Protest in Belgrade against the Serbian president and his government

2024-12-22 18:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Tens of thousands of people gathered in a central square in Belgrade on Sunday to protest against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.

The protest, organized by students and farmers' unions, is part of a wider movement demanding responsibility for the collapse of the roof of the railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, which left 15 dead on November 1.

The protest began with a 15-minute silence in honor of the victims and was followed by chants of "You have bloody hands". Smaller rallies were also held in the cities of Nis and Kragujevac.

Many in Serbia blame the disaster on widespread corruption and poor workmanship at the railway station building, which was renovated twice in recent years as part of dubious projects involving Chinese state-owned companies. The protesters demand that President Vucic and those responsible for the collapse of the roof face justice.

So far, the authorities have arrested 13 people for the incident in Novi Sad, including a minister who was later released, adding to public distrust of the investigation process.

The protests of the last few weeks have challenged the power of President Vucic, whose opponents accuse him of increasingly autocratic rule.

The Serbian leader is officially seeking membership in the European Union, but has faced accusations of violating democratic freedoms and maintains close ties to Russia and China.

He initially accused the students of starting the protests, saying they were being paid by the West, while later claiming he had met their demands, including the release of documentation related to renovation work at the train station in Novi Sad.

In a show of confidence, the Serbian president inaugurated a section of a newly built highway in central Serbia on Sunday. During a ceremony, President Vucic said he will not give in to opposition demands for a transitional government and accused his opponents of using students to take power without elections.

"There is none of that. We will defeat them again and more convincingly than ever and we will defeat them because we work for the people", he said.

Opposition parties say a transitional government would prepare free and fair elections and could be a way out of political tensions, as the ruling populists have also been accused of vote rigging in the past.

In an attempt to thwart the protests, Serbia's government has extended the winter school holidays by starting them almost a week early. In recent days, more high school students have joined the movement.

Classes at universities across the Balkan country have been suspended for weeks with students staying inside faculty buildings. Occasional violence has permeated the protests as pro-government groups have attempted to disrupt the protests.

A group of farmers said on Sunday that police took away the tractor of one of their leaders before the protest. In addition to the farmers, Serbia's students have also received nationwide support from all walks of life including their professors, media personalities, lawyers and prominent individuals./VOA