Serbia is currently experiencing a historic revolution fueled by youth pushing for a more just and free country. The first domino push of the government’s overall collapse was ironically the collapse of the roof of a newly redone train station.
Claiming 15 lives, the collapsed roof became a symbol of the Serbian government’s corruption and inadequacy to protect its citizens. The station was renovated through a partnership with China, and numerous protestors cite this as a reason for the need for greater exposure to their government’s dealings. Furthermore, as the country continues advancing with the aid of Serbia-China corporations, citizens are worried about similar events occurring again. While officials have tried to deny that work had been done to renovate the roof, evidence has divulged that at least some work was done on it. The protests have escalated dramatically as a response to the released evidence.
Prime Minister Milos Vucevic announced his resignation in January. On March 4th, the Serbian parliament erupted into chaos as lawmakers lit smoke bombs and threw eggs during the proceedings. There were also reports of at least three injured lawmakers, one who had had a stroke. Protestors in the parliament had displayed a banner declaring, “Serbia has risen to bring down the regime.” The session had been called to discuss funding for universities along with other decisions; nevertheless, it merely showcased the distinct divide between various factions in the government. Moreover, the session was intended to formalize the resignation of Prime Minister Vucevic; however, that only took place on March 19th.
The protestors have said that “the goal is to disempower the (ruling party) SNS first, and then, with a clear majority, move towards a better society and better electoral conditions.” Currently, students and lawmakers are demanding snap elections, or elections earlier than previously scheduled, to get the government up and running smoothly again. However, others are against this idea as highlighted by a Socialist Party of Serbia Parliamentary Member, Uglješa Marković. He declared, “SPS has never been afraid of elections, but I repeat: we are not in favor of extraordinary elections, there needs to be a four-year cycle in order to have continuity,”
In conclusion, the revolution in Serbia has drawn many eyes as students and lawmakers join forces to redesign their nation. The struggle to reclaim normalcy and stability following the protests and resignation is a difficult one, but, with unity and accountability, could be overcome.