Serbia: One year since the Novi Sad tragedy, the government’s response to protests is sustaining the movement — Expert comment

On 1 November 2024, the canopy at a newly reconstructed train station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people. Widespread suspicion that corruption led to this collapse sparked a protest movement across Serbia that demanded both criminal and political accountability.  ACLED records more than 2,400 demonstrations since the tragedy as of 24 October. While Serbia has witnessed multiple waves of protest against government action and perceived corruption, this latest movement far eclipses all previous waves of discontent since 2019, when the anti-government “1 of 5 Million” protest movement, the biggest one until now, took place across the country. 

Magda Anastasijevic, Eastern Europe Research Manager with ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data), said:

“This protest movement has stood the test of time. Hoping to outlive public discontent, the government had been counting on fatigue at first, but resorted to force over time. Police and ruling party supporter mob interventions in protests have doubled since June, accompanied by increased allegations by those detained during protests of mistreatment by police. By not meeting the protesters’ demands and resorting to violence, authorities’ and their supporters’ actions may have actually galvanized the movement.

“As the first anniversary of the collapse approaches, both sides face critical challenges. The government is struggling to resolve the crisis and regain control, while protest groups, which now don’t include opposition parties, but only self-organized groups of students and citizens, are working to establish themselves as credible political actors. Despite the sustained momentum, the snap elections demonstrators are demanding remain elusive.”

Note to editors: For more information or to interview Magda Anastasijevic, please contact the ACLED press office at [email protected].