Yesterday, hundreds of students took to the streets in Sarajevo, demanding accountability from the government for the tragic deaths of 27 individuals in the severe floods that struck in early October, along with the lack of timely aid for the survivors.

The intense rainfall led to floods and landslides across central and southern Bosnia and Herzegovina during the night of October 4th, significantly damaging homes, roads, and bridges.

In the southern village of Donja Jablanica alone, 19 people lost their lives when an illegal quarry collapsed, burying them under heavy stones. As of now, no investigation has been initiated.

According to Reuters, this disaster has highlighted the challenges of resource distribution in a nation where multiple governments have struggled to respond effectively. The authorities have been sluggish in initiating reconstruction efforts or in distributing aid that has been donated by the European Union and various foreign governments.

“Where are the donations? Where is the reconstruction? Where is the transparency? Where is the accountability?” read a large banner held by protesters outside the state parliament, as reported by Reuters.

Imran Pašalić, the president of the Student Parliament of the University of Sarajevo, stated, “The students gathered to call for accountability from those responsible, both directly and indirectly, for the deaths of 19 individuals after the illegal quarry near Donja Jablanica collapsed.”

Some protesters expressed solidarity with students in Serbia, who coordinated anti-government demonstrations following a tragic incident at a train station in Novi Sad that took the lives of 15 people in November.

“As seen in Serbia, their protests gain traction because they are vast—other citizens join the students and they remain persistent,” remarked Sarajevo student Šumeja Duraković to the Associated Press (AP).

The AP notes that “student solidarity reflects shared frustrations in Balkan countries plagued by corruption, incompetence, and mismanagement,” while “Serbia, Bosnia, and Montenegro pursue European Union membership, but progress in reforms has been slow.”

Lamija Fuka shared with the AP in Sarajevo that she believes “we, as students, can unite to reform society and dismantle the corrupt system… ending all of this.”

She further added, “It is time for us to awaken and for the youth to finally respond to what political leaders have subjected us to over the last 30 years.”

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