More than 100,000 people manifest against government corruption in the capital of Serbia

More than 100,000 protesters concentrated this Saturday in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, after months of protests against corruption, led by students in this Balkan country of more than six million inhabitants.

The demonstrations began after the collapse on November 1 of a marquee of the Novi Sad train station, in the north of the country. The tragedy left 15 dead and triggered a wave of discontent towards nationalist president Aleksandar Vucic, in power since 2012.

The collapse took place months after the station had been renewed and revived a latent anger for a long time among part of the Serbian population.

Since then, protesters have regularly protested against corruption and the alleged lack of control in government works projects.

This Saturday afternoon, thousands of people waving flags or sounding whistles, many wearing the pin with the drawing of a hand stained with blood, symbol of the demonstrations, organized under the slogan “corruption kills” were concentrated in the center of Belgrade.

Dozens of farmers at the wheel of their tractors also congregated in the area. Other tractors, taken there by government supporters, were parked near the headquarters of the Presidency on early Friday.

The Interior Ministry declared that at least 107,000 people had come to protests.

In a statement broadcast on social networks, students called to express “calm and responsibly.” “The objective of this movement is not intrusion in institutions or attacking those who do not think like us,” they said.

Manifestations led by students

For weeks, protesters led by students have traveled the country and made demonstrations in the main cities of Serbia.

They have also brought their anti -corruption crusade to villages and rural cities that have long been the backbone of support for the Vucic government.

His return to Belgrade on Saturday will probably increase the already growing pressure on the government, since several high -ranking officials, including prime minister, have resigned in recent months.

Before the main protest of the afternoon, thousands of people kept 15 minutes of silence from 11:52 AM to honor the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy, a moment that marked the time of the ceiling collapse.

Farmers, students, cyclists and other civilians mixed along the main avenues of the center of Belgrade, while a tractor parade was heading towards Parliament. «We have been asking for justice. I hope that after this protest things change, ”Milica Stojanovic, a student at the Belgrade Biology Faculty, told AFP.

But in the capital, government supporters are also mobilized, including ultra -nationalists, militiamen and alleged soccer hooligans that raise barricades near Parliament.

This has generated fears of confrontation with protesters led by students who plan to march in front of Parliament later on Saturday. The riot police were also deployed near the camp, which is surrounded by barricades and agricultural tractors.

“They won’t press me”

On Friday night, Vucic was aired with a challenging message while the protesters began to arrive in the city, promising not backing to the mass protests.

«To make it clear, They will not press me «Vucic said during a televised speech at the national level. “I am the president of Serbia and I will not let the streets establish the rules of this country.”

He continued asking all parties to abstain violence and ordered the police not to use excessive strength.

On Friday night, thousands of people gathered in the streets of Belgrade to welcome student protesters who arrived in the capital after marching for days from cities throughout Serbia. The Interior Ministry estimated at around 31,000 the number of those who gathered in the capital on Friday night.

“There will definitely be no violence here because we all came with the same purpose: wait for the people who marched, the people who are releasing Serbia,” said Tijana Djuric, a 20 -year -old student at the Faculty of Economics of Belgrade.

However, some analysts warned that the situation could climb.

“For a few days we see that the regime tries to increase tension,” said political analyst Srdjan Cvijic.

“A kind of support village of support is being created in front of the presidency with paid pro -government protesters.”

The pressure has been increasing in the days before the demonstration of Saturday. The media backed by the Government have disseminated increasingly incendiary accusations, stating that students are planning to launch a “coup d’etat.”

Previously, Vucic himself accused protesters of organizing “large -scale violence.” Vucic warned of a “final” confrontation on Saturday, while some manifest students said they would continue to manifest until their demands of greater responsibility were met.