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Thousands rallied in Serbia's Novi Sad as university students spearheading over a year of mass protests vowed to keep up their campaign against endemic corruption during the tenure of right-wing nationalist President Aleksandar Vucic, Al Jazeera reported.
Demonstrators chanted "thieves" and accused the government of widespread corruption. Addressing the gathering on Saturday, student leaders said they have drafted a plan to tackle corruption and bring back the rule of law. According to Al Jazeera, the students suggested banning corrupt officials from politics and probing their wealth as initial steps under a post-Vucic government. The rally was held under the banner "What victory will mean". Students said they had gathered around 400,000 signatures last month in support of their election bid, Al Jazeera reported. Organisers said the next protest rally is scheduled for January 27 in Belgrade. Student-led demonstrations have continued across Serbia since a November 2024 railway station disaster in the north that killed 16 people in a roof collapse in Novi Sad, becoming a symbol of entrenched corruption, Al Jazeera reported. In the criminal case linked to the collapse, 13 people, including former Construction Minister Goran Vesic, were charged. However, the Novi Sad High Court dropped charges against Vesic last month, citing a lack of evidence. A separate anticorruption inquiry is ongoing, alongside a European Union-backed probe into the alleged misuse of EU funds for the project. In November, tens of thousands marked the first anniversary of the roof collapse in Novi Sad, holding 16 minutes of silence for the 16 victims. The protests have triggered the resignation of the prime minister, the collapse of his government and the formation of a new administration, while President Vucic has remained in office. Vucic has rejected accusations of corruption and has often described demonstrators as foreign-funded coup plotters. Members of his SNS party have also promoted conspiracy theories claiming the collapse may have been an orchestrated attack. Vucic has declined to announce an immediate early election demanded by students. Reports said hundreds have been detained, while others have alleged job losses or pressure for opposing the government. Vucic has been in power for over a decade, initially pledging to steer Serbia towards the EU, but he has since deepened ties with Russia and China. He has faced allegations of suppressing democratic freedoms and allowing corruption and organised crime to thrive. The student movement has drawn significant support from citizens disillusioned with mainstream politics. Vucic has accused the students of acting under unnamed Western instructions to "destroy Serbia". (ANI)
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