As tensions continue to simmer across Serbia, two powerful and contrasting political events are unfolding simultaneously on May 17, 2025. In Niš, the third-largest city in southeastern Serbia, the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), led by President Aleksandar Vučić, is staging a major rally. Meanwhile, in Subotica, in the northern part of the country, students are preparing a mass protest for justice and reform.
Vučić’s Rally in Niš: A Political Stage Set
A stage has been erected in King Milan Square in central Niš, where President Vučić is expected to speak at a gathering organized by the ruling party. The event is meant to introduce members of the newly announced “Movement for the People and the State”, a political initiative previously teased by Vučić’s administration.
The event also promises the presence of “some friends from abroad,” indicating possible international participation or endorsement. Ivica Dačić, leader of the Socialist Party of Serbia and Minister of Interior, has also called on supporters to attend.
However, the rally is not without controversy. The Municipality of Medijana, the only one in Niš not controlled by SNS, had ordered the removal of the stage, citing the organizers’ failure to submit proper documentation. Despite this, preparations continue.
Student Protests in Subotica: Demanding Justice and Accountability
On the same day, students in Subotica are organizing a multi-hour protest titled “We Are All Subotica,” calling for a more just and humane society. Their movement has roots in a national wave of student activism that began in late November 2024, following a tragic incident in Novi Sad where 16 people died in the collapse of a shelter at the newly renovated train station on November 1.
Students are demanding:
- Criminal and political accountability for those responsible for the structural failure,
- Prosecution of police brutality and violence against students and citizens during earlier protests.
Parallel Demonstrations in Niš
In Niš, a separate student group is planning protest actions at various locations throughout the day, culminating in a central protest in King Alexander Square, just a few hundred meters away from the government-organized rally. The proximity of these two gatherings highlights the deepening social and political divisions in Serbia.
Government Response and Rising Tensions
President Vučić and the ruling coalition claim that student demands have been met, but both student leaders and the academic community reject this as false and misleading.
As Serbia enters a weekend of symbolic confrontation — power versus protest, control versus conscience — the eyes of the nation are fixed on Niš and Subotica, where two starkly different visions of the country’s future will play out in the public square.
