 "A protestor holds an orthodox icon as a thousands of students attend a protest on New Year's Eve to demand accountability for the November train station roof collapse that killed 15 people in Belgrade, Serbia. AFP")
Student organisers in Serbia have called for a general strike this week, escalating pressure on officials over the fatal collapse of a train station roof last year.
The announcement, made Wednesday (January 22) on social media by a prominent student group, urged Serbians to engage in “general civil disobedience” on Friday (January 24). The group called for citizens to abstain from work, shopping, and other daily activities.
“Let’s take freedom into our own hands! Your participation makes a difference,” the statement said.
Growing public frustration and protests
The call for a strike comes amid mounting public outrage and near-daily protests following the collapse of a newly restored train station roof in Novi Sad in November. The incident killed 15 people and has been widely blamed on corruption and poor oversight of construction projects.
University students, who have led the movement, have blockaded campuses nationwide for months. Public demonstrations, including road blockades, have become frequent.
A big one happened on January 18 when Serbians, led by university students, protested in front of the public broadcaster in the capital Belgrade.
Under the slogan “Our right to know everything”, the students denounced what they said were smear campaigns against them on the public broadcaster Radio Television Serbia, demanding objective reporting for the demonstrations.
What is the govt doing?
The government has charged more than a dozen individuals in connection with the tragedy, including former Transport Minister Goran Vesic, who resigned shortly after the incident. Under pressure from the protests, officials released documents related to the station’s renovation, claiming they have met demands for transparency. They have also accused protesters of being backed by foreign powers.
However, demonstrators are demanding a more thorough investigation into the tragedy. They are also denouncing the government’s handling of the protests and alleging that authorities have orchestrated physical attacks on student activists through hired hooligans.
With inputs from agencies