
A general strike or “general civil disobedience” took place in Serbia yesterday, called by students in a blockade – “We are not going to work, we are not going to lectures, we are not going to do our daily duties, we are taking our freedom into our own hands”, the students wrote on Instagram.
Educators, lawyers, private entrepreneurs, caterers, bookstores, cultural institutions, NGOs, etc… have responded to the students’ call.
Teachers have already gone on strike. A wave of blockades and protests has been spreading in Serbia since a canopy collapsed in Novi Sad on 1 November, killing 15 people.
Large numbers of citizens have gathered in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and other cities in what is estimated to be one of the largest protest rallies in Serbia.
“The government may try to suppress us, but we are united in this fight for a better Serbia”, said a protester in Belgrade. “We will not stop until our voice is heard.”
Some bookstores, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, businesses and art galleries did not work in support of the students who have been blocking faculties and streets for more than two months, demanding accountability for the collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad.
On the other hand, some pubs have announced on social media that they are offering better conditions for visitors on Fridays – from free coffee to free lunch.
The editorial offices of the opposition media Danas, N1 and Nova, as well as the cable TV and internet provider SBB, also joined the strike.
On the Instagram pages of the blocked students, a post appeared with the date 27 January, leading to the website zarađenisuispunjeni.rs, which also has the same date and a countdown clock, with the message “See you later.”
The students also posted a short video on Instagram showing a game of “Don’t get angry, man” followed by the caption “Get angry, man, 27 January”.
According to several students, a blockade of Avtokomanda – a connection on the highway through Belgrade – is planned for several hours on Monday, but no official decision has been taken yet.
The students claim that they and their parents have been subjected to various pressures from the BIA in recent weeks, allegedly in an attempt to intimidate them and force them to abandon the blockades and protests.
Despite the government’s attempts to placate the protesters by meeting some of their demands, including the release of confidential documents relating to the collapse of the Novi Sad station and the prosecution of top officials, the movement shows no signs of relenting.
The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated the political scene for more than a decade, is facing the first major challenge to its political legitimacy.
Meanwhile, in Jagodina, the regime in Belgrade, in the style of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has prepared a counter-summit in which President Aleksandar Vucic will try to launch a new “people’s” movement, according to an AP report.
Critics say the rally smacks of desperation and is reminiscent of the tactics used by Slobodan Milosevic before he was ousted from power in 2000 in the popular protests dubbed the “Bulldozer Revolution”.
The President and his mainstream media accused students of working under orders from foreign intelligence services to overthrow the government, while pro-government thugs repeatedly attacked protesting citizens.
The Serbian prosecutor’s office indicted 13 people for the collapse of the canopy, including a government minister and several civil servants, while former construction minister Goran Vesic was released from custody, raising doubts about the independence of the investigation.
Novi Sad’s main railway station has been renovated twice in recent years as part of a wider infrastructure deal with Chinese state-owned companies.
The Swiss Tages-Anzeiger writes that the anti-Maidan, “but not in Belgrade or Novi Sad, chose the town of Jagodina in the deep interior of Serbia to found the ‘Movement for Nation and State'”.
“It is a desperate attempt to divert attention from the many scandals of his government”, the Zurich daily said.
The daily said that Vučić spent last week in Davos, from where he announced that he could hardly wait to return to Serbia.
“There is reason to hurry.” “Anti-regime demonstrations led by students and high-school pupils have been going on for weeks, and pent-up anger is being unleashed across the country,” concludes Tagesanzeiger.
/The Geopost