Novi Sad in turmoil: Students fight for a new, democratic Serbia!

Novi Sad in turmoil: Students fight for a new, democratic Serbia!

In one of the greatest protest movements in Serbia since the fall of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, thousands of demonstrators demand profound changes after a tragic accident in Novi sad. The canopy of the main station collapsed on November 1, 2024 and demanded 14 lives, while many other injuries are to be complained about. The anger of the citizens is directed against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic, which is held responsible for supposed failure and corruption. Originally started as silent grief events, the protests have now become a real symbol of the struggle against corruption and for democracy, as Kosmo

social movements and government reactions

initiated by students and students, the protests have spread quickly across the country. More and more people from different professionals are approaching the movement, which in a survey led to the result that 61 % of the Serbs support the protests. In an open letter, intellectuals and cultural workers ask the EU to actively support the democracy movement. However, the protests were perceived by Vucic and his government party as a threat to public order, which led to a provocative feedback to the state media, which suddenly came up with positive reports on the demonstrations, such as The New York Times documented.

The situation continued to escalate when the demonstrators blocked decisive bridges in Serbia and thus paralyzed the second largest city in the country. The ruling Serbian progress party made a sharp statement and criticized the media for their reporting, which was not in the government's interests. Vucic, who has often used control of the media in the past to suppress protests, is now faced with a continuing pressure. A close confidant of him, who acted as Prime Minister, recently resigned after he was suspected of accepting bribes, which further strengthened the demands for Vucics.

The student, student and citizen movement shows that the pressure on the Serbian government has never been so big. While the calls for justice for the victims of the station accident are further, the people in Serbia are also fighting for a democratic future and thus convert the national landscape sustainably.