What began as a reaction to the Novi Sad railway station tragedy has evolved into one of Serbia’s largest civic mobilisations in recent history. Led by students and supported by citizens, workers, academics, farmers, and trade unions, the movement has grown into a broader call for accountability, institutional responsibility, transparent governance, and democratic renewal. At the same time, concerns are mounting over increasing pressure on civic space, including smear campaigns, detentions, excessive use of force, and efforts to discredit peaceful civic mobilisation. In this Op-Ed, Alma Mustajbašić from BCSDN member Civic Initiatives explores why the movement continues to resonate, how students have reshaped civic participation through grassroots organising, and what the developments in Serbia reveal about the state of democracy and civic space across the Western Balkans. At stake is not only Serbia’s democratic future, but the resilience of civic space across the region. Read more here.
Source: BCSDN