Tens of thousands gathered in a central square. of Serbia Capital on Sunday for a big rally against Populist President Aleksandar Vouchak And his government, whose tight grip on power has been challenged by weeks of street protests. led by university students.
The rally in Belgrade's Slavija Square, the largest in recent years, was called by student and peasant unions. It was part of a wider movement demanding accountability from November 1. Collapse of roof at railway station In the north of the country in which 15 people died.
Smaller rallies were also held in the cities of Nis and Kragujevac. The rally in Belgrade began with a 15-minute silence for the victims, followed by chants of “Blood on your hands”. were heard
Many people in Serbia are responsible for this disaster. Widespread corruption And the sloppy work on the railway station building in the city of Novi Sad, which has been renovated twice in recent years, has included questionable mega-projects by Chinese state-owned companies. The protesters are demanding that Wok and those responsible face justice.
Popular Serbian theater and film actors joined the protest, with actor Ben Trifunovic calling Sunday's rally a “festival of freedom.”
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In a show of confidence, Serbia's president inaugurated a section of a newly constructed highway in central Serbia on Sunday. Wok said he would not back down from the opposition's demands for a transitional government and accused his opponents of using the students to try to seize power.
“We'll beat them again,” Wouk said. “They (the opposition) don't know what to do but use somebody's children.”
Prosecutors have arrested 13 people. The Novi Sad tragedy, including the release of a government minister, later fueled public doubts about the integrity of the investigation.
The weeks-long protests reflected broader dissatisfaction with Wok's rule. The populist leader officially says he wants Serbia to join the EU, but faces accusations of curbing democratic freedoms rather than pushing ahead.
Opposition parties have said that a transitional government that would prepare for free and fair elections could be a way out of the political tensions. Accusations of rigging in past votes have also been leveled against the ruling people.
The Serbian government has extended the winter school holidays by almost a week to deal with growing student protests.
Classes have been suspended at universities across the Balkans for weeks and students are camping out in their faculty buildings. More high school students have joined the movement in recent times. At times violence has erupted Pro-government thugs tried to disrupt the protest.
A group of farmers said Sunday that police took away the tractor they drove in central Belgrade ahead of the protest. Apart from farmers, Serbian students have also received nationwide support from all walks of life, including their professors, media personalities, lawyers and dignitaries.
Vok initially accused the students of starting the protest for money but later said he had met their demands, including publishing documents related to renovation work at Novi Sad station.
and copy 2024 Canadian Press