Belgrade, March 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Serbian capital on Saturday to protest the deaths of 15 individuals in a railway station collapse, according to media reports. The mass demonstration, which saw widespread public outrage, has been described as the largest protest in Serbia’s history.
Official figures released by the government estimated the turnout at approximately 107,000 across Belgrade. However, an independent monitoring organization reported that at least 325,000 people participated, significantly exceeding the official count.
The collapse of Novi Sad’s railway station in November last year has fueled anger towards the government and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Protesters attribute the tragedy to corruption and substandard construction practices, which they believe are symptomatic of more than a decade of governance by the Progressive Party. President Vučić had closely associated himself with the station’s recent renovation, intensifying public scrutiny over the incident.
In a televised address on Saturday, President Vučić acknowledged the scale of the protests and commended the police for maintaining order. “I am proud that we managed to preserve peace,” he stated. The president also conveyed an understanding of the demonstrators’ grievances, remarking, “We will have to change ourselves.”
Despite a series of resignations following the tragedy and continued assurances from Vučić that he will not step down, the protests have continued to escalate. Many citizens remain dissatisfied with the government’s response, demanding systemic reforms and greater accountability.
“We just want a country that works,” said Jana Vasić, a law student who joined the growing crowd in Belgrade. “We want institutions that do their jobs properly. We don’t care what party is in power. But we need a country that works, not one where you don’t get justice for more than four months.”
The mass mobilization underscores a deep-seated frustration among the Serbian public, with many viewing the railway station collapse as emblematic of broader governance failures. As protests persist, the government faces mounting pressure to address the demonstrators’ concerns and implement meaningful reforms.
