— I extend my hand to those who think differently, Aleksandar Vucic announced on Sunday. The Serbian president thus agreed to organize early parliamentary elections. A specific decision on this matter is to be made by “appropriate institutions”.
The Serbian leader also said he was glad that Saturday's commemoration of the anniversary of the accident at the Novi Sad railway station took place “in a calm and dignified manner.”
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Why did President Vucic agree to early elections?
What were the causes of the protests in Serbia?
What happened in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024?
What were the demands of the protesting students?
Massive protests in Serbia. Thousands of citizens descended on Novi Sad
Calling early parliamentary elections is one of the demands of the participants of anti-government protests that have been organized in Serbia for a year. The demonstrations are a response to the construction disaster in Novi Sad, where on November 1, 2024, part of the roof of the railway station collapsed. 16 people died as a result of the accident. Protesters accuse the authorities of negligence and corruption, which they believe led to the tragedy.
On Saturday, on the first anniversary of this event, all-day mourning ceremonies were held in Novi Sad. Thousands of people from all over Serbia came to the city, some of them – mainly students and pupils – on foot. There was national mourning in Serbia that day.
The day before the anniversary, Aleksandar Vucic apologized to “students, demonstrators and other people” for some of his statements and called for dialogue. Over the past year, Serbian authorities, including the president, have repeatedly accused students – the organizers of most of the protests – of “terrorism” and staging a “color revolution” in the country, which was allegedly financed from abroad.
On Sunday, the Serbian president said that his apology was not well received because “youth in revolutionary ecstasy first acts and thinks later.” However, the politician assured that the apology was sincere and resulted from the desire to improve the atmosphere in the country.
Clashes in Novi Sad. Pyrotechnic materials were set in motion
Earlier on Sunday, the mother of one of the victims of the accident in Novi Sad started a hunger strike near the parliament, demanding, among other things, early elections. During the day, a group of people gathered around her tent to express their support. Supporters of the government also appeared.
Although protesters from both groups were separated by a police cordon, in the evening pyrotechnics were thrown from the tent camp of the authorities' supporters towards the second group. Additional riot police units were dispatched to the site to separate the demonstrators, local media reported.
Construction disaster in Novi Sad. The students put forward a number of demands
The station in Novi Sad was opened after extensive renovation just a few months before part of its roof collapsed. No one has been found guilty of this accident yet.
Students, who have been organizing protests since December 2024, initially demanded the publication of documentation regarding the reconstruction of the station, the prosecution of those responsible for beating demonstrators, the suspension of proceedings against people arrested for participating in the protests, and a 20% increase in the spending on higher education. When these demands were not met, in May they put forward a demand to announce early elections that would alleviate the social crisis in the country.
