A large-scale rally organized by university youth took place in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia, on Saturday. Students announced the beginning of a new stage in the fight against the regime of President Aleksandar Vučić. The protests, which have been ongoing for over a year, flared up with new force amid accusations of systemic corruption against the authorities. This is reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
The catalyst for the intensified demonstrations was the railway station disaster in November 2024, when 16 people died due to a roof collapse. Protesters are convinced that the tragedy was caused by the neglect of safety standards due to bribery in state bodies.
During Saturday's rally in Novi Sad, participants chanted "thieves" and demanded real changes in the country's governance system. Students moved from slogans to proposing concrete solutions:
- introduction of a lifetime ban on political activity for persons convicted of corruption;
- conducting a large-scale investigation into the origin of the assets of current officials;
- immediate appointment of early parliamentary elections.
Government reaction and pressure on activists
President Aleksandar Vučić currently refuses to call elections at the demand of the street. According to activists, hundreds of protesters have already been subjected to repression: from illegal detentions to dismissals from work and expulsions from universities.
We are no longer just protesting – we are offering solutions. Our first step will be to demand an audit of every dinar in the pockets of those in power, and to permanently remove corrupt officials from governing the state.
The student movement has already collected about 400,000 signatures in support of its election initiative. Despite Vučić's accusations that the protests are allegedly coordinated from abroad, young people continue to attract more and more residents of Serbian cities to their side.