Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vuic is faced with an unprecedented challenge as student-led protests gather strength, a challenge that goes one step forward as it challenges Vuic’s leadership as the country enters the most intense student protest seen so far.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of people gathered in Novi Sad, blocking three of its main bridges to mark three months since a deadly railway station collapse killed 15 people. Protesters blame the tragedy on government corruption and negligence, fueling nationwide dissent. “These are the largest protests Serbia has ever seen,” said Dejan Bagaric, a student protester. “People are angry because corruption has gone too far.”
The protests, which started in November, had been galvanized for a further reason, that the government had been remiss in accepting responsibility for the disaster. A Chinese state consortium managed the station’s reconstruction, supposedly under no proper safety scrutiny. The crucial issue here is that transparency and accountability have apparently resulted in this disaster.
Human rights lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic, who filed a criminal complaint that led to an investigation, accused authorities of trying to cover up the affair. “Instead of justice, they chose deception,” he said. The protests, which began as student-led, have spread to more than 100 towns and villages, uniting professors and farmers, among others. Analysts say the movement reflects growing frustration with Vuic’s increasingly authoritarian rule and Serbia’s persistent corruption.
In response, Vuic has blamed foreign interference and released classified documents on the station’s collapse. Meanwhile, his ally, Prime Minister Milos Vuevic, resigned a move seen as a concession but unlikely to end the unrest.
With youth unemployment at a record high, many young Serbs have little to lose. Organizers are leaderless, so decisions are made collectively. “The students are setting the pace,” said opposition figure Srdan Milivojevic. “They won’t stop until Vuic falls.”
