Latest news with #UniversityofBelgrade
Int'l Business Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
From Blockades To Ballots: Serbian Students Confront Government
Serbian students leading an anti-corruption movement that has rocked the Balkan country for months maintained the pressure Friday with a march in the western city of Loznica -- the first major protest since their call for early elections. Many arrived the night before on foot from across Serbia and were welcomed by residents with flags and fireworks. The country has been shaken by months of protests sparked by the deaths of 16 people when a newly renovated railway station roof collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad in November -- a tragedy widely seen as the result of deep-rooted corruption. Students have blocked universities, streets and roads, marched across Serbia, cycled to Strasbourg, and run to Brussels -- all while remaining nonpartisan in their message. These actions have "helped raise awareness" and "reached parts of the public that the political opposition had never reached", Dusan Vucicevic, a University of Belgrade political science professor, told AFP. But as demonstrations have escalated, "people have been waiting for some political articulation," he added, referring to tactics. Earlier this week, students shifted gears and called for early parliamentary elections. "We came to the point where we realised that this government is not going to fulfil our demands. This has lasted for almost six months, and they are acting like we don't exist," Andjela, a Belgrade Academy student, told AFP. Students have demanded accountability for the tragedy, prosecution of those who attacked protesters, dismissal of charges against arrested students, and an investigation into the alleged use of a sound cannon during a demonstration in March. Facing the greatest challenge of his 12-year rule, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has oscillated between calls for dialogue and accusations that the students are backed by foreign powers seeking a "colour revolution." Commenting on their demand for elections, he said Wednesday that students "won't wait long" -- though he offered no date. Students have already begun preparing with a list of candidates they would support, which they say "would unite the largest number of Serbian citizens" by featuring the names of eminent individuals rather than politicians. "Students won't be candidates. It will be people we trust," Andjela said, adding that a criteria for prospective candidates was still being established. Vucicevic said the students' strength lies in their emotional connection with the public, as well as in the fact that their "demands are political but not party-driven". "They focus on respect for law, social justice, and political accountability -- universal values that resonate widely," Vucicevic said. Most opposition parties -- ranging from the left to the centre -- have said they will support the students' demands and assist them in organising. However, parties have stated whether they would pull candidates in favour of the students' preferred nominees. Vucicevic pointed out that the opposition struggles with public trust -- partly as a result of smear campaigns led by the government and pro-government media. But students are shifting voter perception. "Many anti-Vucic voters voted not for the opposition but against Vucic. In contrast, the student movement is growing a base of pro-student voters," the political scientist said. Parliamentary elections were last held in December 2023, with the ruling nationalist party claiming victory amid fraud allegations dismissed by Vucic. The united opposition won 23.5 percent of the vote. Protests have since prompted the prime minister's resignation and the government's fall. A new government, led by a political novice and medical doctor, was elected by parliament in mid-April. Students have demanded accountability for the tragedy, prosecution of those who attacked protesters, dismissal of charges against arrested students AFP
France 24
09-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
From blockades to ballots: Serbian students confront government
Many arrived the night before on foot from across Serbia and were welcomed by residents with flags and fireworks. The country has been shaken by months of protests sparked by the deaths of 16 people when a newly renovated railway station roof collapsed in the northern city of Novi Sad in November -- a tragedy widely seen as the result of deep-rooted corruption. Students have blocked universities, streets and roads, marched across Serbia, cycled to Strasbourg, and run to Brussels -- all while remaining nonpartisan in their message. These actions have "helped raise awareness" and "reached parts of the public that the political opposition had never reached", Dusan Vucicevic, a University of Belgrade political science professor, told AFP. But as demonstrations have escalated, "people have been waiting for some political articulation," he added, referring to tactics. Earlier this week, students shifted gears and called for early parliamentary elections. "We came to the point where we realised that this government is not going to fulfil our demands. This has lasted for almost six months, and they are acting like we don't exist," Andjela, a Belgrade Academy student, told AFP. Students have demanded accountability for the tragedy, prosecution of those who attacked protesters, dismissal of charges against arrested students, and an investigation into the alleged use of a sound cannon during a demonstration in March. Looming polls Facing the greatest challenge of his 12-year rule, the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has oscillated between calls for dialogue and accusations that the students are backed by foreign powers seeking a "colour revolution." Commenting on their demand for elections, he said Wednesday that students "won't wait long" -- though he offered no date. Students have already begun preparing with a list of candidates they would support, which they say "would unite the largest number of Serbian citizens" by featuring the names of eminent individuals rather than politicians. "Students won't be candidates. It will be people we trust," Andjela said, adding that a criteria for prospective candidates was still being established. Vucicevic said the students' strength lies in their emotional connection with the public, as well as in the fact that their "demands are political but not party-driven". "They focus on respect for law, social justice, and political accountability -- universal values that resonate widely," Vucicevic said. Public trust Most opposition parties -- ranging from the left to the centre -- have said they will support the students' demands and assist them in organising. However, parties have stated whether they would pull candidates in favour of the students' preferred nominees. Vucicevic pointed out that the opposition struggles with public trust -- partly as a result of smear campaigns led by the government and pro-government media. But students are shifting voter perception. "Many anti-Vucic voters voted not for the opposition but against Vucic. In contrast, the student movement is growing a base of pro-student voters," the political scientist said. Parliamentary elections were last held in December 2023, with the ruling nationalist party claiming victory amid fraud allegations dismissed by Vucic. The united opposition won 23.5 percent of the vote. Protests have since prompted the prime minister's resignation and the government's fall. A new government, led by a political novice and medical doctor, was elected by parliament in mid-April. © 2025 AFP
Al Jazeera
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
AI and doxxing sites: Trump vs antiwar activists
Over the past month, hundreds of international students in the US have either been detained, deported, or stripped of their visas for protesting Israel's war on Gaza. The Trump administration's crackdown is being described as an assault on political dissent – one that has been enabled by mainstream news outlets and pro-Zionist pressure groups. This story is about more than just visas. It's about who gets to speak in Trump's America. Contributors: Adolfo Franco – Republican strategist and lawyer Eric Lee – Immigration lawyer Yumna Patel – Editor-in-chief, Mondoweiss Prem Thakker – Reporter, Zeteo News The German government is attempting to deport four foreign students – none of whom have been charged with a crime – over their pro-Palestinian activism. Ryan Kohls reports. For the past five months, Serbia has been in the grip of historic protests against President Aleksandar Vucic's government. Young people have led the way, demanding political reform. But in doing so they've faced a powerful adversary – not only in government, but in its collection of loyalists in the media. Meenakshi Ravi reports from Belgrade on the narrative they have been spinning and the pushback they are getting from Serbian citizens. Featuring: Snjezana Milivojevic – Professor, University of Belgrade Vesna Radojevic – Reporter, KRIK Suzana Vasiljevic – Media adviser to the president of Serbia
Al Jazeera
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thousands rally in Serbia against Trump son-in-law's real estate project
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Serbia's capital Belgrade to voice discontent over a luxury real estate project spearheaded by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of United States President Donald Trump. The protests took place on Monday in front of the country's former army headquarters, which were destroyed in a US-led NATO bombing campaign in 1999 as part of the Kosovo war, and are now being leased by the Serbian authorities to Kushner's Affinity Partners investment firm, so they can be transformed into a high-end compound. 'It is the 26th anniversary of the NATO bombing. And we protest because this building has been given to someone to make profit,' said Ognjen Pjevac, a 20-year-old University of Belgrade student. 'But it should remain here as it is a testimony to NATO aggression.' Protesters demanded that the site, comprised of two buildings designed by Serbian architect Nikola Dobrovic that were damaged by NATO's bombing of what was then Yugoslavia, be reinstated as a heritage site and that plans for the development project be scrapped. Serbia's architects, engineers and opposition parties have opposed the government's multimillion-dollar contract with Kushner, which includes a 99-year lease on the prime land in the heart of Belgrade. The demonstration was the latest in a series of massive protests against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic, who has been in power for 12 years as prime minister or president and is accused by critics of corruption and democratic backsliding. Last November's collapse of a roof at a train station in Serbia's second-biggest city of Novi Sad, a disaster that claimed the lives of 15 people, became a lightning rod for dissatisfaction with Vucic's administration, bringing thousands onto the streets in sustained demonstrations. Critics blamed the crash on government corruption, negligence and disrespect for construction safety rules during renovation. Earlier in 2024, there were also mass protests against the government's greenlighting of plans for a controversial lithium mine set to serve as a vital power source in Europe's green energy transition, which opponents say will pollute water sources and endanger public health. Serbia maintains a balancing act between its historical ties with the European Union and Russia. But has leaned closely to Moscow for decades now. Earlier this month, Vucic posted on Instagram that Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed his support for Serbia's authorities amid what he called the 'coloured revolution', a reference to popular uprisings experienced by former Soviet states. Monday also marked Remembrance Day for the victims of NATO's 78-day bombing campaign that started on March 24, 1999. The US-led NATO air war, launched to stop Belgrade's crackdown against separatist ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, still provokes strong emotions in Serbia. Kosovo became an independent state in 2008 but some in Serbia still call for its reintegration. The bombed-out former army compound had become a symbol of Serb resistance. If transformed by Kushner, it would feature a Trump hotel, luxury apartments, office spaces and shops, along with a memorial for the victims of the bombing.
Express Tribune
16-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Thousands protest in Belgrade against Serbian president
Listen to article Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, joining what has become one of the largest anti-government protests in Serbia in recent years. Organised by university students, the rally aimed to hold President Aleksandar Vucic accountable for corruption, negligence, and the tragic roof collapse at a train station in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 15 people. Police reported that the crowd reached 107,000 people at its peak, with independent Serbian media estimating even higher numbers. Despite intermittent rain, the protesters filled the streets, waving flags and chanting slogans, demanding justice for the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. The protest, dubbed '15 for 15,' marked both the date of the rally and the number of lives lost in the incident. The protest has grown out of a series of student-led demonstrations that began in December following the disaster. Many blame the collapse on government corruption and lax safety regulations in the construction industry, with the government's failure to act seen as a symbol of broader systemic issues. The rally, while peaceful, was marred by sporadic incidents, including clashes between protesters and police. Saturday's gathering was a culmination of months of activism, with protesters calling for the resignation of government officials and an end to corruption. "We came for justice. I hope that after this protest, things will change," said Milica Stojanovic, a biology student at the University of Belgrade. In response to the protests, Vucic had repeatedly warned of potential unrest and the possibility of arrests, accusing Western intelligence services of orchestrating the protests. However, he provided no evidence to support these claims. Throughout the day, tensions rose as groups of Vucic's supporters, including members of notorious paramilitary units, set up camp near government buildings, adding to the already charged atmosphere. Despite these challenges, the students and their supporters remained resolute. "This is not the end, but the beginning of the end," said Dejan Simic, a protester. "This movement is for a more democratic Serbia, where corruption is no longer tolerated." Police deployed hundreds of officers, and the city's public transport was suspended to prevent more people from reaching the protest. As protesters gathered, violence erupted in some areas, with a car ramming into a group of demonstrators in the Zarkovo suburb, injuring three people. Additionally, there were reports of attacks on student activists in central Belgrade. However, the majority of the protesters continued their march to the National Assembly, where they held a moment of silence for the victims of the Novi Sad collapse at exactly 11:52 a.m., the time of the tragedy. Many farmers, veterans, and other supporters joined the rally in solidarity, underscoring the widespread anger across Serbian society. As the protest unfolded, Vucic continued to stand firm, rejecting calls for a transitional government or early elections. "I am not going to be pressured," he declared in a televised address. "I will not let the streets set the rules in this country." He also warned of a "final" confrontation, suggesting that Saturday's rally could be a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle between the government and its critics. The protest on Saturday, while large and significant, is expected to be just one chapter in an ongoing struggle for greater accountability and reform in Serbia. As the protests continue, the future of the government and Vucic's presidency hangs in the balance, with citizens demanding an end to corruption and a more transparent, democratic system.
