site.btaSerbian Authorities Determined to Prevent Violence on Major Holiday of Vidovdan

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday the government is determined to prevent possible violence during a student protest on Vidovdan, a national and religious holiday on June 28 commemorating significant historical events for the Serbs. The date is associated with expectations of future important events for the nation.

“Those who behave violently on Vidovdan will be arrested. Their [the protesting students’ and citizens’] slogans define them as violent people. You see, we are dealing with people who wish harm for their state and their people, but this will not be allowed,” Vucic told the Tanjug news agency.

Earlier in June, university students in Serbia who had been protesting against corruption for months, said they will hold their next large rally on Vidovdan in Belgrade. In an Instagram post, they appealed: “Be in Belgrade on June 28,” urging citizens to join them for another big demonstration in the capital.

The latest massive protest in Belgrade was held on March 15, when, according to the organizers, the participants numbered between 300,000 and 500,000.

A wave of student protests and college blockades has swept across Serbia since a railway station canopy in Novi Sad collapsed on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The protesters blame the incident on government corruption resulting in substandard repairs at the railway station. They demand that the culprits should be held politically and criminally liable, call for fighting corruption, and insist that public institutions should function without political pressure and influence. Early in May, the students stated they want snap parliamentary elections, at which they will back candidates but will not stand themselves in the elections.