In Novi Sad, tensions escalated today as authorities forcibly removed a bus belonging to hunger-striking transport entrepreneur Milomir Jaćimović, who has been protesting in front of the Banovina government building for eight days. While one bus was temporarily returned, Jaćimović continues to demand that all seven confiscated buses be returned and fines annulled, with citizens gathering to support him.
The protest, which also involves Dijana Hrka, mother of Stefan Hrka who died in a station accident, saw her announce she would end her hunger strike but remain at the protest site, urging students and citizens to join her in planning next steps.
The day’s events were marked by police aggression and media suppression:
- Journalists were pushed and obstructed, including reporters from N1 and Blokade Info, even while clearly marked with press vests.
- Students and citizens faced force as police attempted to tow Jaćimović’s bus, with at least one student, Vukašin Đinović, suffering a nosebleed after being struck with a shield.
- Evropska poslanica Irena Joveva visited Hrka, showing support amid the state’s crackdown on peaceful protest.
These events reveal a broader pattern of intimidation in Vučić’s Serbia: protests challenging government action are met with force, journalists covering these events are physically pushed aside, and civic grievances are systematically minimized. Meanwhile, pro-government forces like SNS supporters are present but unchallenged, creating an uneven playing field that favors the ruling party.
Jaćimović called for citizens to peacefully block Belgrade, framing his struggle not just as a fight for his buses but as a broader demand for justice and accountability in Serbia.
This day in Novi Sad exposes the lengths to which state institutions under Vučić’s influence will go to control narratives, suppress independent media coverage, and intimidate citizens who demand accountability.
