In Belgrade, thousands of people protested against the government's neglect of education in schools and universities. The demonstrators listened to speeches by school and university leaders, who highlighted the neglect of the education system and the repression of critics of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, as a reporter for the German news agency dpa observed. The student movement had called for the protest, which took place under the motto "knowledge is power".
The protest was part of a wider movement of protests in Serbia, sparked by the collapse of a tent in front of the central train station in Novi Sad in November 2024. The disaster killed 16 people and students incited the protests, accusing Vučić's government of negligence and corruption. The government responded to the university blockade, roadblocks and mass demonstrations by using violence, arbitrarily arresting and dismissing teachers who sympathized with the protesters.
Instead of protests, substantive rallies
"No previous government has reacted with such violence and malice towards the academic world, just because it will no longer remain silent," said the rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Djokic, in his speech during the protest on Tuesday evening (27.01.2026). Vladimir Ristic, principal of an elementary school in Pančevo near Belgrade, emphasized: "Education should enable people to think, form their own judgment and participate in society, not to remain silent." He said that he is here today "as a person who refuses to betray the future," he added.
For a year, students have been blocking almost all universities in Serbia. In November, they ended the blockade. In the meantime, they are focused on the political struggle to impose new early elections. According to polls, Vučić's camp may lose these elections. The students want to consider their street demonstrations no longer as simple protests, but as civic gatherings, where they want to address concrete topics - such as education./DW
