Serbian PM resigns three months after Novi Sad tragedy

Serbian Prime Minister, Milos Vucevic, announced his resignation today during a press conference at the government headquarters, Agenzia Nova reports.

Serbian PM resigns three months after Novi Sad tragedy
Photo credit: Agenzia Nova

The prime minister's decision comes almost exactly three months after the collapse of the shelter at the train station in Novi Sad which caused 15 victims. Vucevic explained that the decision is linked to the attack on a student that took place yesterday evening in Novi Sad, in front of the headquarters of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of which Vucevic himself is a member. The violent episode, in which the girl was seriously injured, led to the arrest of four people.

“What is leaving deep consequences for society is a serious division,” explained the former prime minister who attributed the growing social tension and internal divisions in the country to “external influences.” Vucevic added that the decision was made in agreement with President Aleksandar Vucic “in order not to further increase hostility in society.”

Following the tragedy on November 1st, the Minister of Transport had already resigned Goran Vesic and that of Commerce Tomislav Momirovic.

The Novi Sad Prosecutor's Office has meanwhile filed an indictment for the crime against public safety against 13 people, including the two former ministers. Today's resignation of Vucevic, which comes three days before the intergovernmental summit between Italy and Serbia scheduled in the capital Belgrade on Friday 31 January, was among the first requests put forward by the country's opposition and by students who have been engaged daily in protests since the incident, which have now affected the entire country.

The protests culminated a few days ago in a "general civil disobedience" strike and subsequently in a 24-hour blockade of one of the capital's most important traffic junctions.

The demonstrations began in Novi Sad the day after the bus shelter collapsed on the initiative of members of the opposition and ordinary citizens, and soon spread throughout the country, becoming daily commemorations in which 15 minutes of silence are observed to pay homage to the victims. They were later joined by students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Novi Sad, who started a wave of blockades in higher education institutions. Eventually, students in the capital began to occupy faculties and organize their own demonstrations of solidarity and protest against the government, supported little by little by all universities in the country and by broad sections of the population.

The students are demanding transparency in the recent reconstruction of the train station, the dropping of charges against some arrested protesters, and a 20 percent increase in the budget for university faculties. The government claims to have met all their demands, while the students claim that they have not been fully met.

The Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said that the government will take into account all the students' requests, while reiterating that changes in Serbia "must be made through democratic means."

Meanwhile, an extraordinary government session is scheduled for this evening, which Vucic is expected to attend. According to media reports, the meeting will discuss the possibility of holding new elections or appointing a new prime minister and government. The president will then address the nation.

Earlier Kazinform reported that as part of his official visit to Belgrade in November 2024, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Prime Minister of Serbia Miloš Vučević.

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