Belgrade is preparing, under high tension, to host a major demonstration against corruption

After months of peaceful demonstrations against corruption, Serbia is preparing in an explosive atmosphere on Saturday March 15, at one of the biggest gatherings of the last decades, tens of thousands of people being expected in Belgrade. For its part, the Serbian power has brought together its supporters in the capital.

Friday evening, there were already 31,000, according to the Interior Ministry, to welcome in a festive atmosphere the demonstrators who came on foot, by bike or by tractor from all over Serbia.

The demonstrations follow one another in the country since the accident at Novi Sad station, on 1^er November 2024, which left fifteen dead, when the concrete awning of the building just renovated. The anger exploded, the demonstrators seeing in this accident the proof of corruption which, according to them, taints institutions and public works. Weekly weekdays, the movement has become one of the most important in Recent History in Serbia, with daily demonstrations.

These demonstrations provoked at the end of January the resignation of the Prime Minister, the former mayor of Novi Sad (2012-2022) Milos Vacevic. It was under his mandate as a councilor that the renovation of the station renovated, completed just a few months before the accident.

But the rallies have tense themselves since the government accused the protesters of being paid by foreign agencies, of preparing violent actions, even a revolution, especially during the mobilization of Saturday in the capital. The situation even reacted to the United Nations (UN), which called on the Serbian authorities not to be “Undefer unduly” in the demonstration and “Respect the full exercise of rights to the freedom of peaceful meeting and freedom of expression”.

“We are an extremely democratic country”replied on Friday evening, during a speech, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. “” We will do everything we can to secure the gathering ”he said, while adding immediately: “To be clear, I am the president of this country, and I will not let the street dictate the rules. »»

Call to demonstrate “in calm”

While the president spoke, dozens of ride -off police were visible in the center of Belgrade. “There will be no violence”assured, confident, Tijana Djuric, a 20 -year -old student who came to welcome the demonstrators, “Because we are all here for the same reason, to wait for those who came on foot, those who release Serbia”.

In a press release released on the networks, students called to demonstrate “Quiet and responsible for”. “The objective of this movement is not the foray into institutions or to attack those who do not think like us (…). This movement should not be used badly ”they wrote. The demonstration must start at 4 p.m. in front of the Parliament and disperse at 9 p.m.

Friday afternoon, the government announced the arrest of six activists suspected of preparing “Acts against the constitutional order and the security of Serbia”. Dozens of tents appeared in front of the presidency building: a camp camp presented as students demanding to return to class. But known ultra -nationalist activists have been seen between tents, and dozens of tractors have settled around.

“We have already seen for a few days that the diet is trying to raise the tensionsAnalysis with the agency France-Presse Srdjan Cvijic, of the Belgrade Center for Security Policy. What everyone wonders,, It is if the government will try to create situations of violence and then have an excuse to decree the state of emergency. ” ” So far, continues the researcher, We have seen a movement that is not at all violent (…). I think the demonstrators will keep their calm. »»

“I believe that March 15 will demonstrate the deep dissatisfaction of students and citizens”advance Maja Kovacevic, president of the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade. “In this regard, I think it will be an important date, but I do not think we should suggest that it will be a kind of turning point in the movement, or that there will be a scenario of type” October 6 “later”continues the professor, in an allusion to October 6, 2000, the day after a demonstration which precipitated the fall of ex-president Slobodan Milosevic.

At the time, “The social, economic and international situation was very different”abounds Mr. Cvijic, citing the strong international support for demonstrators of the time. However, he believes “That one can imagine a situation where it would mark the beginning of the end” for the current power.