BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia’s capital is bracing for another major protest Saturday, as university students—now a central force in the nation’s surging anti-government movement—take to the streets, demanding early parliamentary elections and accountability for systemic corruption, reported by Arab News.
The demonstrations, ongoing for nearly eight months, erupted after a tragic incident last November, when a newly renovated railway station canopy collapsed, killing 16 people. The deadly accident became a grim symbol of alleged government negligence and graft, fueling widespread public outrage.
President Aleksandar Vučić, whose right-wing Serbian Progressive Party has held power for over a decade, has dismissed the call for snap elections and accused demonstrators of being manipulated by foreign powers. “People need not worry — the state will be defended and thugs brought to justice,” Vučić said Saturday, during a public ceremony where he awarded medals to select artists and journalists.
In a parallel show of support, Vučić loyalists—some of whom have been camped outside the president’s office since March—plan to host a “literary evening” in Belgrade’s central park. Critics view such gestures as efforts to project calm and control amid deepening unrest.
The protest coincides with Serbia’s observance of St. Vitus Day, a national holiday commemorating a historic 14th-century battle against the Ottoman Empire, a date loaded with symbolism in Serbian history.
Authorities have tightened security across the capital. Several individuals, including foreign nationals from Croatia and Montenegro, were barred from entering the country, while train services were abruptly suspended over a reported bomb threat—moves opposition leaders claim are designed to stifle turnout.
With regular elections not due until 2027, the students and broader opposition remain resolute, vowing to persist in what has become one of the most sustained protest movements in the Balkan nation’s recent history.
