Huge marches held in Belgrade and other Serbian cities as anti-graft protests persist
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Protest marches Friday in Serbia’s capital of Belgrade and a northern city saw tens of thousands of people respond to a call from university and high school students to strike as part of a monthslong struggle against corruption in the Balkan country.
The massive marches were part of a nationwide anti-graft movement that started after a concrete canopy crashed in November at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15 people and triggering protests against the populist government of President Aleksandar Vucic.
“I am here for justice, for a better tomorrow,” Srecko Nedeljkovic, a Belgrade resident, said. “That’s all it’s about, nothing else. The only important thing is that we live in a country governed by the rule of law.”
Many in Serbia believe that the huge concrete construction fell down because of poor renovation work fueled by government corruption in infrastructure deals with Chinese state companies. Authorities have said it was an accident that happened because of construction flaws. They have indicted 16 people over the crash but doubts prevail that the actual culprits will face justice.
University students behind the protests have insisted on full accountability, which has garnered widespread support among Serbia’s citizens who are largely disillusioned with politicians and have lost trust in state institutions.
Many shops, bars and restaurants in Serbia on Friday remained closed in support of the universities and schools where classes have been suspended for more than three months. Smaller protests were held in several other towns and cities throughout the country after calls by protesters for a general strike.
In Belgrade, a huge column of people walked on the streets around the downtown area passing by government buildings. Marching students said their protest presented a ‘prelude’ to a massive rally planned for March 15 in Belgrade, after similar rallies were held in previous weeks in other cities.
Blowing whistles while led by a group of drummers to create noise as they passed through the central city zone, the protesters then went silent for 15 minutes half way through the march to honor the 15 victims of the canopy fall. They carried banners showing a red handprint, symbolizing “blood on the hands” of the authorities because of the canopy crash.
Vucic has sought to downplay the protests, saying they were part of a ploy by the West to oust him from power. Vucic on Friday said he had discussed an alleged attempted revolution in a phone conversation with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
Vucic said on Instagram that “Russia understands well and can see clearly what is going on and will continue to support legally and legitimately elected authorities in Serbia.”
Persistent protests have become the biggest challenge to Vucic in years. The populist leader and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party have held a firm grip on power in Serbia for over a decade, facing accusations of stifling democratic freedoms despite formally seeking European Union entry for Serbia.
In a counter-protest, a group of pro-Vucic students started camping outside the Serbian presidency building, saying they want to continue normal studies and demanding an end to months-long blockades of Serbia’s universities. The protest was apparently designed to minimize the scope of the anti-graft students’ actions.
By JOVANA GEC
Associated Press
