Mass strikes and protests shake Serbia

Ivana Stradner, an analyst, has commented on the massive protests across Serbia against Aleksandar Vučić's regime, comparing them to the earlier demonstrations against the "Butcher of the Balkans," Slobodan Milošević.

Citizens joined a general strike and student protests, which have been ongoing for months, demanding accountability from Serbian authorities for the deaths of 15 people at a railway station on November 1, 2024, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

“Good news from Serbia. Large-scale protests against the government. The number of people on the streets of Belgrade resembles the 1990s demonstrations against Milošević. It will take some time, but this marks the beginning of the end for Vučić’s authoritarian regime,” Stradner wrote on X.

Private entrepreneurs, school and college staff, librarians, veterinary clinics, theaters, musicians, and some media outlets joined the work stoppage.

Employees at the University Clinical Center (UKC) in Niš expressed their solidarity with the students' demands. High school students held a 15-minute silent protest at the intersection of Knez Miloš and Nemanjina streets in central Belgrade.

An incident occurred in New Belgrade when a driver struck a 26-year-old woman, who was taken to the emergency room. The driver was arrested by the police.

Professors and citizens of Kraljevo gathered outside the local high school to support students and participate in the general strike. Protests also took place in Subotica and Sombor, attracting thousands of participants.

For over two months, students have blocked around 60 faculties in Serbia following the tragedy in Novi Sad. They have called on Serbian citizens to suspend all activities, declaring the general strike as an expression of widespread civil disobedience and solidarity.