A rally of supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic was held in the Serbian capital Belgrade on 12 April. It was organised after months of protests against the authorities, which began after the tragedy in the town of Novi Sad, where 16 people were killed after a canopy fell at the railway station.
Protesters have accused the authorities of corruption, which they claim contributed to the tragedy. Tens and even hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the rallies, whose main driving force was students. Serbia’s prime minister has resigned, but no new parliamentary elections have yet been called.
Vucic, on the one hand, declared his “readiness to listen to the protesters”, while on the other hand, he said that “foreign intelligence services” were behind the organisation of the protests and were allegedly trying to organise a “Maidan” in Serbia.
Before the April 12 rally, Vucic and officials and supporters carried a 200-metre-long Serbian flag down the street, which the president called “the longest in history”.
On the same day, a large anti-government demonstration took place in the town of Novi Pazar south of Belgrade.
The collapse of a concrete canopy at the Novi Garden train station on 1 November sparked protests that could be the biggest challenge to Vucic’s political power.
Student demonstrations have grown into a larger movement. Activists say they oppose the breakdown of the rule of law and systemic corruption under the rule of Aleksandar Vucic, who has been the country’s president since 2017 and previously served as prime minister for three years.