The collapse of a railway station roof in Novi Sad has sparked a wave of protests across Serbia, putting President Aleksandar Vucic in a rare position—on the back foot.
The tragedy, which claimed 15 lives and injured two on 1 November, has ignited fury over alleged government corruption and negligence. Students, opposition figures, and citizen groups have flooded the streets, demanding accountability for what many believe was a preventable disaster.
Under pressure, Vucic announced on Wednesday that his government would release all documents related to the station’s renovation. Arrested protesters, he added, have already been freed.
“All relevant materials will be available to the public tomorrow,” he promised during a late-night press conference.
“We will not back down”
Despite Vucic’s pledges, the protests show no sign of slowing.
Hundreds of students gathered outside the president’s office in Belgrade on Wednesday evening, calling for his resignation. “We will not back down,” vowed student leader Irina Sekuli?, adding that the protests would continue until authorities arrested individuals accused of attacking students at rallies.
The public anger goes beyond the tragedy itself, with critics accusing the government of fostering a culture of nepotism and poor oversight that led to shoddy renovation work at the station.
A divided response
While some have welcomed Vucic’s apparent concessions, others remain sceptical.
Savo Manojlovi?, head of the opposition movement Move-Change, blasted the president for holding onto critical documents instead of letting prosecutors handle them. “What a disgrace,” he wrote online. “This is a collapse of the state.”
Vucic, however, has rejected the corruption allegations and described the protests as “political.” He also claimed foreign powers were behind efforts to unseat him.
“In the last four years, €426 million has been pumped into groups trying to destabilise Serbia and bring down the government,” he said.
A law raising eyebrows
Meanwhile, Serbia’s parliament is debating a contentious new “foreign agents” bill that would require organisations receiving more than half their funding from abroad to register as such.
Critics warn the law could silence civil society and harm Serbia’s bid to join the EU. Vu?i? has said he does not support the bill, which was proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin, a figure already under US sanctions.
For a country balancing its EU ambitions with close ties to Russia and China, the protests—and the government’s response—could prove a defining moment. Whether Vucic manages to ride out this storm remains to be seen.
