Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic called the tribute to the 16 victims of the collapsed railway station canopy in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad in 2024 a "satanic ritual", regional television En1 reported, quoted by BTA.
On the occasion of the tragedy in Novi Sad, citizens and students took the initiative to pay tribute to the 16 victims by blocking the central streets of Serbian cities in silence for 16 minutes.
„There are no such customs in any nation, where a year and a half later you stand and observe a minute of silence in the middle of the street for 16 minutes. "A purely satanic ritual that does not exist anywhere," Vucic said.
Vucic made the comment today after students announced a new protest in Valjevo, marking one year since police violence during an anti-government demonstration in the same city on August 14, 2025.
On that date, mass anti-government protests were held in Valjevo as part of the growing social discontent following the tragedy in Novi Sad in 2024.
In his statement today, Vucic added that he would always be on the side of the police, who he said had suffered terror for a year and a half because of the demonstrations in Serbia.
“I will always be on the side of our police, who are doing one of the most difficult tasks,” Vucic said.
The tragic incident in Novi Sad has caused acute social discontent and mass anti-government protests led by students who blocked over 60 faculties in Serbia.
The protesters demanded early parliamentary elections and announced that they would support a list of candidate MPs who have authority in society and have not participated in the political life of the country.