A column of students and citizens arrived today in front of the Serbian Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime for a one-hour protest, demanding accountability in two high-profile investigations and opposing the government’s plan to demolish the historic General Staff building in central Belgrade.
The protest was organized by students who have been blocking the University of Belgrade as part of their campaign to stop the government’s attempt to lease the General Staff complex for 99 years to Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, under a controversial lex specialis. Critics say the move represents another example of President Aleksandar Vučić’s opaque, personalized style of rule, bypassing institutional checks and public interest.
Warning letter for Special Prosecutor Nenadić
Students prepared a formal warning letter addressed to Special Prosecutor Mladen Nenadić, who heads the office currently conducting two of Serbia’s most significant investigations:
- The “General Staff” case, involving alleged illegalities and corruption linked to the privatization and redevelopment of the protected military complex.
- The financial investigation into the collapse of the Novi Sad train station canopy, which killed 16 people, raising questions about state negligence and potential high-level responsibility.
In front of the building, students unfolded a large banner while chanting “We won’t give up the General Staff,” “Vučić the dealer,” and “Arrest Vučić.”
The demonstrators argue that the prosecution has for years been accused of political subservience, warning Nenadić that failure to act independently would deepen public distrust in Serbia’s already weakened rule of law.
Large turnout despite police controls
Crowds gathered earlier at the University of Belgrade’s Law Faculty before marching toward the prosecutor’s office. By the time the group passed the Veterinary Faculty, the number of participants had grown to several hundred.
Whistles and chants echoed along the route, while bystanders shouted encouragement and passing drivers honked in support. Police maintained a noticeable presence, briefly containing traffic blockages in Bulevar kralja Aleksandra and Beogradska Street.
At 11:52, protesters held 16 minutes of silence in memory of the victims of the Novi Sad station tragedy — a symbolic act underscoring their criticism that state negligence is often left unpunished under Vučić’s administration.
Political presence and broader implications
Among those present was Srđan Milivojević, president of the Democratic Party, who praised the students’ persistence. Opposition groups say the students’ mobilization signals growing public resistance to what they describe as Vučić’s expanding concentration of power, weakening of institutions, and controversial deals with foreign investors.
Today’s protest is the latest in a series of actions aimed at halting the demolition of the General Staff building — a structure protected by heritage laws until the government circumvented them through a tailored legal framework. Activists claim this process exemplifies Vučić’s governance model, where decisions of national importance are often made without transparency, expert consultation, or public debate.
