The blockades are unrelated to the accident in Novi Sad, where a carnival took place yesterday.
Miloš Vučević, Photo: BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV
The president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and outgoing Prime Minister, Miloš Vučević, stated this evening that the protests and student blockades are unrelated to the recent tragedy in Novi Sad where 15 individuals lost their lives. He emphasized the necessity of calming tensions and safeguarding the nation.
Speaking at an SNS forum in Žablj, Vučević described those who obstructed bridges in Novi Sad on Saturday as engaging in a “carnival.”
“These protests are not about political parties or mandates; they are about the survival of the state (…) What has transpired over the last three months is entirely unrelated to the tragic event in Novi Sad, which was evident as they celebrated in that city yesterday,” Vučević remarked.
He mentioned that while not every participant in the blockades is acting out of malice, many are being influenced by opposition politicians.
“No student will become a minister, but various inept individuals will,” said the SNS leader.
The residents of Žablja greeted Miloš Vučević tonight with banners expressing disapproval of the current government, accompanied by whistles and shouts.
Footage from the 021 portal in Novi Sad shows both members and a small contingent of SNS supporters gathered in front of the municipal building in Žablj, facing off against protesting citizens.
On Saturday, students and citizens in Novi Sad held a 24-hour blockade of bridges to commemorate the three-month anniversary of the accident at the Novi Sad train station.
Students from across Serbia have been staging blockades at faculties and rectors’ offices for several months, demanding accountability for the 15 fatalities caused by the collapse of the canopy at the refurbished railway station in Novi Sad, the release of activists, and the prosecution of those who attacked students during memorial actions for the victims.
Currently, faculties at the University of Belgrade and Novi Sad, as well as state faculties in Niš and Kragujevac, are on lockdown, with several private faculties and colleges joining the cause.
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