Student-led protesters in Belgrade call for snap elections in Serbia
ADVERTISEMENT
Riot police clashed with anti-government student-led demonstrators who rallied in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Saturday to demand early parliamentary elections after nearly eight months of protests.
The students have been a key force in driving anti-corruption protests across the nation following the deadly collapse of a newly renovated train station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
Many Serbians blamed the collapse on alleged government corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, leading to recurring mass protests.
The huge crowd chanted 'We want elections!' as they filled the capital's central Slavija Square and several blocks around it, with many unable to reach the venue.
Several protesters were handcuffed by police, and an officer was seen injured on the ground during the ongoing street battles. It was unclear whether others were injured.
As the protest formally ended, the demonstrators threw eggs, plastic bottles and other objects at riot police who were preventing the crowd from approaching a downtown park.
Serbian police said 36,000 people were present at the start of the protest Saturday.
An independent monitoring group that records public gatherings said around 140,000 people attended the student-led rally.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have rejected calls for early elections, accusing protesters of seeking to incite unrest under foreign influence without providing evidence.
Despite the government's demands for the protests to end, the large turnout at Saturday's rally suggested that public anger persisted.
Hours before the student-led rally, the ruling SNS party bused in scores of its own supporters to Belgrade from other parts of the country, many wearing T-shirts reading: 'We won't give up Serbia.'
They were joining a camp of pro-government protesters in central Belgrade, where they have been staying in tents since mid-March.
Presidential and parliamentary elections in Serbia are scheduled for 2027.
Although Vučić and the SNS-led government have repeatedly stated that they want Serbia to join the European Union, Belgrade still maintains good relations with Russia and China.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
China's top diplomat visits Europe pitching closer ties in 'volatile' world
Wang Yi's tour will take him to the European Union's headquarters in Brussels as well as France and Germany as China seeks to improve relations with the bloc as a counterweight to superpower rival the United States. But deep frictions remain over the economy -- including a yawning trade deficit of $357.1 billion between China and the EU -- and Beijing's close ties with Russia despite Moscow's war in Ukraine. "The world is undergoing an accelerated evolution of a century-old change, with unilateralism, protectionism and bullying behaviour becoming rampant," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Friday -- a thinly veiled swipe against the United States under President Donald Trump. In that context, Guo said, Beijing and the European bloc must "keep the world peaceful and stable, safeguard multilateralism, free trade, international rules, fairness and justice, and act firmly as anchors of stability and constructive forces in a volatile world". Wang will meet with his EU counterpart, Kaja Kallas, at the bloc's headquarters in Brussels for "high-level strategic dialogue". In Germany, he will hold talks with Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on diplomacy and security -- his first visit since Berlin's new conservative-led government took power in May. And in France, Wang will meet minister for Europe and foreign affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, who visited China in March. The war in Ukraine will likely be high on the agenda, with European leaders having been forthright in condemning what they say is Beijing's backing for Moscow. China has portrayed itself as a neutral party in Russia's more than three-year war with Ukraine. But Western governments say Beijing's close ties have given Moscow crucial economic and diplomatic support, and they have urged China to do more to press Russia to end the war. Trade tensions Ties between Europe and China have also strained in recent years as the EU seeks to get tougher on what it says are unfair economic practices by Beijing. After the European bloc placed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports, China retaliated with its own duties, including on French cognac. An agreement on cognac has been reached with Beijing but not formally approved by the Chinese commerce ministry, a source in the French economy ministry told AFP. The source said finalization was partially linked with the EU's ongoing negotiations over EVs. Tensions flared this month after the EU banned Chinese firms from government medical device purchases worth more than five million euros ($5.8 million), in retaliation for limits Beijing places on access to its own market. The latest salvo in trade tensions between the 27-nation bloc and China covered a wide range of healthcare supplies, from surgical masks to X-ray machines, that represent a market worth 150 billion euros in the EU. In response, China accused the European Union of "double standards". Another sticking point has been rare earths. Beijing has since April required licences to export these strategic materials from China, which accounts for almost two-thirds of rare earth mining production and 92 percent of global refined output, according to the International Energy Agency. The metals are used in a wide variety of products, including electric car batteries, and there has been criticism from industries about the way China's licences have been issued.
Euronews
9 hours ago
- Euronews
Thousands set up street blockades in Serbia after arrest of protesters
Thousands of people set up street blockades in Serbia on Sunday, angry over the arrest of anti-government protesters who clashed with police at a massive rally a day earlier calling for snap parliamentary elections. Demonstrators set up metal fences and put garbage containers in various locations across the city, also blocking a key bridge over the Sava River. Elsewhere in Serbia in the city of Novi Sad, protesters pelted the offices of the ruling populist Serbian Progressive Party with eggs. Local media reported that similar protest blockades were organised in other smaller cities as well. The protesters demanded that authorities release dozens of university students and other protesters who were jailed for attacking the police or for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government at a rally on Saturday in Belgrade. Tens of thousands had gathered at that rally. They demanded early elections after months of protesters spurred by a deadly train station awning collapse blamed on government corruption. The anti-corruption protests have been going on for eight months after the deadly collapse of the newly renovated train station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people. Protesters declared the current populist government 'illegitimate' and laid the responsibility for any violence on the government. Clashes with riot police on Saturday erupted after the official part of the rally ended. Police used pepper spray, batons and shields while protesters threw rocks, bottles and other objects. Police said on Sunday that 48 officers were injured while 22 protesters sought medical help. Out of 77 people detained, 38 remained in custody Sunday, most of them facing criminal charges, said Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. At least eight more people were detained during the day, the prosecutors said. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić earlier Sunday announced the arrests at a press conference, accusing organizers of the rally of inciting violence and attacks on police, urging legal prosecution. He also criticized "terrorists and those who tried to bring down the state,' singling out University of Belgrade's head dean, Vladan Djokic, who was among the protesters. 'There will be more arrests,' Vučić said. 'Identification of all individuals is underway.' He and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party have rejected calls for early elections, accusing protesters of seeking to incite unrest under foreign influence without providing evidence.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Student-led protesters in Belgrade call for snap elections in Serbia
ADVERTISEMENT Riot police clashed with anti-government student-led demonstrators who rallied in the Serbian capital of Belgrade on Saturday to demand early parliamentary elections after nearly eight months of protests. The students have been a key force in driving anti-corruption protests across the nation following the deadly collapse of a newly renovated train station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people. Many Serbians blamed the collapse on alleged government corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects, leading to recurring mass protests. The huge crowd chanted 'We want elections!' as they filled the capital's central Slavija Square and several blocks around it, with many unable to reach the venue. Several protesters were handcuffed by police, and an officer was seen injured on the ground during the ongoing street battles. It was unclear whether others were injured. As the protest formally ended, the demonstrators threw eggs, plastic bottles and other objects at riot police who were preventing the crowd from approaching a downtown park. Serbian police said 36,000 people were present at the start of the protest Saturday. An independent monitoring group that records public gatherings said around 140,000 people attended the student-led rally. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have rejected calls for early elections, accusing protesters of seeking to incite unrest under foreign influence without providing evidence. Despite the government's demands for the protests to end, the large turnout at Saturday's rally suggested that public anger persisted. Hours before the student-led rally, the ruling SNS party bused in scores of its own supporters to Belgrade from other parts of the country, many wearing T-shirts reading: 'We won't give up Serbia.' They were joining a camp of pro-government protesters in central Belgrade, where they have been staying in tents since mid-March. Presidential and parliamentary elections in Serbia are scheduled for 2027. Although Vučić and the SNS-led government have repeatedly stated that they want Serbia to join the European Union, Belgrade still maintains good relations with Russia and China.
