FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
An anti-government protest has been announced in Belgrade today and is expected to be the largest so far.
The student-led movement, which emerged after the fatal collapse of the Novi Sad railway station in November, has mobilized Serbian society on an unprecedented scale.
Since February, some of the largest protests in the country's history have taken place on university campuses, all of them completely peaceful and without incident. Students warned that this phase of the protests would culminate in Belgrade, where they once again called for a peaceful rally.
They announced that the protests would continue beyond Saturday and that they would insist on the fulfillment of their demands until accountability and transparency for the Novi Sad tragedy.
Yesterday, Vučić said that after the tragedy and terrible accident in Novi Sad, we were faced with destructive and violent demonstrations, in which there was an attempt to set fire to and occupy the City Hall building in Novi Sad.
What is happening in Belgrade?
Serbian students and citizens have begun gathering in Belgrade and are expected to head to the Serbian Parliament at noon to protest. According to reports, a large number of police and gendarmerie forces have been deployed in central Belgrade to ensure order ahead of the start of the protest called by the students.
In another development, all vehicles of the Belgrade public transport company have been withdrawn to their garages since this morning and will not operate during the day due to the protest.
The protest has caused transportation disruptions and attracted the attention of law enforcement to manage the situation before and during the rally.
It is reported that there will be two rallies, in front of the Serbian Parliament, but also at Slavija. As the protesters are moving towards the center of Belgrade, military veterans have formed a line in front of the Serbian Parliament and heavy police forces have been deployed throughout the center. Some say that this is a historic protest.
Traffic on King Alexandra Boulevard has already stopped while thousands of people are in front of the technical faculties, a large number of citizens are arriving on the boulevard. Hundreds of citizens with flags and megaphones have flocked towards the Vuk Monument. Food stands have been set up in front of the technical faculties where students and citizens can consume food.
Citizens have also gathered at the Republic Square, where the protest is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m. Thousands of people blocked traffic at the roundabout near the New Belgrade Municipality building today. A large number of citizens, mainly from other cities and towns, are in front of the Parliament, trying to approach the building, but "cordons" of guards are preventing them.
The police, on the other hand, are also preventing those who, before blocking the entrance to Parliament, were on the plateau in front of the Parliament and attempted to enter Pioneer Park.
Thousands of citizens gathered at the Faculty of Agriculture are heading towards the roundabout in New Belgrade to join the other group. From there, they will all head together towards the city center.
Also, a large number of police officers are located between the Presidency building and Pioneer Park.
Police are also massed behind the National Assembly Building. A protester approached guards and threatened them with bombs, and was immediately arrested at the scene.
Lini një Përgjigje