Students are looking for elections – what does the government say, and what opposition – BBC News in Serbian
After more than five months of protests, students who block universities are looking for extraordinary parliamentary elections in Serbia.
« We are looking for momental dismissal of the National Assembly and the announcement of extraordinary parliamentary elections », They said Students in a blockade on social networks Monday night with an indication that it is a « new phase of fighting ».
They called on « people to support a list to which students in the blockade of all higher education institutions in Serbia transfer their trust ».
The statement that sign « students in the blockade of all higher education institutions » reminds that « more than five months » are trying to fulfill them to meet their requests, and that for this « authority does not show even the smallest initiative.
# Novafazaborba All of us! pic.twitter.com/ym9ijd42j4
– Students_U_LOKADI (@STUDENTBLOKADE) May 5, 2025
What suits power?
The highest representatives of government in Serbia have repeatedly told how all student requirements were met, primarily the publication of the entire document on the fall of the Novi Sad Train Station.
They also say that a legal process against suspects for The fall of the canopy when 1. November was killed by 16 people, and one woman was severely injured.
Students and some of their professors, however, argue that the government is not completed any of the original four requests.
They then added three more requests, the last – announcing extraordinary parliamentary elections.
« As time goes, the masks are falling. You see that they are in the field of pure politics.
« Of the four requests, we came to seeking a transitional government, read Djilas. (Dragan Djilas is one of the opposition leaders).
« When they saw that there was none of that, when they saw that President Vučić will never give them a term, then they remembered that they needed extraordinary elections. And why did they not ask for them in November, December? » he said Leader of the ruling Serbian advanced party Miloš Vučević.
He resigned during student protests, and the ruling coalition instead chose New government led by University Professor Đuro Macut.
Ana Brnabić, SNS High Official Officer, says that the student requirements have proved only a paravan and everything from the beginning was politics.
« The conceptlockers do not even who, in accordance with the Constitution and laws, are responsible for these requirements, otherwise they could not find out folly to seek the election to meet the requirements, » Brnabić wrote on Network IX.
Ivica Dacic, the president of the Socialist Party of Serbia, believes that there is no reason to maintain extraordinary parliamentary elections.
« Serbia needs political stability and continuation of economic development.
« The government has a stable parliamentary majority. I am not a supporter of any extraordinary events, but regular choices and I never wicked it, » said Dacic for TV Pink.
He also says that he does not frighten the results of choice and adds that « those looking for choices do not understand that it can be the end of their sleep that they can do something on them. »
In the previous parliamentary elections, The SNS won convincinglywinning enough mandates to adopt laws and makes decisions in the Assembly.
With loyal coalition partners, the majority is more than convincing.
SNS Government from 2012. year, and Vučić deviated from the place of the party leader two years ago, becoming, as he said, an ordinary member.
However, his name was on the list for elections, as was also most often mentioned and seen in the election campaign.
Since the maintenance of parliamentary and local elections 17. December 2023. The Protests of the Opposition Association Serbia against violence lasted, who accused the authority for alleged reversal of the results and asked for the recurrence of voting.
The government rejected all claims and states that the opposition block did not provide evidence, nor did he object to official election authorities.
Domestic and foreign observers posted the report they stated A series of irregularities in these elections.
The protests were calm, until 24. December when the leaders of the opposition block invited supporters to break into the building of the City of Belgrade, claiming that they won in Belgrade and that the government belongs to them.
Protesters smashed the doors and windows on the historic Belgrade buildingfor the police to react, arresting several dozen people, and against certain actions are initiated.
The opposition block Serbia against violence then disintegrated and divided into smaller parties that have separate parliamentary clubs in the Assembly.
What is the opposition attitude?
Opposition parties for now are mostly reserved and reacting differently to the student request.
So far, parliamentary opposition parties have criticized electoral conditions and said that the precondition for any choices to change election regulations as European observers after previous voting.
So far, not advertised a party of freedom and justice (SAA), led by Dragan Šilas and which is the strongest opposition force in the Republic Assembly.
Miloš Jovanović, President of the new Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and one of the Leaders of the Hope, if he has abandoned the idea of the transitional government, because it is the only reasonable solution that has occurred due to democratic and free, that is fair elections. «
The new DSS continues to believe that the transitional government is only possible solution, and for whose realization requires the community of all opposition to the citizens, Dane told Dane.
« If this doesn’t happen, and this one, the new idea of communion violates, a terrible mistake will be made and another opportunity will be missed to normalize things in Serbia, » he adds.
Jovanovic also said that the elections he would organize Aleksandar Vučić cannot be free either democratic.
« It’s wondering that happened to someone, such an idea, because so far the only one mentioned that same Vučić, » he orders.
The Movement of Renovation of the Kingdom of Serbia (POKS), a member of the Hope Coalition, is for elections, but before the transitional government is made and fair election conditions are created, he said Party leader Vojislav Mihailovic.
Unlike the DSS, Democratic Party It announces to support students’ request for announcing extraordinary parliamentary elections, « Although we have repeatedly emphasized that there are no conditions for fair and honest elections in Serbia ».
« We respect the fact that students are supported by two thirds of Serbia’s citizens, » they added in the announcement.
And Green-Left Frontwhich has several deputies in the Republic Assembly, supports the request of students for extraordinary elections.
Students offer cooperation In connection with the preparation of elective conditions that are, they say, the biggest problem.
Aleksandar Jovanović I will, the leader of the ecological uprising, he said to support students’ request for extraordinary elections.
The student requests supported and Opposition movement Start-Change not in the Republic Assembly, but received the most votes from all opposition parties in elections for the City Assembly of the City of Belgrade.
What have students been looking for so far?
The students in the blockade first presented four requests, so they are added two more.
The blockades started students Faculty of Dramatic Arts In Belgrade (FDU), after the attack on them 22. November, during the disclosure of honors of the victims in the fall of the canopy at the train station in Novi Sad.
Then they were looking for:
- Publication of the entire documentation on the reconstruction of the train station and criminal responsibility for the death of 16 people.
- Confirmation of identity and initiation of criminal charges against responsible for attacks on students and professors.
- Rejection of criminal charges against arrested and detained during student protests.
- Increasing the budget for higher education by 20 percent.
However, after the incident at the protest 15. March in Belgrade, students in the early April, said a detailed investigation into what happened.
In addition, students in the blockade have requested that the University of Belgrade appears with more radical resistance measures in the form that the institution considers adequate.
Almost two months after the demonstration in Belgrade, it is not known what caused a strong sound that was heard during the post office in the death certificate of the Novi Sad Station.
After different information about sound source Which created chaos during the protest, officials confirmed that Serbia has an audible device set by the Assembly of Serbia, but claim it was not used.
After entering Vucic, the intensive care of the University-Clinical Center of Serbia, where they were injured in the Kočani fire in Northern Macedonia, they also published the sixth request.
Require the launch of the procedure and dismissal in the University Clinical Center of Serbia and the Emergency Center.
Directors of these health care institutions are listed by students, allowed people to enter intensive care and record patients, thus roughing their health and the right to privacy.
To Strasbourg and Brussels
Protests are held for more than six months in cities and municipalities throughout Serbia.
More than 80 students are meanwhile drove Bikes to Strasbourg In order to, they say, distribute the attention of European officials and institutions to the situation in Serbia, and afterwards they are Brussels with the same goal headed by runners.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Jutjubu and Vajiberu. If you have a topic suggestion for us please contact (Email Protected)
