Serbia’s long-brewing crisis of confidence in government came to a head after the November tragedy in Novi Sad, when the collapse of the railway station roof killed 16 people. The disaster was seen not only as an act of negligence but also as a symbol of entrenched corruption. It became the starting point for student protests that quickly grew into a nationwide movement against the government.
Since then, demonstrations have escalated—from mourning marches for the victims to mass rallies in Belgrade and other cities. They have already cost Serbia its prime minister and an entire cabinet, yet President Aleksandar Vučić has clung to power, refusing to call early elections and accusing the opposition of colluding with foreign forces.
In the early hours of Friday in Novi Sad, police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse an anti-government rally that had drawn thousands demanding snap elections.
What began as student protests spread across the country after the roof collapse at Novi Sad’s station in November, which killed 16 people. The tragedy, widely linked by the public to systemic corruption, triggered calls for a transparent investigation and soon escalated into demands to dissolve parliament.
The demonstrations, which have intensified pressure on President Aleksandar Vučić, were largely peaceful but turned violent in mid-August. Protesters blamed government supporters and police for the clashes. On Friday, demonstrators again repeated their demands for elections and marched toward the university campus, where security forces deployed tear gas and grenades. According to the Beta news agency, protesters hurled flares and bottles at police.
Vučić declared that the protesters were seeking "to threaten Serbia’s stability and security" and "to occupy the university premises in Novi Sad." He said that 11 police officers were injured outside the Faculty of Philosophy. Several people were detained, and dozens more are expected to face trial soon. "People in Serbia must know that the state is stronger than anyone… and it will always be so," the president stressed, adding that pro-government rallies would be held nationwide on Sunday.
On Monday, tens of thousands took to the streets of Belgrade, Novi Sad, and other cities to mark the tenth month since the tragedy. After the march in Novi Sad, some demonstrators clashed with police, claiming that officers had used stun grenades and rubber batons without provocation.
Rescuers at the site of the railway station roof collapse in Novi Sad. November 1, 2024.
The mass protests have already forced the resignation of the prime minister and the dissolution of the cabinet, yet Vučić has held on to power by leading a reshuffled government. He rejects demands for early elections and insists that the demonstrations are part of a foreign conspiracy.
Despite video footage showing police beating unarmed citizens, the authorities deny using excessive force. The ruling nationalist SNS party, in power since 2012, has responded to the protests by staging its own rallies across the country.