FLASH
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Vucic, whom critics accuse of increasingly authoritarian rule despite EU membership bids, initially rejected the idea of early elections but on Friday hinted that they could be held, without giving a precise date.
Thousands of protesters gathered this Friday in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, demanding early elections after seven months of ongoing anti-corruption protests, which have shaken the populist rule of President Aleksandar Vučić.
The protest in Belgrade was organized by Serbian university students, who have been a major force behind nationwide demonstrations sparked by the November 1 collapse of a concrete roof at a train station in the north of the country, which killed 16 people.
Many people in Serbia believe that the serious accident was the result of shoddy renovation work on the station building, and they link the disaster to alleged government corruption in major infrastructure projects with Chinese state-owned companies.
Student protesters have been demanding accountability for the accident and the rule of law in Serbia, a Balkan country that is officially aiming to join the European Union but where ruling populists have been accused of suppressing democratic freedoms. After months of protests that drew hundreds of thousands of people, the student movement is now calling for early elections, arguing that the current government cannot meet their demands for justice for the crash victims. Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2027.
Vucic, whom critics accuse of increasingly authoritarian rule despite EU membership bids, initially rejected the idea of early elections but on Friday hinted that they could be held, without giving a precise date.
No one has yet been convicted in connection with the tragedy in the northern city of Novi Sad. Authorities have charged more than a dozen people, but doubts remain that the trials will uncover the alleged corruption behind the accident.
A large and noisy column of protesters in Belgrade marched past the state prosecutor's office before reaching the government building. They carried a large banner demanding elections.
Vučić's government has increased pressure on protesting students and universities in Serbia, claiming without evidence that they were instructed by foreign powers to organize a revolution in the country. Students are planning more protests across the country this weekend. / Adapted from "Pamphlet" by "WashingtonPost"
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