People from across Serbia gathered in Novi Sad on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the tragic railway station roof collapse that killed 16 people.
Thousands of Serbians gathered in silence in the city of Novi Sad at 11:52 a.m. (1052 GMT), the same time the roof collapsed last year. They observed 16 minutes of silence for the 16 victims of the collapse.
The incident sparked the largest protest movement in Serbia’s modern history, as student-led protests blamed state corruption.
Protesters have called for those responsible to be held accountable and for early elections, which they hope will oust President Aleksandar Vucic.
While several officials have been convicted of endangering public security and the prime minister has resigned amid protests, no court has ratified the indictment, leaving Vucic still in power.
What do we know about the Novi Sad anniversary protests?
Serbians have been gathering from different corners of the country ahead of the anniversary, with some marches symbolically lasting 16 days. On Friday evening, residents of Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city, enthusiastically welcomed the protesters.
On Friday, authorities canceled train services to Novi Sad, saying there was a bomb threat. Protesters defied officers, moving in cars, bicycles and some even on foot.
“This is a huge tragedy for the Serbian people. We can’t bring those people back but we can feel the pain with their families and say enough is enough,” Sladjana Burmaz, a 51-year-old economist from the central town of Valjevo, told Reuters news agency.
The protesters had the names of the victims written on their hearts.
Dejana Hrka, the mother of one of the victims, laid flowers in her son’s name on the fence outside the station. He announced his intention to launch a hunger strike in Belgrade on Sunday.
“They have to know who killed my baby. Someone has to be held responsible,” the mother insisted, according to the Associated Press news agency.
President Vučić issues rare apology
Authorities have responded with force to the year-long protests, often using batons and tear gas to break up protests and round up demonstrators. Vucic has accused the protesters of being foreign agents trying to topple the ruling authorities.
However, on Friday he issued a rare apology in a televised address.
Vucic called for talks, saying, “I said some things that I now regret saying.” “All the hatred simmering in our society cannot bring any good. It can only lead to more destruction.”
Authorities immediately declared Saturday a day of mourning and Vucic attended a memorial ceremony in the capital, Belgrade.
Some protesters have rejected the president’s apology, insisting that their demand for early elections still stands.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos posted on Twitter that “the tragedy is changing Serbia”.
“It inspired the public to stand up for accountability, free expression, and inclusive democracy,” he wrote. “They are the same value for taking Serbia into the EU.”
Serbia has been on a long and fruitless journey to join the 27-member bloc, with Vucic’s close ties to Russia and China and his authoritarian tactics being one of the most obvious obstacles.
Edited by: Shawn Sinico