Serbian government under fire as protests demand resignations
In Belgrade, thousands of people gathered on Monday in front of the Serbian government headquarters, demanding the resignation of its members after the tragic death of 14 people in a hazardous incident at the construction site of the railway station in Novi Sad. "Now or never, absolute power entail absolute responsibility," protesters told PAP.
Lawyer Jovan Rajić, one of the demonstration's organisers, stated to the protesters during a meeting: "This wasn't an accident ... They were killed by corruption, crime, unpublished contracts, negligence and greed. That is why we are all here, to demand responsibility and justice."
Borislav Novaković, the former mayor of Novi Sad, highlighted that even after 11 days since the disaster, no perpetrators have been held accountable. He remarked that the state targets those seeking justice rather than apprehending the offenders. Following the protests last week, several organizers, including activists and politicians, were detained.
They want the government to resign
The organisers gathered on Sunday accused the authorities of abusing power and avoiding responsibility for the events in Novi Sad. The speeches of the representatives of the activists repeatedly sparked loud applause from the crowd, who loudly expressed their outrage against the government to the rhythm of drumming.
Protest participants demanded the resignation of the government and Novi Sad's mayor, Milan Djurić, the disclosure of all contracts related to the station's reconstruction, and the review of infrastructure projects from the past ten years.
Serbians announced, "We will continue the fight in the street"
Organisers announced from the platform: "If our demands are not met by the end of the week, we will continue the fight in the street." In response to the pressure, Serbia's Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, resigned.
Milos, aged 30, stressed that the recent events in Novi Sad are simply the latest example of the country's ongoing deterioration. He noted that everyone is aware of this pattern, where secret deals are made, those connected to those in power gain wealth, and the nation's well-being is neglected.
Aleksandra, 60, shared her thoughts, stating that while Vučić frequently emphasizes that Serbia is a nation that values freedom, for him, it seems to mean having the liberty to act as he wishes and treat the country as his own. She concluded by saying that it was time for him to step down.
After the speeches ended, the protesters headed towards the president's office, planning to submit a motion for Prime Minister Milos Vučević's resignation. However, the building was guarded by police, as the president was attending the COP29 summit in Azerbaijan at the time.
The demonstrators carried banners with slogans: "Corruption kills," "Crime, not Tragedy," and "You are guilty, you will be held accountable." During the demonstration, slogans were chanted: "You have blood on your hands." Organisers appointed several dozen people responsible for maintaining order during the protest, who secured the area around the government and the president's office. The event ultimately ended peacefully.
