Tens of thousands of protesters blocked roads and occupied bridges in Serbia's Novi Sad on Saturday to push the government into new concessions as they marked three-months since the fatal collapse of a train station in the city sparked an anti-corruption movement. The demonstration was the latest in a series of mass protests to rock the Balkan country in the wake of the roof cave-in that killed 15 people in the northern Serbian city in November.
The university student-led movement has put increasing pressure on the government of the Balkan country, spurring the resignation of several high-ranking officials, including that of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic earlier this week. The premier's resignation came after a hour blockade at a major traffic intersection in the capital Belgrade. It was preceded days before by a general strike that saw schools and small businesses close across the country.
The collapse of the station roof in Novi Sad followed extensive renovations to the building. The accident fuelled long-standing anger in Serbia over corruption and the alleged lack of oversight in construction projects. Ahead of the demonstration, traffic entering Novi Sad remained heavily congested with a long line waiting to pass through tolls to reach the city.
As the protest kicked off, tens of thousands marched through Novi Sad's streets waving flags and signs as they chanted anti-corruption slogans, while blocking roads and occupying the city's three main bridges. University students have emerged as the leaders of the protest movement and have been blockading campuses across the country for weeks.
President Aleksandar Vucic and other government officials have swung between issuing calls for talks and firing off allegations that the demonstrators are being backed by foreign powers. To quell the protests, the government has sought to meet several of the student organisers' demands. Those measures have included releasing a raft of documents related to the renovations at the station; pardoning protesters arrested at rallies; boosting funding for higher education; and launching criminal proceedings against suspects accused of attacking demonstrators.
