Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 1, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 25, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThousands in Nis protest railway tragedy, challenging President Vucic's power amid corruption allegations. Students demand justice and transparency.
By Ivana Sekularac
NIS, Serbia (Reuters) - Thousands stood in silence for 15 minutes in the southern city of Nis on Saturday to commemorate those killed in a railway station disaster, in a student-led protest that has grown into the biggest threat yet to the Serbian president's grip on power.
In the four months since 15 people were killed when a roof collapsed at a newly-renovated train station in Serbia's second-biggest city of Novi Sad, mass demonstrations have gathered momentum.
As many Serbians have blamed the tragedy on corruption they link to President Aleksandar Vucic's decade in power, teachers, farmers and other workers have joined the protests that began with a student blockade of classes at state universities in December.
"We want to have a better country, without corruption in which educated people will be respected," said Ana, a 20-year-old medicine student who drove to Nis from the central city of Kragujevac.
Hundreds of students marched, ran or rode bikes to Nis, visiting various towns on their way, and gaining the support of people living outside the country's urban centres.
"This is the way to make a revolution," Tarek, a 22-year-old graphics designer from Novi Pazar said. "It is the right way to achieve the change, to create a better future, a functional state without corruption."
Vucic's government has said it will launch an anti-corruption campaign, and has also denied allegations of corruption.
Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and two other ministers have resigned over the protests that have taken place in the capital Belgrade as well as in towns across the country.
Prosecutors have charged 13 people in connection with the roof collapse.
But the students have continued daily protests, pressing their demands that authorities publish documents relating to the station roof collapse and justice for those responsible. They also want charges against the protesting students to be dismissed, and an increased budget for higher education.
Nenad Maslakovic, a 51-year-old farmer from a village near Nis, and his 21-year-old son Avram, put up a stand offering fruit, coffee, pancakes and barbecued meat to protesters for free.
"Students are unspoiled souls. We want to welcome them and to support them to sustain in their struggle," Maslakovic said.
(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac; editing by Barbara Lewis)
The silent protest in Nis was held to commemorate the victims of a railway station disaster where 15 people were killed due to a roof collapse.
Protesters are demanding that authorities publish documents related to the roof collapse and seek justice for those responsible.
Teachers, farmers, and other workers have joined the student-led protests, which began in response to the railway station disaster.
The government has promised to launch an anti-corruption campaign and has denied allegations of corruption linked to the disaster.
Community members, like farmer Nenad Maslakovic, provided free food and drinks to the protesters to support their cause.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
