic announces his resignation at a press conference on Tuesday morning, reports Serbian and international media. He describes his decision as definitive and says he is doing it to reduce tensions in Serbia.
I want to urge everyone to calm down and return to dialogue, says Vucevic.
I had a long meeting with Serbia's president (Aleksandar Vucic) this morning. We talked about everything, and he accepted my arguments.
As prime minister, Vucevic is officially the head of government, but the position is largely considered to be subordinate to the pro-Russian president Aleksandar Vucic - who has ruled the country for over a decade.
15 people died
Vucevic's government has been heavily pressured by demonstrations against corruption and misrule. Many demonstrators are also of the opinion that the country's populist government has an increasingly large power grab.
The protests took off after a roof collapse at the railway station in the city of Novi Sad in November, where 15 people died. The city's mayor Milan Djuric will also resign on Tuesday, according to Vucevic.
The station in Novi Sad was newly renovated at the time of the accident and had been renovated twice in recent years, as part of a larger procurement by Chinese companies.
Before Milos Vucevic took office as prime minister, he was the mayor of Novi Sad. It was between 2012 and 2022, when the renovation of the train station began.
Call for general strike
Serbian prosecutors have brought charges against 13 people held responsible for the accident, including a minister and several civil servants. Among the suspects is the country's former transport minister Goran Vesic. He has, however, been released from custody, which has fueled demonstrators' doubts about the independence of the judiciary.
The demonstrations on the streets have been marked by several incidents in recent weeks. Among other things, drivers have driven into crowds on two occasions, injuring two young women.
Most recently, students blocked one of Serbia's major traffic intersections, in a protest that ended on Tuesday morning. The students have also called for a general strike.
The prime minister's resignation means that parliament must appoint a new government within 30 days or call new elections.
