Belgrade, January 18, 2025 – The Europe Today: Tens of thousands of Serbians, led by university students, gathered outside the headquarters of Serbia’s state broadcaster, Radio Television Serbia (RTS), on Friday to demand impartial reporting and condemn alleged pro-government bias.
The students accused RTS of running smear campaigns against them and promoting President Aleksandar Vucic’s claims that the protests are funded by foreign secret services aiming to overthrow his government.
Incident Highlights
The protest followed a disturbing incident on Thursday when a driver rammed his car into a protesting crowd, injuring a student. The attack further fueled public outrage, drawing even more demonstrators to the streets.
Protesters also stood in silence for 15 minutes to honor the 15 victims of a deadly roof collapse at a train station in Novi Sad last November. Demonstrators hold Serbian authorities accountable for the incident and demand justice for the victims.
These protests are part of a broader movement that began after the Novi Sad tragedy. Daily demonstrations across Serbia have become a symbol of public discontent with President Vucic’s increasingly autocratic governance.
Protesters’ Demands
The protesters are calling for:
- Objective reporting by the state broadcaster RTS.
- Accountability for those responsible for the Novi Sad roof collapse.
- An end to authoritarian practices by the Serbian government.
The demonstrations highlight rising tensions in the Balkan nation as public frustration with the government continues to grow.