Protests that began in Serbia at the beginning of November after the collapse of a concrete canopy at Novi Sad railway station killed 15 people are spreading: students are blockading around 40 faculties and demonstrations are taking place on an almost daily basis. The protesters are demanding that secret documents relating to the renovation of the railway station in Novi Sad be made public and the release of arbitrarily detained protesters. Commentators see the situation escalating.
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Now it’s up to the older generations
Vreme calls for reinforcements for the students:
“The older ones are now faced with the question: do they trust the [regime-loyal] television or their children, by whom they so often swear? … Could this crisis develop into a political crisis in which the opposition participates in a transitional government or succeeds in organising fair elections? Will other institutions – since the university is an institution – also rise up in protest? … The past has taught us that the regime is tough, but historical experience has also taught us that everything comes to an end. … The students have already done their part by showing that the emperor is wearing no clothes. The old must join the young and finish the job.”
Vučić’s new helplessness
The protests could mark the beginning of the end for the president, Telegram concludes:
“Even people who are not particularly interested in politics are aware of the student revolt, the blockades at more and more faculties and the signs of panic that Aleksandar Vučić is showing. One of these signs was his gratuitous social media post that he ‘is not Assad and will not flee Serbia’. This shows how helpless Vučić is in this situation, which arose from the collapse of the roof of Novi Sad train station. He never displayed such helplessness before. … The anger against the government is apparently spreading universally and chaotically. … This could indeed lead to Serbia grinding to a halt, as the latest opposition slogan has it. What is certain is that there will be no return to social apathy.”