Russia’s ambassador to Belgrade told Russian media on Monday the Serbian president has “irrefutable evidence” that the West is stoking the protests, as the Kremlin sought to portray widespread discontent with Mr Vucic’s increasingly heavy-handed policies as a Western plot.

Serbia, which historically maintains close ties with Russia, was one of the few European countries not to back Western sanctions against the Kremlin over the invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the country’s Russia ties, Mr Vucic still says he is committed to joining the European Union.

Opposition politicians vowed to contest the election results and some of them like Marinika Tepic, a member of Serbia Against Violence, have been on hunger strike since they were announced.

Borko Stefanovic, an opposition MP, on Monday described President Vucic as being out of touch with reality, calling him a “lonely, small man on top of the Himalayas”.