In Serbia, thousands of people took to the streets to demand early elections
On Saturday, in the city of Novi Sad in northern Serbia, thousands of people gathered for a mass rally to honor the memory of the 16 people who died when a canopy collapsed at the train station in 2024, as well as to make political demands for early parliamentary elections.
The rally was a continuation of the large-scale anti-government protests that swept the country after the tragedy and were initiated by the student movement.
Protesters, the opposition, and human rights activists claim that the disaster at the train station was the result of systemic problems in the management of infrastructure projects and corruption.
In Novi Sad, the country’s second-largest city, people stood in temperatures of around 30°C, chanting “Victory” and shouting slogans against President Aleksandar Vučić and his party. Many participants held signs reading “Students Will Win.”
Student activists have declared their intention to challenge the current government in the upcoming elections, scheduled for 2027, though President Aleksandar Vučić has not ruled out the possibility of holding them early.
At the same time, protesters and human rights organizations accuse the government of election fraud, violence against opponents, pressure on the media, corruption, and ties to organized crime. The government rejects these accusations.
During a live television broadcast that coincided with the rally, Aleksandar Vučić stated that his supporters also plan to hold their own rally on June 27.
This was reported by Reuters.
