From towns and villages across the , people have started a huge walk to Novi Sad to commemorate the 16 people who lost their lives when the railway station roof collapsed, one year on.
On November 1, 2024, the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station collapsed, killing 16 people. According to student associations’ estimates, more than ten thousand people from all over the country are tonight on the streets heading to Novi Sad for its first anniversary.
The collapse was widely blamed on corruption and government negligence and sparked a wave of student-led protests and university blockades that have continued for nearly a year in Serbia.
The students are demanding elections and the resignation of President Aleksandar Vucic, but so far their demands have not been met. They have equally faced harsh repression. For a year now, the students have been accusing Serbia’s political leadership of maintaining “a corrupt and rotten system.” Regardless of when elections will be held, the “movement” has announced its participation with a ballot called “Student List” and the formation will include experts and personalities without a political background.
According to relevant measurements, a large portion of the population identifies with the struggle and demands of the students. A recent CRTA (Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability) poll showed that if elections were held now, Aleksandar Vucic’s ruling party would receive only 32% of the vote, while the student coalition would receive 44%.
