Serbians pump up protest at last EXIT festival
An image of a bloodied red hand, a stark symbol of the protests, beamed down from screens onto heaving mosh pits throughout screaming punk sets, while the protest's rallying cry bounced over thumping techno. The movement is nine months old and, for many, EXIT was a chance to renew their protest under a more international spotlight. "This is basically about keeping the fire alive and responding to this regime", Srdan Kovacevic said at on the bridge into the festival.
Festival-goers streamed past signs memorialising the 16 people killed in a train station roof collapse — a tragedy that sparked anti-graft demonstrations against the country's right-wing government. "I think it is very important to stand on this side and raise awareness not only domestically but internationally", said Vanja Manic-Matic, a French language teacher. This could be the last time Serbian protest chants are heard at the festival's iconic Serbian site, after organisers announced a decision to leave their home country.
First launched 25 years ago in opposition to strongman Slobodan Milosevic's rule, organisers now accuse President Aleksandar Vucic's government of pressuring it to pull out of the Balkan nation. Following their backing of the anti-corruption movement, the festival claims the government cut funding and sponsors were pressured to withdraw.
Since November, massive rallies, some drawing hundreds of thousands, have gripped Serbia — triggering the collapse of a government faced with accusations of deep-rooted corruption. But Vucic, in power since 2012, remains at the head of a reshuffled administration and refuses to hold new elections, a key demand of the protesters. Instead, the government has trained its sights on EXIT, one of the country's most significant international tourism draws.
Following a massive rally in Belgrade in late June, major roads and public squares have been frequently blocked by roaming protesters in cities around the country. Vucic has responded by calling for the arrest of demonstrators he alleged are "paid by foreign interests". Dozens have been detained in recent weeks. As summer holidays begin and the cities empty, Kovacevic admitted turning out large numbers against the government was becoming difficult, but he nevertheless believed fresh elections were "inevitable". — AFP
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