On March 14, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad announced that it had requested police assistance to gather facts and evidence to ascertain any potential criminal liability linked to an audio recording of activists published by pro-regime media. The audio reportedly includes plans to incite riots during a student protest in Belgrade.

The prosecutor’s office stated, “In line with the Criminal Procedure Code, we have submitted a request to the Criminal Police Directorate for the collection of vital information to establish all facts and circumstances surrounding the event, in addition to gathering evidence aimed at determining the essential elements of the alleged criminal offense and any relevant criminal liability. The public will be kept informed in a timely and regular manner.”

The Prosecutor’s Office urged respect for public order and peace, asserting that any acts of violence will be addressed in accordance with the law.

A televised segment co-produced by several private broadcasters aired on Thursday night, showcasing footage reportedly recorded within the Novi Sad chapter of the opposition Free Citizens’ Movement. It appeared to reveal meeting participants outlining strategies to implement a transitional government in Belgrade and incite violence.

In response, students participating in the blockade distanced themselves from organizations and political parties that were allegedly planning violent actions during a rally scheduled for Saturday, March 15, as indicated by recordings aired by national television networks.

“We are profoundly disappointed and shocked by the actions of organizations claiming to represent student interests,” students in the blockade stated on their Instagram account.

They emphasized their dissociation from political agendas and their commitment not to let the student movement be exploited for “other people’s benefits.”

“Proposals have emerged that bear no relation to students or our struggle,” they asserted.

Previously, students from the Novi Sad Faculty of Philosophy had also distanced themselves from such sentiments.

For over three months, students have been staging blockades across faculties in Serbia, demanding accountability—both criminal and political—for the deaths of 15 individuals caused by a collapse of a canopy in Novi Sad, and they have announced a protest in Belgrade on March 15th.

Significant protests and blockades have already taken place in Novi Sad, Kragujevac, and Niš.

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