Thousands Protest Against President Vučić at Slavija Square in Belgrade

Thousands Protest Against President Vučić at Slavija Square in Belgrade

Thousands of people gathered at Slavija Square in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, on Sunday to protest against President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). They accused the government of being responsible for the November 1 roof collapse at a railway station in northern Serbia that claimed 15 lives. The protest was supported by various groups, including student and farmer unions.

On November 1, the concrete roof of the recently renovated Novi Sad railway station collapsed, killing 14 people and injuring three others, one of whom later died.

Opposition leaders and the public have repeatedly taken to the streets, blaming the accident on government corruption and nepotism. However, the ruling coalition has denied these allegations, with Vučić promising that those responsible will face justice.

The protest in Belgrade began with 15 minutes of silence for the victims, followed by chants of “You have blood on your hands!” Protesters demanded justice for Vučić and others accountable, criticizing corruption and poor construction standards in the railway station renovation, which had been carried out twice in recent years under deals involving Chinese state-run companies.

Serbia’s prominent theater and film actors also joined the demonstration, with actor Bane Trifunović describing the rally as a “festival of freedom.”

President Vučić dismissed the protests, saying he would not yield to opposition demands for a transitional government. He accused opposition leaders of using students to attempt a power grab.

“We will defeat them again,” Vučić declared. “They don’t know what to do, so they are using someone’s children.”