Serbia: Historical demonstration against corruption. Its significance – will there be a continuation?

Great two days in. For two days, thousands of citizens went down the streets of the largest demonstration of Serbia’s modern history – and despite the government’s efforts to limit the mobilizations, interrupting, for example, the routes of public transport over the weekend, as DW reports.

“I came for my child, for my son, to have a better future,” said a young man in the German news service.

Police have spoken of about 107,000 participants. According to Arhiv Javnih Skupova, however, an NGO dealing with counts of such mass demonstrations, participants ranged between 275,000 and 325,000 – perhaps more.

Match against corruption

The demonstration was mainly organized by students who have occupied most of the country’s state universities. Student calls were responded to teachers, students, health, lawyers, computer scientists, veterans, motorcyclists, farmers and others.

Society along with students

“We are here to support these courageous young people who just want to live in a country with rule of law, nothing more,” an elderly demonstrator told DW.

Social indignation

The reason for the mobilizations was the tragic accident in Novi Sad, where 15 people were killed last November. The broader social indignation, however, concerns the overall corruption of the system and the state and heads against the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and the president.

United entire Serbia

“This is one of the rare cases where the whole of Serbia is united with one purpose. Even if the country does not change after all these mobilizations, we will know that we have stood together and our voices have been heard,” says a young protester from Belgrade.

‘Change in collective consciousness’

“Since all this has begun, something has already changed: there is a change in collective consciousness. It’s not enough of course, but it’s a fantastic principle, “one girl adds.

The incidents of riots

Despite concerns about extensive riots, most cases were individually. According to Serbian media, there were 22 arrests and 56 injured, while the interior ministry spoke of attacks by police officers by protesters who wanted to cause incidents.

The pro -government counter -anti -agitators

The most intense conflict took place near the Serbian Parliament and “Novi DWOR”, the Presidential Palace. Pro -government counter -militants, who call themselves “students 2.0” or “students who want to study”, gathered in a guarded space. Among them were hooligan, as well as former members of the now dismantled “Special Operations Unit (JSO)”, whose heads have been convicted of war crimes.

Conflicts between protesters – counterbalanced

Student mobilization organizers have moved most of the demonstrations elsewhere in order to avoid any conflicts. But one group remained close to the anti-traders and throughout the day there were riots, micro-depletion and throwing objects in the area.

Deafening noise that terrorized

At some point, while the protesters kept a 15 -minute silence in memory of the victims, a deafening noise was heard, which resembled the sound of a plane when colliding on the ground. People were terrified: “We couldn’t get away from sound, we didn’t know what to do. We didn’t understand if something would fall on our heads or if something would hit us on the side, “says Dusan Simin, one of the protesters on DW.

Simin added that what happened was reported in the center of Belgrade for human rights, which provides legal support to those citizens who want to legally move on the incident. According to the N1 news network, which spoke with military analysts, the deafening sound may have been a product of an acoustic weapon, namely a “cannon sound”, which the Serbian security forces have at their disposal. The police, of course, immediately denied any relevant charges.

What is going on from now on?

According to political analyst Dusan Spieyevic, these were the largest demonstrations that Serbia has experienced since the transition to the Parliamentary Republic and then.

‘Without political strategy’

At the same time, however, the political strategy is absent: “It is clear that students are not sure how to intensify their mobilizations from now on. There have been no clear announcements about what is happening, ”explains the analyst on DW.

President Vucic welcomed the fact that security forces were able to maintain “peace and stability”, adding that “all people in power must understand the message of such a high concentration. We need to change and learn a lot. ” The president’s reaction was rather expected, with Vucic seeking to take the world on his side and not losing his power in his hands.

‘The movement will not retreat’

So far students have not announced further mobilizations. However, it is certain that the movement is not going to retreat now. As long as the authorities have been used by the authorities at the expense of the citizens, the situation will become even more tense.

“It is precisely such unnecessary actions that they throw oil on the protests. There are frustrated people, but also some who are even more angry than before, crazy about the fact that the state used illegally within them, ”Spievic said.