Thousands of protesters gathered in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, to demand early elections and express their discontent with the government. The protests were sparked by the 2024 deaths of 16 people after a railway station awning collapsed, which many see as a sign of broader government mismanagement and corruption.

Protesters’ Demands

The protesters, led by students, are calling for free and fair elections, which are currently scheduled for 2027. However, President Aleksandar Vucic has hinted that he may call them earlier. The protesters also accuse Vucic and his government of rigging elections, violence against opponents, stifling media freedom, corruption, and ties with organized crime.

Sanja Belic, a university professor from Novi Sad, told the crowd that “without free and fair elections, everything else is empty words.” Goran Sajin, a protester in his 50s, added that “we must stand up, express our will, and win; we have no other choice.”

Government Response

In a live television broadcast, Vucic invited his supporters to rally on June 27, saying that they should not show anger towards anyone, but rather gather under the Serbian flag. The government has denied the allegations of corruption and election rigging.

Serbia is a candidate to join the European Union, but it must first improve its rule of law, including conditions for free and fair elections, the judiciary, and root out corruption and organized crime. The country must also align its foreign policies with those of the EU, including imposing sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.