Large-scale protests continue in Serbia

In the three months since 15 people died when a roof collapsed at a newly renovated train station in the city of Novi Sad, mass demonstrations have grown into the largest protest movement in Serbia in years and pose the most serious threat to populist President Aleksandar Vucic's decade-long hold on power.

On Saturday morning, despite the low temperatures, students arrived in Kragujevac from all over the country, including on foot from Belgrade, 140 km away. They carried national flags, beat drums and blew whistles. The locals welcomed them with joy and support.

The protesters planned to block one of the city's main boulevards for 3:15 p.m. as a symbolic tribute to the victims. They observed 15 minutes of silence in memory of the dead.

Protests have continued daily since the tragedy, with participants blocking roads and seizing university buildings. Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and two other ministers resigned over the protests, and prosecutors have indicted 13 people, but that has not stopped the demonstrations.

Students are demanding that the authorities release documents regarding the station roof collapse, justice for those responsible, the dropping of charges against the demonstrators, and an increase in the budget for higher education.

Recall that on November 1, 2024, part of the outer roof of the railway station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed, killing 15 people.

On November 3, hundreds of activists gathered in Belgrade for a protest. Protesters accused the country's authorities of negligence and corruption and chanted: "Arrest (President Aleksandar — ed.) Vucic!"