Students leading nationwide protests in Serbia have announced that nearly 400,000 citizens supported their demand for the calling of early parliamentary elections.
In a statement published on Instagram, the group known as “Students in Blockade” said the response demonstrated that public determination and momentum remain strong, even after more than a year of continuous protests.
Nationwide Signature-Gathering Action
On December 28, students organized a coordinated action titled “Call the Victory”, setting up more than 500 signature booths across over 100 municipalities and cities throughout Serbia.
The students clarified that the collected signatures:
- Will not be submitted to any institution as a formal legal request
- Do not represent support for a student political list
- Serve as a symbolic measure of public support for holding snap elections
According to the organizers, the initiative primarily aimed to strengthen connections with citizens and to demonstrate the scale of popular backing for early elections.
Government Reaction
On the same day the action took place, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that he would accept what he described as the students’ “main demand”, announcing that elections would be held soon, next year.
Previously, the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) had rejected calls for early elections made by the student movement.
Background of the Protests
Students have been at the forefront of nationwide protests for more than a year, sparked by the collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad, which resulted in the death of 16 people.
The key demand of the protests has been the establishment of accountability for the tragedy. In early May, students added the call for early elections, stating they were entering a “new phase of struggle” due to what they described as the government’s failure to meet their demands.
Judicial Developments
Although authorities claim that demands have been fulfilled — citing the release of documentation and the initiation of legal proceedings — no one has been convicted one year after the tragedy.
On December 24, the Higher Court in Novi Sad suspended criminal proceedings against:
- Goran Vesić, former Minister of Construction
- Anita Dimoski, his former assistant
- Jelena Tanasković, former director of Serbia’s railway infrastructure company
The charges related to endangering public safety, a decision that has since been appealed by the prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Belgrade Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime is conducting a separate investigation into alleged corruption linked to the Belgrade–Budapest railway reconstruction, which includes the Novi Sad station. The investigation also involves former ministers Goran Vesić and Tomislav Momirović, as well as private subcontracting companies.
