Serbia's students protest against university pressure after railway station tragedy

NOVI PAZAR, Serbia — Several thousand activists from across Serbia joined student-led protests in the country’s southwest on Sunday, rallying against what they describe as government pressure on state universities.

The demonstration, part of a broader movement challenging political interference in higher education, marked the first major protest of its kind in Novi Pazar, a town with a majority Bosniak Muslim population.

The rally is one of many protests organized following the collapse of a railway station roof last year in the northern city of Novi Sad, which killed 16 people and sparked nationwide outrage.

Students from Novi Pazar gained national attention after walking for several days to join mass protests in Novi Sad to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy on November 1. They now say the university administration retaliated by revoking regular student status for those absent due to protest participation and dismissing dozens of lecturers.

“I came here to express support for the Novi Pazar students,” said Momcilo Zelenbaba, who traveled from Jagodina, about 190 kilometers (120 miles) north of Novi Pazar. “I came because 200 students lost their status and 30 professors lost their jobs.”

Protesters are demanding the resignation of the university’s managing board and the appointment of a new rector.

“We are here today to send a message to Serbia that we are fighting for interim management and the survival of our university,” said protester Dzenana Ahmetovic. “This concerns all of us, not just Novi Pazar.”

Throughout the day-long protest, participants observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Novi Sad roof collapse. They waved flags representing their towns and universities, blew whistles, and chanted their signature slogan, “Pump up!”

The protest movement—led by students, academics, and opposition figures—accuses Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his populist nationalist party of fostering corruption, weak public services, nepotism, and restrictions on media freedom. Vucic and his party have denied the allegations.

Novi Pazar is Serbia’s youngest city demographically, with about 60% of its predominantly Muslim population under the age of 30. Despite its distinct ethnic composition, no clashes with neighboring Orthodox Serb communities have been reported since the breakup of Yugoslavia more than three decades ago. -Additional reporting by Branko Filipovic, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Ros Russell/Reuters