Tens of thousands of people have descended into the Serbian capital to protest the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of the railway station.
The government attends 107,000 people across Belgrade. The organizers and independent monitors have not yet provided estimates.
Either way, it ranks as perhaps the biggest demonstration Serbia has ever seen.
The sad collapse of Novi last November encouraged anger towards the government and President Alexander Vick. Protesters condemn the corner of corruption and loss of life.
They believe that this disaster reflects more than a decade of governance by the progressive party of Vokicz.
Despite multiple resignations, and despite Vucic’s claim that he will not go anywhere, the protests only continued to grow.
“We just want a country to work,” Law student Jana Vasic told the BBC about the growing crowds in Belgrade.
“We want an institution that does their job properly. We don’t care which party is in power. But we need a country that works, not something you can’t get justice for more than four months.”
Republic Square – Only one of four meeting points at the “15th 15” protests over Serbia’s capital was flooded on Saturday.
Some people took shelter on the pedestal of Prince Mihajiro’s statue. This is a traditional place where the Belgrades, the equivalent of Piccadilly Eros, meet in London.
Others lined up along the road in front of the National Museum, going back to the Student Square.
Other meeting points were crowded before the planned rendezvous in front of the Parliament.
The protests against Novi’s sad collapse began with students, but were joined by taxi drivers, farmers and lawyers.
Prior to the big protest, the bike riders rose outside the Parliament to face the tractors surrounding the camps of government protesters.
A parade of military veterans was then welcomed. They said that the attacker of the students would arrest the citizens.
Students are seeking full transparency and accountability for the collapse of concrete and glass canopies at the stations in Serbia’s second-center train stations, which were renovated and reopened in 2022 – reopened only by Wykic.
They hope that the government will release all documents related to the renovation project and say that the authorities are not satisfied with the papers they have released so far.
They also hope that the person responsible for the disaster will be charged and convicted. Prosecutors have indicted at least 16 people, including former construction minister Golan Vessick.
However, the fee has not yet been brought to court. And the students insist that they will continue to protest until the authorities meet all the demands.
“We are making progress,” a student representing philosophy faculty at the University of Belgrade told the BBC. “But at this point, none of our requests are completely met.”
“Several politicians have resigned from their office,” another said. “But they weren’t fired. We haven’t seen anything yet except for the promise of the sky.”
Prime Minister Milos Vsevic announced his resignation at the end of January. However, it has not yet been ratified by the National Assembly and he remains in his post.
But Serbia’s true power lies in Vucic, who claims he will not go anywhere.
“I will not succumb to the threat,” he told the media conference the night before the big protest. “I will not allow the streets to pave a scary future for this country.”
Vucic described student protests as “good intentions.” However, he had too many flattering words to the opposition, and they were labelled as members of the “detective cartel.” He accused them of trying to force the formation of a “illegal interim government.”
Borko Stefanovic has not denied that the opposition is looking to establish a “professional government.”
The Vice President of the Party of Freedom and Justice describes it as the “only rational method” of a political crisis, which would establish a fresh election condition.
Like other opposition leaders, Stefanovic says free elections are currently not possible as the progressive party controls media and state institutions.
However, this is not one of the student’s requests. They simply ask to establish the truth behind Novi’s sad disaster.
Law professor Miodrag Jovanovic said, “They seek what I have been lectures, the rule of law, respect for the constitution, and the responsibility and accountability of civil servants.”
No matter what happens in the “15th, 15th” protest, it appears unlikely that students will be tolerant until they receive a satisfactory answer.
