Sat Feb 01 09:49:54 IST 2025: ## Serbian Students March Hundreds of Kilometers, Demanding Justice for Railway Station Collapse
**NOVI SAD, Serbia –** Hundreds of Serbian university students concluded a two-day, 80-kilometer march from Belgrade to Novi Sad on Friday, demanding accountability for the November 2024 railway station roof collapse that killed 15 people. The students, greeted as heroes upon arrival, plan to blockade three Danube River bridges this weekend to pressure the government.
The protest, initially focused on alleged corruption in the construction project, has escalated into a major challenge to President Aleksandar Vucic’s populist government. The march followed months of demonstrations that already led to the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic. However, protesters deem the concessions insufficient.
The students’ arrival in Novi Sad was met with emotional scenes, including a small red-carpet welcome and a moving tribute at the site of the tragedy. Meanwhile, in Belgrade, a car deliberately rammed into a silent protest, injuring two doctors – the third such incident in recent weeks. Despite these attacks, protesters remain resolute, vowing to continue their actions.
President Vucic has accused both foreign and domestic forces of undermining his government, while also offering concessions and issuing veiled threats. The scale and determination of the student-led protests have surprised many, particularly given the significant emigration of young people from Serbia in recent years. The students’ demands include the punishment of all those responsible for the collapse, widely believed to be linked to corruption involving Chinese state companies.
First Piper 