Embedded Files
Written by Neva Mateljic, 03/02/2025.
Hey York!
No fashion for this week. It’s time for something more serious.
On November 1st 2024, a newly reconstructed railway station’s concrete canopy in Novi Sad, Serbia, collapsed onto a busy pavement, unfortunately killing 15 people.
The disaster has been linked to allegations of government corruption and substandard construction practices, fueling widespread public outrage.
Ever since this heartbreaking event, the Serbian people all over the country have engaged in protests fighting for justice and a non-corrupt government.
The protesters started off by being only university students, however people of all ages have joined to support them. They call the protests “Blokade” or in english “Blockades” since they block the main streets and bridges for many hours, completely stopping the traffic during the day and night.
Their biggest protests were held in Belgrade and Novi Sad, Serbia, however several cities around the world have shown their unwavering support. For example, just recently there were smaller protests here in Toronto led by the Serbian community on January 26 and in Vancouver on February 1st.
These protests have shown a true meaning of community and fight for justice.
Over the break, in Zagreb, Croatia, I met up with an old friend of mine who is originally from Belgrade. He said to me “I missed the blockade today.”. I asked him why he wanted to go to the protest so badly. He simply replied with “It is for my people.” and proceeded to show me pictures of what was happening that day. The pictures looked something like this…
As the protests intensified, Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević announced his resignation in an attempt to ease tensions. However, this move has not quelled public anger, and demonstrations continue to grow. Many protesters argue that the resignation does not address the root causes of corruption and mismanagement.
So, there you have it York!
A quick overview on what has been happening in the world.
Report abuse