As Protests Swell, Serbian Leader Says He Gets It

Hundreds of thousands of anti-corruption protesters filled the streets of Belgrade on Saturday in Serbia’s largest public demonstration in decades, with the government saying that it has heard the demonstrators, the BBC reported.

As many as 325,000 protesters are estimated to have filled the main streets of the capital, coming from all over the country even as the government tightened the borders and shut down public transport.

A deafening sound of whistles, drums, and vuvuzelas filled the air during the demonstration, the Associated Press reported. Some protesters carried banners that read, “He’s Finished!” Crowds chanted “Pump it Up,” a slogan adopted during the past four months of student-led protests.

While Serbian media reported clashes between demonstrators and police that led to 56 people being injured and 22 arrests, the demonstration remained largely peaceful, with protesters emphasizing their calls for transparency and justice.

Since November, Serbia has been grappling with near-daily protests following the fatal collapse of a concrete and glass canopy at the railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, which was renovated and reopened in 2022.

The demonstrations initially began with calls for full disclosure and accountability over the incident but broadened into a wider movement against alleged government corruption and negligence and calls for populist President Aleksandar Vučić, in power for 13 years, to resign.

The protests have spread across more than 200 cities and towns and have drawn support from various groups, including lawyers, military veterans, taxi drivers, and farmers.

In response to the months-long unrest, Serbian prosecutors have indicted at least 16 people – including former Construction Minister Goran Vesić – but no trials have begun.

The crisis has also resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, although he remains in office pending parliamentary approval of his resignation and the election of a replacement.

In response to Saturday’s rallies, Vučić acknowledged the public outrage: “All people in the government have to understand the message when this many people gather,” he said. “We will have to change ourselves.”

However, he insisted that most citizens do not support a so-called “color revolution,” according to Radio Free Europe, referring to mass demonstrations that have brought down governments in other countries such as Georgia.

Vučić, who has dominated Serbian politics since 2012, insists he will not step down nor give in to “blackmail.”

While he has described the student-led protests as “well-intentioned,” he has accused the opposition parties of attempting to force the creation of a “fraudulent interim government.” He has also blamed foreign actors for the demonstrations.

Opposition parties and politicians have claimed that Serbia’s political crisis can only be resolved through the formation of a transitional government and new elections.

Still, observers noted that the students are mainly calling for the truth behind the Novi Sad disaster, adding that they will not stop until they have secured justice for the victims.