Protesters are demanding the resignation of the Serbian leader and the mayor of Novi Sad over the accident that killed 15 people.
Tens of thousands of Serbs gathered in the capital Belgrade to protest against President Aleksandar Vucic and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) over the collapse of a train station roof that killed 15 people last month.
The rally, one of the largest in recent years, was called by university students and farmers’ unions on Sunday and was held in Belgrade’s Slavia Square.
The ceremony began with a 15-minute silence in memory of the many people who died on November 1 when the concrete roof canopy of the newly renovated Novi Sad train station caved in.
Fourteen people, ranging in age from 6 to 74, were killed that day, with the 15th victim dying in hospital several weeks later.
Prosecutors have arrested 13 people in the case, including a government minister who was later released, raising public doubts about the integrity of the investigation.
Opposition leaders and the public have repeatedly taken to the streets, blaming the accident on shoddy construction by government corruption and nepotism. The ruling coalition denies the charges and Vucic said those responsible must be held accountable.
On Sunday night, protesters turned on their cellphone lights and shouted “Vučić, thief!” Some held banners reading “We are all under the canopy” and “We have blood on our hands.”
“We came here to say ‘stop’ to everything that has happened since 2012 (when Vučić came to power),” said Alexa, 30, an IT expert from Novi Sad. said. “We want to end corruption and nepotism.”
Many are calling for the resignation of the Serbian leader and the mayor of Novi Sad and the prosecution of those responsible. They also want an end to legal proceedings against the protesters and the prosecution of those who attacked them.
Popular Serbian theater and film actors took part in the protests, with actor Vane Trifunovic describing Sunday’s rally as a “freedom festival”.
Smaller rallies were also held in the cities of Nis and Kragujevac.
To quell the protests, authorities have promised various subsidies to young people in recent weeks. Students and other supporters of the students continue to protest, saying their demands have only been partially met.
Despite ongoing demonstrations, Vucic held an inauguration ceremony on Sunday for a section of a new highway in central Serbia.
Vučić said he would not give in to opposition demands to form a transitional government and accused the opposition of trying to use students to seize power.
“We will beat them again,” he said. “They (the opposition) don’t know what to do other than take advantage of someone’s child.”
The weeks-long protests came amid public dissatisfaction with Vučić’s rule. He has said he wants Serbia to join the European Union, but faces accusations that he is suppressing democratic freedoms rather than promoting them.
