Demonstrators in Serbia are continuing their fight for justice and the rule of law, urging President aleksandar Vucic to call for early parliamentary elections. The protests follow months of demonstrations challenging his government’s control.

University students led protests in Belgrade, blocking bridges, while simultaneous demonstrations occurred in 30 other Serbian cities and towns. The actions marked seven months as a concrete canopy collapse at a train station in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people and sparked widespread protests against corruption.

In a unified statement read at all protest sites, students declared, “every Serbian has risen. There will be no more silence, there will be no more surrender!”

Many Serbians believe the November 1 canopy collapse in Novi Sad resulted from faulty construction and is linked to government corruption in infrastructure projects involving Chinese state companies.

President VUCIC, who has faced accusations of establishing an authoritarian regime since taking power a decade ago, initially dismissed calls for early elections. However, he recently suggested they might occur, though he did not provide a specific date.

The recent protests included memorial ceremonies for the Novi Sad victims, marches, and student-led blockades. in Belgrade, protesters blocked traffic on two major bridges over the Sava River for three hours. In Novi Sad, demonstrators carried a white crown to the site of the canopy collapse to honor the victims.

Mina Miletic, a Belgrade resident, expressed encouragement at the large turnout, stating she feels heartened by “so many people fighting together for the same objective: ‘The rule of law and life in a decent country.'”

VUCIC has accused protesters of being manipulated by unspecified Western powers seeking to “destroy Serbia.” Pro-government media outlets described the Belgrade blockades as “terror” and falsely claimed that “only a handful” of people participated.

The majority of Serbian media is controlled by the ruling party, which frequently attacks government critics and accuses them of anti-state activities.

The student movement is advocating for early elections, arguing that the current government cannot deliver justice for the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. The next presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2027.

To date, no one has been convicted in connection wiht the Novi Sad collapse, and concerns remain that legal proceedings will fail to uncover alleged corruption behind the incident.

While Serbia aspires to join the European Union, the ruling party faces accusations of curtailing democratic freedoms. VUCIC’s government has intensified pressure on protesters through police arrests, intimidation, and physical assaults.

“The rule of law and life in a decent country.”