Since the collapse of the roof of a bus station on November 1 plunged the country into mourning, demonstrations and blockades have increased, sometimes giving rise to violence denounced by the demonstrators.
Published on 22/12/2024 19:52
Reading time: 1min
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Serbian capital. A new monster demonstration took place on Sunday, December 22 in Belgrade, with the population demanding that leaders take responsibility after a disaster that occurred on November 1 in the city of Novi Sad, in the north of the country. Fifteen people were killed when the roof of a railway station collapsed, which had undergone major renovation work. Since then, demonstrators have accused the authorities of corruption and insufficient control.
On Sunday, they called for the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic, as well as the mayor of Novi Sad, and demanded that those responsible in the case appear in court.
Organized by students, Sunday's rally also brought together farmers, actors and people from across Serbia to occupy Slavija Square, blocking virtually the entire city center of the Serbian capital.
Since the tragedy, tensions have remained high in the country: demonstrations and flash operations of street blockades for fifteen minutes have taken place throughout the country, while certain gatherings have caused violence. Thus, the students also demand that those who attacked them during these demonstrations be tried and ask for the cancellation of the charges against their comrades who participated in the rallies.
On Saturday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he would not back down from protesters. At the same time, he encouraged the provision of subsidies for the purchase of apartments or houses for young people, which was seen by many as an attempt to alleviate their anger.
