Serbian students have blocked the Freedom Bridge in the northern city of Novi Sad for more than 24 hours as part of their anti-corruption movement demanding change in Serbia, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
Dozens of farmers parked their tractors on the bridge, saying they wanted to protect the students from incidents and potential attacks by supporters of the influential Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Novi Sad residents brought the students tea and coffee, as well as food.
The protesters decided to extend the blockade, which began yesterday, by an additional three hours to clean up the area where they have been holding a colorful rally since yesterday. Thousands of people joined them in a show of support today.
Students from universities in Serbia have led a mass anti-corruption movement sparked by the collapse of the concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station on November 1st. Yesterday marked three months since the tragedy that claimed the lives of 15 people.
Many in Serbia believe the canopy collapse was the result of government corruption in a major infrastructure project involving Chinese state-owned companies. Critics believe the corruption is behind the sloppy work in the reconstruction of the railway station, weak supervision and a failure to meet safety standards. The issue has become a symbol of broader dissatisfaction with the rule of law in Serbia, the AP notes.
“The only way to stop this (the protest) is for all our demands to be met,“ said student Lucia Maslakovic, quoted by the AP.
The students are demanding a full investigation into the incident, the publication of all documents related to the reconstruction of the train station and punishment for those responsible.
The daily protests across Serbia have become a major challenge for President Vucic. The student-led movement led to the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and the entire government earlier this week.
In response to the student protests, President Vučić again sent a mixed message today, offering talks with striking university professors while issuing veiled threats to the demonstrators, the AP reported.
Indirectly accusing the protesters of working for foreign interests with the ultimate goal of removing him from power, Vučić wrote on Instagram that the country cannot be run by someone elected outside Serbia.
“We do not need governments imposed from outside…without elections and not by the will of the people“, Vučić said, according to the AP.
The tightly controlled government media has all but ignored the protests, with some even showing fake photos of empty streets, claiming that the rally in Novi Sad was “disaster“ due to low turnout, the agency notes.
The public broadcaster RTS made a surprising exception yesterday by broadcasting the Novi Sad protest, which was attended by tens of thousands, live.
Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party reacted immediately, strongly condemning the “scandalous coverage“ of the Novi Sad blockades. The party said that the state broadcaster “violated all the rules and values of objective and impartial journalism with its scandalous reports“.
The students remained on one of the bridges all night after blocking all three bridges over the Danube River in the city yesterday. Tens of thousands participated in the blockades yesterday and filled the streets to put pressure on the government.
“I fully support them. "I can't believe how organized, mature and good they are," said Novi Sad university professor Jelena Djordjevic. "They are just amazing," she added of the students.
Last night and into the night, the students played basketball and volleyball, listened to music, played chess and cards. In the morning, they cleared the trash before the new protest.
Hundreds walked from Belgrade to Novi Sad for two days to participate in the blockades. At 11:52 a.m., the protesters observed a 15-minute silence in memory of the 15 people who died after the canopy collapsed. Among the victims were two children.