After months of nationwide protests over the Novi Sad canopy collapse that killed 15 people, Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević resigned on January 28. His departure follows widespread mobilizations demanding accountability, with students, workers, and farmers calling for those responsible to face justice.
Over the past months, students occupied dozens of faculties and schools, with protests spilling into the streets of major cities and gaining widespread support. These mobilizations faced violent retaliation from conservative and right-wing groups, with multiple attacks—including deliberate car rammings—reported during this time. Several students suffered serious injuries, including a medical student in Novi Sad, who was recently assaulted while stenciling an invitation to the next protest near the local headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
Read more: Peter Mertens: “Where there is a working class, there will always be hope”
Protesters warn that their demands remain unaddressed by SNS leaders, including President Aleksandar Vučić and National Assembly President Ana Brnabić, despite Vučević’s resignation. Alongside Vučević, both played a role in attempting to downplay the protests, claiming that a resolution was imminent—just days before the prime minister stepped down.
However, opposition and grassroots groups have criticized Vučić and the others for failing to adequately address the grievances of those affected by the Novi Sad canopy collapse. The politicians have also been scorned for attempting to discredit the student-led protests by framing them as foreign-backed provocations. High-ranking officials have repeatedly alleged that regional intelligence services are behind the mobilizations, citing the students’ use of strategies inspired by the 2009 student protests in Croatia as supposed evidence of external interference.
On the other hand, student initiatives in Serbia have gained widespread public support as their demands extended beyond accountability for the Novi Sad canopy collapse. Protesters have also called for more investment in public education, civil rights protections, and a reconsideration of the controversial Rio Tinto lithium mining project. However, meaningful action from authorities seems unlikely, particularly given the European Union’s interest in advancing the Rio Tinto project despite environmental concerns and recent legislation plans to curtail the right to dissent.
Read more: Serbians protest Rio Tinto’s lithium mining project
Vučević and his ministers will continue working in a caretaker role, tasked with managing technical affairs until a new cabinet is appointed. A new prime minister may be chosen from the current representatives in the National Assembly, but if this process fails, new elections will be called.
Regardless of the change in administration, students have stated this is insufficient and vowed to continue mobilizing. The next action is set for Saturday, February 1, with a blockade of all three bridges on the Danube in Novi Sad. The protest has garnered local support, including a planned march between Belgrade and Novi Sad, while solidarity demonstrations have also been announced in other cities in the Western Balkans on the same day.
