NIS, Serbia — On Saturday, a stirring rally saw tens of thousands, rallied by university students, gather in Serbia to protest alleged corruption and mismanagement, with many of them voicing their demands with the refrain “We deserve better.”
This movement has seen consistent protests throughout the country since a tragic incident in November, where a train station canopy collapsed, resulting in 15 deaths. The disaster has been attributed by many to government corruption, igniting widespread public discontent. For over a decade, Serbia has been under the leadership of a populist government, and these protests have posed a significant challenge to the stronghold of President Aleksandar Vucic. Vucic has responded by denouncing the protests as a Western-backed campaign to destabilize his rule.
The students, in their declaration, expressed their desire for public institutions that act for the benefit of everyone rather than causing harm, emphasizing a system that rewards knowledge and hard work over conformity and silence.
The rally in Nis, located approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of the capital Belgrade, took on a festive atmosphere with expectations to extend for 18 hours. During this event, an impactful symbolic decree was to be revealed, serving as a vibrant rallying call urging citizens to transition from passivity to proactive engagement, with a vow to strive tirelessly for an improved future.
The students’ resolve, energy, and inventive approaches have galvanized significant public backing, resonating with a populace largely disenchanted by conventional political figures and yearning for change.
While Serbia is ostensibly advancing towards European Union accession, allegations against Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party assert that they have compromised democratic freedoms and enabled entrenched corruption during their tenure.
A warm reception awaited the demonstrators in Nis on Friday evening, as the students converged on the city after days of marching from different parts of the region. These student movements have gained prominence even in Serbia’s traditionally government-supporting rural sectors. The students’ presence was met with gestures of goodwill from locals, offering them food and expressions of gratitude.
“This is where I must be today. Nowhere else on earth feels as fitting as this place,” expressed Marjan Zivanovic, a retiree from Belgrade. “This is where love, joy, and everything good reside. Here is where our future lies.”
Prior rallies mirrored in spirit were held previously in cities such as Novi Sad and Kragujevac. The rally in Nis coincides with the four-month anniversary of the catastrophic collapse of the train station canopy in Novi Sad on the first of November, following recent renovations overseen by Chinese state companies. The general belief among the populace is that the station’s refurbishments ignored construction safety protocols, emblematic of the pervasive corruption plaguing the nation.
