Standstill in Serbia: Protests demand justice after tragedy!

Standstill in Serbia: Protests demand justice after tragedy!

In Serbia, thousands of people held a silent protest on New Year's Eve to remember the victims of the tragic accident in Novi Sad. From 11:52 p.m. to 12:07 a.m., protesters in Belgrade and Novi Sad held 15 minutes of silence to remember the 15 people who lost their lives when a train station canopy collapsed on November 1. These actions were largely organized by students and are part of an ongoing wave of protests against the country's political decision-makers, especially against President Aleksandar Vucic kosmo.at reported.

Political unrest during the New Year celebrations

The protests come after the horrific incident has been linked to corruption and poor construction practices tolerated by Serbia's populist leadership. Protesters demanded comprehensive reforms and justice while expressing their anger with slogans such as "There is no new year, you still owe us the old one." Many of the participants carried banners with red handprints, symbolizing the anti-government protests. In Belgrade, crowds ignored traditional New Year's Eve celebrations and battled the cold to remember the victims, reports said Yahoo News.

Protesters were stopped from state-sponsored celebrations by a large police operation as they loudly expressed their displeasure with the government and the lack of legal action against those responsible for the disaster. President Vucic, who spoke about the situation on a pro-government television channel, accused the demonstrators of not presenting valid arguments and called on them to engage in dialogue. The independence of the judiciary is questioned by many as state institutions are largely under Vucic's control.