Students and Citizens Rally Against Corruption, Demand Early Elections in Serbia

Anti-government protests in Serbia escalated Thursday, with demonstrators targeting the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) offices in Novi Sad and clashing with police and party supporters in Belgrade. The unrest follows a wave of demonstrations triggered by the collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad last November, which killed 16 people and has been widely linked to corruption.

In Novi Sad, the city’s second-largest, protesters broke into the SNS headquarters, smashing windows, throwing out furniture, and splashing red paint on the entrance. Supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic and police were initially absent. Demonstrators chanted slogans against Vucic, who has led the country for over a decade. Riot police later cordoned off sections of the city center and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic reported that police were also forced to act in other cities, including Pancevo and Sabac, where at least five officers were injured during clashes.

In Belgrade, confrontations erupted on a major boulevard as anti-government protesters and SNS supporters threw flares and firecrackers at each other. Riot police intervened, using tear gas and making arrests. The opposition Party of Freedom and Justice reported that parliamentary deputy Pedja Mitrovic was injured and hospitalized. Dacic confirmed that in Wednesday’s nationwide protests, 27 police officers and roughly 80 civilians were injured, and 47 people were detained. On Thursday alone, 14 protesters were arrested in Belgrade and Novi Sad.

The demonstrations have drawn support from students, opposition groups, and anti-corruption organizations, who accuse Vucic and his allies of ties to organized crime, using violence against rivals, and suppressing press freedoms. The protesters’ demands include early elections to remove Vucic and the SNS from power.

President Vucic condemned the protests, claiming participants did not seek peaceful demonstrations and vowing further arrests. He labeled protesters “enemies of their own country” and accused them of inciting violence. Meanwhile, the European Union expressed concern over the unrest. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described the reports as “deeply concerning,” emphasizing the need for citizens to express their views freely and for journalists to operate without intimidation.

The United Nations has also criticized Serbia’s handling of the protests. In August, UN human rights experts highlighted a “troubling pattern of repression,” noting that peaceful demonstrators faced intimidation, physical attacks, surveillance, and arrests, often without legal justification.

The ongoing protests mark the latest escalation of student-led demonstrations that began in late 2024. Public anger over corruption and government accountability has fueled widespread unrest, with demonstrations continuing across towns and cities throughout Serbia. Transparency International ranks Serbia 105th out of 180 countries in its 2024 corruption perception index, reflecting concerns over entrenched corruption under Vucic’s rule.

Amid the unrest, both authorities and opposition groups warn that tensions remain high, with further clashes and arrests likely if the government does not respond to public demands.