Massive anti-government rally was held in the Serbian capital

The Serbian capital Belgrade hosted a mass rally in support of students who have been blocking the auditoriums of the local university for several weeks, demanding that those responsible for the tragedy in Novi Sad in northern Serbia, where 15 people died on November 1 due to the fall of a canopy at the railway station, Radio Liberty reports, UNN writes.

Details

Political demands are also being put forward, as students, supported by opposition activists and civil society representatives, hold the authorities responsible for what happened, accusing them of corruption, which led to the poor repair of the station building. There are demands for the establishment of a transitional government to prepare for free and early parliamentary elections.

The Serbian Interior Ministry estimated the number of protesters in Belgrade at 28-29 thousand people. Traffic in the center of the Serbian capital was blocked. President Aleksandar Vucic recorded a video on Instagram, where he admitted that a lot of people took to the streets.

The action began with 15 minutes of silence in memory of the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. They were followed, as the Balkan service of Radio Liberty reported , by 30 minutes of noise - participants chanted anti-government slogans, whistled, etc.

The rally ended without major incidents or violations of public order, the Interior Ministry confirmed.

According to Vucic, those who gathered in Belgrade on Sunday "hold opposition views." According to Vucic, he has "always been ready to listen to their opinion and find out what they consider important for our country," while the president emphasized that he believes "that many more people think differently." He emphasized the importance of maintaining "peace and stability.

Addendum

The protests in Serbia have been going on for over a month. Their symbol has become the image of a bloody palm in memory of the victims and 15-minute strikes (according to the number of people killed in Novi Sad). The work of more than 50 faculties of four state universities and dozens of secondary schools was blocked. The authorities are demanding that those involved in the reconstruction of the Novyi Sad train station be brought to justice. The concrete canopy of the station building collapsed just a few months after the grand opening, after a three-year reconstruction and officials' statements that it had been carried out to the highest European standards.

13 people were arrested on suspicion of negligence during the reconstruction of the station. Among them was former Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic. He was initially taken into custody but later released.

For many of the protesters, the Novi Sad tragedy was a confirmation that, in their view, the government and President Vucic were leading the country down the wrong path.