Serbia saw large-scale anti-government protests erupt on Thursday, August 14, sparked by a tragic incident at Novi Sad Station in 2024 where the collapse of the roof resulted in 16 deaths. This incident fueled public discontent over the long-standing corruption and incompetence of the ruling party, leading to protests spreading rapidly to multiple cities across the country, lasting for a period of nine months.
Novi Sad Station had just completed a three-year reconstruction project in July 2024, undertaken by Chinese railway subsidiaries China Railway International Co and China Communications Construction Co.
Allegations surfaced accusing these Chinese companies of embezzling $115.6 million from the Serbian treasury through fraudulent invoicing, with Chinese enterprises reportedly making illegal profits of $18.8 million.
The anti-government movement, led by university students, began with the collapse of the concrete roof at Novi Sad Station. Initially demanding accountability from the government, the protests gradually morphed into a nationwide resistance against President Aleksandar Vucic and his administration.
Protesters attributed the Novi Sad Station disaster to corruption and called for early elections, urging for the removal of Vucic and his party from power.
On Thursday, demonstrations broke out in at least a dozen cities.
In the capital, Belgrade, over 3,000 protesters clashed with supporters of the ruling party, engaging in throwing flares and fireworks at each other. Eyewitnesses reported that riot police advanced towards the protesters, deploying tear gas to disperse the crowd.
In Novi Sad, where the initial protests began, dozens of demonstrators stormed the office of the ruling party, Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), smashing windows, hauling out furniture and SNS logos, and splashing paint at the entrance. Novi Sad is Serbia’s second-largest city.
Chanting in unison, protesters declared, “He is finished!” referring to Vucic’s 13-year rule. Subsequently, police in full riot gear cordoned off several blocks in the center of Novi Sad and used tear gas to scatter the crowds.
Analyst Andrius Tursa from consulting firm Teneo stated, “Whether large or small-scale, protests may persist in the short term, reflecting growing discontent among parts of the population towards the current government. Any attempts by authorities to suppress peaceful protests may incite more violence and strong public backlash.”
Tursa pointed out that in the past, Vucic had often utilized early elections to consolidate power, but this time he rejected the protesters’ demand for an early vote, rendering the repetition of such a strategy at this juncture more complex and high-risk.
The nine-month-long anti-government protests represent Vucic’s most challenging ordeal in his 13-year tenure, with the public urging him to hold early elections.
However, during a TV interview, Vucic remarked, “It is clear to me that they don’t want Gandhi-style peaceful protests. More people will be arrested.” He added, “There is still a lot of work to be done because more people will be arrested. In the end, the state will prevail.”
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic reported that over a hundred civilians and more than 30 police officers were injured this week, with dozens of arrests made. He accused protesters of attacking police in towns like Novi Sad, Belgrade, Pancevo, and Sabac, resulting in at least five officers being injured.
Presently, the movement has yet to produce a single leader directly challenging Vucic.
The opposition Freedom and Justice Party stated that their parliament member Pedja Mitrovic was injured and hospitalized during the protests. The party emphasized in a statement, “This is the style of this government and of Aleksandar Vucic, this is how they treat Serbia.”
(This article references reports from Bloomberg and Reuters)