The hunger strikes in Novi Sad entered a new phase this morning as Dijana Hrka, mother of Stefan Hrka, one of the 16 victims of the tragic Novi sad railway station canopy collapse, reported that a “cannon shot” was thrown near her tent. Hrka, who began her strike on November 2, has vowed not to end the protest until Serbian institutions fulfill their duties and prosecute those responsible.
At the same time, transport entrepreneur Milomir Jaćimović and his son initiated a hunger strike in front of the Banovina building in Novi Sad. Jaćimović demands the return of his buses and the annulment of fines he claims were illegally imposed. Security personnel reportedly asked him to move his tent, but he refused, and citizens and students gathered to show support.
Student groups from the Faculty of Applied Arts, Architecture, and Philosophy in Belgrade, alongside the Ansambl Generalštab Initiative, have announced a solidarity event for Tuesday, November 11, under the banner “We are a living wall”, calling on citizens to participate in a symbolic human barrier to protest injustice.
Dejan Ilić, columnist for Peščanik, emphasized that the strikes by Hrka and Jaćimović reflect the public’s frustration with a government that fails to value human life. Ilić noted that Hrka’s passive yet determined stance has mobilized citizens and shifted public attention away from the ruling party’s Ćacilend stronghold, fostering grassroots solidarity.
Meanwhile, President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed he spoke to both Hrka and Uglješa Mrdić, another hunger striker, urging them to stop their protests and inviting Hrka to meet at the Presidency. Critics argue that such gestures highlight the disconnect between the government and public demands for accountability, while the strikers continue to press for systemic change.
The Novi sad railway canopy collapse has become a symbol of broader grievances regarding institutional negligence, political impunity, and lack of accountability in Serbia, with citizens and students increasingly using street protests and hunger strikes to demand justice.
