Thousands of people gathered in central Belgrade today in response to a call from students who have been protesting for over six months against corruption and demanding political accountability. Their message to the government was loud and clear: “We want elections.”
The demonstration began in front of the former Belgrade railway station, where students left red handprints as a symbol of the consequences of negligence and corruption. Protesters marched past the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office to remind officials to fulfill their duties, and held a moment of silence to honor the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy.
The tragic event, in which 16 people died on November 1, 2024, when a canopy collapsed, has become a rallying point for the movement. Protesters argue that the collapse was a direct result of systemic corruption and institutional failure.
“It wasn’t just a canopy that fell — it was the entire system collapsing under the weight of corruption,” said one student speaker.
In early May, the students officially demanded snap parliamentary elections, claiming that deeply rooted corruption has paralyzed institutions and prevented them from properly addressing public concerns.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated on May 16 that elections would be held “within the next year and a half,” depending on decisions by the relevant institutions — but offered no specific timeline. Government officials have repeatedly claimed that all student demands have been met, a claim protest leaders strongly deny.
The protest was peaceful, and organizers stated they will continue until all demands are fulfilled — particularly the call for snap elections and full accountability for the tragedy in Novi Sad.
