A rally by the ruling party in Serbia and an anti-government protest by students took place in the southeastern Serbian city of Nis, Serbian media reported, BTA reported.
The central event of the rally by the ruling party was the speech of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who stated that he was no longer interested in any demands and that from now on he would “listen only to the people”. However, he added that he was ready to “give a hand to his political opponents” and to invite them to a conversation again so that problems and differences can be resolved in institutions, not on the streets, Serbian national television RTS reported.
Students in Serbia have been protesting for about six months, after the canopy of a recently renovated train station in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed on November 1 last year, killing 16 people. As part of the protest actions, students are blocking about 60 faculties in the country. According to the protesters, the tragedy was caused by corrupt practices that led to poor-quality repairs to the station. They want political and criminal responsibility for what happened, and they insist on fighting corruption.
„We are done with them. The demands are over. "Niš is liberated tonight, we will liberate every city in Serbia," Vučić said.
In early May, students first called for early elections, which should be scheduled by Vučić.
The Serbian president said tonight that elections will be held when the competent institutions make a decision, and that the students do not have the authority to demand elections.
The three-day nationwide gathering of the ruling party, which was attended by people from all over Serbia and ends tomorrow, is organized to promote the non-partisan "Movement for People and State", which was registered at the end of March. A large rally on the occasion of the formation of the movement was held from March 11 to 13 in Belgrade, the NIN publication recalls.
At today's rally in Niš, as well as at the previous one in Belgrade, a huge flag, 200 meters long and 10 meters wide, was waved, TANJUG notes.
In addition to Vučić, the speaker of the Serbian parliament Ana Brnabić, the Minister of Finance Sinisa Mali, the chairman of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and former Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and other official representatives arrived in the city on the Nišava River.
Stands are located in the city center where citizens can learn about the “Movement for People and State”, as well as leave letters to Vučić.
At the same time, students and citizens who joined their protest paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy in Novi Sad, the television reported En1.
We will not remain silent, we demand responsibility, justice and truth, the students declared at their rally in Niš, while Vučić was giving his speech not far from them.