Students in Serbia have blockaded universities to protest the government’s handling of their demands, which center on accountability for the collapse of a railway station in Novi Sad. The students’ four main demands include publishing all documentation related to the reconstruction of the railway station, dropping charges against arrested students, filing criminal charges against those who attacked students and professors, and increasing the state budget allocation for public higher education institutions.
The government has claimed that some of these demands are met or unclear, but the students say they have provided clarifications. However, they claim that critical documentation needed to establish accountability is still missing.
The students have pointed out gaps in the published documentation, including contracts outlining roles and responsibilities, charges against arrested individuals, and a 20% increase in budget allocations for material costs of state higher education institutions.
The blockades are ongoing as students demand that their demands be fully met. FDU students, who were attacked on November 22, have issued new demands and expanded the list of individuals whose identification they are requesting from the police, along with their prosecution by the prosecutor’s office.
Source: https://www.serbianmonitor.com/en/why-students-are-not-backing-down-from-their-demands-what-the-authorities-have-failed-to-deliver