In a significant escalation of protests in Serbia, students from Belgrade University initiated a 24-hour blockade of one of the city’s busiest traffic junctions yesterday. This action is aimed at pressuring Serbian authorities and President Aleksandar Vučić to take accountability for the tragic deaths of 15 individuals in the canopy collapse at the Novi Sad train station on November 1. The students were joined at Autokomanda by farmers from across Serbia on tractors and thousands of citizens, proudly waving Serbian flags and chanting various slogans including: “We are designing a new society,” “Demands have not been met,” “Smile, smile, Laura Koveši,” and “Serbia to Pyongyang.”

While the blockade was taking place, Vučić held a press conference stating his desire for “dialogue and conversation.” He announced that all student demands would be addressed within days, which includes publishing documents related to the reconstruction of the Novi Sad Railway Station, “owned by the state,” as well as pardoning activists who have been arrested during the protests. Vučić also emphasized the necessity of an “urgent and massive” government restructuring, expecting that over 50% of current ministers would be replaced. During the press briefing at the Palace of Serbia, he expressed that the ongoing protests have allowed the government to identify which officials are willing to work and engage effectively.

Vučić acknowledged that the ongoing protest situation could extend over the next year or more, but insisted that the government’s measures, including addressing students returning to school, are vital for the country’s stability, as the unrest has already begun to impact the economy and foreign investments.

The protesters are demanding the release of all documents and contracts related to the station renovation, an increase in the university budget, an investigation into the incidents of violence against protesters, and full transparency regarding the Novi Sad accident investigations.

On social media, students are advocating for a general strike, urging workers to stay home on Friday, engage in discussions with colleagues, and organize work stoppages. They recommend taking the day off if workers fear repercussions from their employers, and they are advising against patronizing cafes and restaurants, ordering takeout, or visiting gyms. “Let’s take our freedom into our own hands! Your participation makes a difference,” encourages the strike call.

During the “Under our (Auto) Command” initiative, demonstrators set up tents, arranged seating areas, and organized food preparation stations at the traffic interchange starting at 10 am yesterday.

Some citizens provided security support by parking their vehicles around the blockade, as reported by BIRN. The police managed traffic in the area around the blockade and along the routes protesters used to arrive, especially after several previous protests occurred without police presence.

Recent weeks have seen several incidents during protests, including two occasions where drivers drove vehicles into crowds, injuring two young women.

Stefan Radovanović, a student from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade, conveyed to BBC Serbian, “We are here to demonstrate that all students are united in demanding that our requests be met. We want the institutions to function properly, and I hope for a prompt response to our demands.”

Another student from the Faculty of Philology expressed to N1, “We are not fatigued; we have merely begun. We possess ample time and are determined to persevere. Once our demands are acknowledged, I hope to return to my academic responsibilities right away. This action was necessary. I implore all citizens to not take this personally; we are exerting pressure on institutions for justice for all, particularly for the families impacted by the canopy incident.”

A restaurant owner from Tivat also ensured that students had enough food, remarking to Beta, “The best pizzas in Belgrade are being prepared here today.” He mentioned he had reached out via social media and garnered assistance from about thirty chefs from Belgrade restaurants to support the food preparation efforts.

A group of volunteers declared they would prepare enough meals for at least 500 students, which included stew, soups, pizzas, and desserts. They also brought pet food as part of the initiative.

The protests have garnered significant support from university professors, educators, legal professionals, as well as public figures and numerous cultural institutions and businesses.

International coverage of the protests notes that this represents the most significant challenge to the populist government in recent years. Reuters highlights that Vučić faces allegations of suppressing democratic freedoms, despite his formal dedication to Serbia’s EU membership. The president has repeatedly accused students of being agents of foreign powers attempting to destabilize his government, though he has not specified which powers he means.

The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) raises questions about whether the current wave of protests will evolve into a sustainable political movement. “The Balkan nation has been engulfed by protests against Vučić’s regime, echoing the popular uprising of October 2000 that brought down Slobodan Milošević,” FAZ observes.

In a demonstration of seeking to rally support himself, Vučić organized a counter-rally on January 24, aiming to solidify his image as a concerned leader for the populace, according to the German outlet. However, Dnevnik reports that the counter-rally occurred in the “provincial” town of Jagodina, likely due to the government’s struggle to mobilize individuals in major cities like Belgrade and Novi Sad.

Though official estimates claimed 100,000 attendees, independent observers reported that only about 15,000 were present, FAZ indicated.

“Certainly, there are individuals in Serbia who appreciate the nation’s economic progress and are either indifferent to or supportive of the government’s increasingly nationalistic rhetoric, particularly among older generations,” FAZ adds.

Currently, it remains unclear if the political momentum stemming from the protests can be transformed into a significant political option. The students have deliberately distanced themselves from established opposition parties, FAZ reports.

Many protesters feel that party involvement is no longer feasible in Serbia, as all governmental institutions are controlled by the SNS. They are organizing “with remarkable discipline” during democratic student gatherings at universities, but if the protests do not lead to a regime change akin to 2000, “the question remains how their discontent can be solidified into a politically effective force,” the German newspaper concludes.

SPC: Students live in parallel universes

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has stated that students in Serbia exist in parallel dimensions and must decide whether they wish to inhabit the reality described by Patriarch Porfirije or a world where all Saint Sava values and aspects of Serbian identity are ridiculed.

The church’s statement highlighted that “while some students proudly display icons and national flags, reverently kissing them and crossing themselves, others at three faculties—Organizational Sciences, Political Sciences, and Law—silently witness the same flag being disrespected on stage, while those who make the sign of the cross suffer grave insults.”

It is ultimately up to students to choose “which universe they want to inhabit,” the SPC emphasized, concluding that “the outcome depends on their choices.”

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