Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have been taking to the streets of Belgrade and other Serbian cities since November. March 15th marked the largest protest in Serbia, with over 325,000 people attending the “15th for 15” student-led protest.
Although it has been five months, Western media has barely reported on the protests, even though there has been confirmation that Serbian students have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, an award which is only awarded to individuals who have worked for the preservation of peace.
How Did the Protests Erupt?
On November 15th, 16 people were killed and one person was critically injured when a train station’s canopy collapsed in the train station of Serbia’s second largest city, Novi Sad.
The station had been under renovations for the past four years in collaboration with a company under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, government procedures favored certain contracts over others, putting safety at risk. The station has recently been inaugurated as a key stop for President Aleksandar Vučić’s new flagship project of a high-speed line from Belgrade to Budapest.
In honor of the victims, daily tributes were organized in Novi Sad. At exactly 11:52am to 12:07pm, which represents the time of the collapse, Serbia Stop traffic blockades for 15 minutes. This form of protest has been occurring in more than 200 cities across the country.
However, on November 22nd, a group of students from Belgrade University’s Faculty of Dramatic Arts was attacked during one of the 15-minute vigil protests. In response, the students occupied their facilities, sparking similar actions across the city at other universities. Since then, all academic activities at these institutions have been suspended.
Evolvement of Protests
Next, students staged a 24-hour occupation protest at a major traffic junction in Belgrade, which was later replicated in other cities such as Novi Sad. Some walked over 60 miles to join these street occupations, receiving meals and refreshments from supportive citizens across the country.
On New Year’s Eve, thousands of Serbians went into the New Year in remembrance and silence, honoring the 15-minute tribute during protests that occurred across the country. Earlier that week, President Vučić had told a pro-government Serbian news source that he had already fulfilled the students’ demands and hence failed to understand the continuation of protests.
Then on March 15th was the largest protest in the country, that even brought out sound cannons to disperse crowds during the 15-minute silence. This was further condemned by the European Court of Justice. President Vučić then denied that the country had used the sound cannon, but later recalled his statement, claiming that the country had sound cannons though they were nowhere near the site of the protest, despite images to the contrary circulating online.
President Vučić called the protests “illegal” and reiterated his disapproval when stating, “I do not accept blackmail. I will not agree to pressure. I am the president of Serbia and I won’t allow the street to set the rules.” Vučić even mentioned the possibility that Western intelligence services could be behind the protests, as they want to oust him from office.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the students are not even calling for his resignation or any snap elections. The students, instead, are demanding the release of all documents and information relating to Novi Sad’s train station reconstruction, the arrest of those assaulting protestors and students, the dismissal and release of protestors, and a higher education budget. Now President Vučić is in Brussels trying to push for the mining of lithium, which has been another consistent source of protests and criticism towards his government.
