Serbia: Anti-corruption movement gains ground after deadly train station accident
For the past month, an anti-corruption movement has been gaining traction in Serbia. It follows a tragic event: the collapse of the newly renovated Novi Sad train station on November 2, causing 15 deaths and two serious injuries. The accident has triggered a large protest movement that's worrying those close to President Aleksandar Vucic, who has been accused of authoritarian tendencies for several years. Our correspondent reports.
The Novi Sad train station's renovation contract – signed between the municipality, a large Chinese company and local businesses – is being kept secret. However, numerous irregularities have surfaced, implicating the current Serbian prime minister and even criminal groups.
The anti-corruption movement has led to the occupation of nearly all universities in Serbia by students, the arrest of a dozen people in connection with the accident, along with weekly public protests on Fridays. These protests take the form of 15 minutes' silence, blocking the main streets of cities, including the capital Belgrade.
On several occasions, protesters have faced violent incidents, with the perpetrators not being arrested. Video footage has allowed them to be identified by independent media as members of the ruling party, but no arrests have been made over these clashes. There have also been two large protests in Novi Sad itself, which were suppressed by police.
A report by Laurent Rouy, Ed Godsell and Aleksandar Cvrkotic.