Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Hundreds of Thousands Rally Against Serbia’s Hardline Leader
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BELGRADE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Serbia’s hardline President Aleksandar Vucic and his government faced pressure to resign Sunday after hundreds of thousands of people descended on Belgrade for one of the largest mass rallies against his rule.
Angered about reported massive corruption that cost lives, a crackdown on press freedom, and a decline in civil liberties, crowds clogged the streets of the nation’s capital.
After scuffles between protesters and police, university students – who have been leading peaceful protests for the past four months – abruptly called for an end to the rallies, saying they could no longer guarantee public safety.
Most protesters dispersed, but thousands remained on the streets as tensions surged.
Police said the crowd reached 107,000 at the peak of the protest across Belgrade, but an independent monitor said 325,000—if not more—had gathered, making it Serbia’s largest protest ever.
Serbian independent media described the rally as “the biggest ever in the country,” saying the numbers were much higher.
ANTI-CORRUPTION MOVEMENT
Foreign reporters seem to agree, noticing that all public transport in Belgrade was canceled as protesters streamed into the city from various directions.
The rally was part of a nationwide anti-corruption movement that erupted following a concrete canopy collapse at a train station in Serbia’s north in November, killing 15 people.
Almost daily demonstrations that started in response to the tragedy have shaken Vucic’s firm grip on power in Serbia like never before in his past 13 years in charge, observers said.
Many in Serbia view the deadly incident at the main railway station in the city of Novi Sad as a sign of government corruption, negligence and disrespect of construction safety regulations.
Protesters have demanded government accountability for the victims of what they view as an authoritarian regime.
President Vucic has addressed the nation praising the police and adding that he was proud that “we managed to preserve the peace”.
‘CHANGING OURSELVES’
He stressed that he “understood” the protesters’ message, and pledged that “we will have to change ourselves”.
Despite multiple resignations – and Vucic’s insistence that he is going nowhere – the protests have only continued to grow.
“We just want a country that works,” said law student Jana Vasic.
“We want institutions that do their jobs properly. We don’t care what party is in power. But we need a country that works, not one where you don’t get justice for more than four months,” the student stressed.
However an increasing number of people say it’s time for a new leader.
The tensions in Serbia were also closely followed in neighboring Hungary where rightwing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of Vucic, also faced massive rallies for his resignation on Saturday.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire that was to begin Friday afternoon, Worthy News learned.
At least 10 people, including four children, were injured in a Russian strike on Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian authorities said Friday. In southern Ukraine, the State Emergency Service reported that one person was killed and four others were injured in a separate Russian attack on the Odesa region.
President Donald Trump signed the temporary peace deal with Iran ahead of schedule Wednesday at the Palace of Versailles in France, kicking off negotiations over a final nuclear deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s statement following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United States is being viewed by analysts not as an embrace of peace, but as a carefully crafted declaration that preserves Tehran’s revolutionary posture while allowing the regime to regroup.
The United States imposed new sanctions Thursday on individuals and entities linked to Hezbollah, accusing them of using political and financial influence to obstruct Lebanon’s peace process and delay the Iran-backed group’s disarmament.
Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow since the war began, hitting a key oil refinery and other targets around the Russian capital, leaving at least one person dead and numerous others injured, Russian officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Southeast Asian leaders in Kazan this week as Moscow moved to deepen ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and promote its vision of a “multipolar world order” aimed at countering U.S. global dominance.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com