Thousands of students take to the streets of Serbia to protest against corruption

(17 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Novi Sad, Serbia - 17 January 2026
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. People gathering for protest
2. People holding banner reading (Serbian): "They will be personal responsibility”
3. Close of sign reading (Serbian) “Freedom is defended in Novi Sad”
4. Various of protest
5. Serbian flag
6. Various of philosophy Professor Jelena Kleut speaking at rally
7. People blowing whistles
8. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Stanko Budincevic, local resident:
"We, as citizens of Novi Sad, feel a sadness deep within our being because of what happened on November 1, 2024. We are constantly in mourning and we want a change to happen. These young people want to enact change and we support them.”
9. People at protest
10. Close of person with hand print on face, the symbol of student-led protests
11. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Uros Lukovski, mathematics student:
“(We’re here) to show the people and to explain to them what we’ve done and what our goal is to be done in the future. To show them that we haven’t disappeared, that we’re still here and we’re still in the struggle.”
12. Various of protest
STORYLINE:
Thousands of people rallied on Saturday in Serbia as university students announced a new stage in their protests against President Aleksandar Vucic's government after leading more than a year of mass demonstrations that shook his autocratic rule in the Balkan country.
 
Protesters in Novi Sad accused the government of rampant corruption that they believe led to a November 1, 2024 train station disaster in the northern city, which killed 16 people and triggered a nationwide anti-government movement.
 
“(We’re here) to show the people and to explain to them what we’ve done and what our goal is to be done in the future. To show them that we haven’t disappeared, that we’re still here and we’re still in the struggle,” said student, Uros Lukovski.

“We, as citizens of Novi Sad, feel a sadness deep within our being, because of what happened on November 1, 2024," added local resident, Stanko Budincevic.

"These young people want to enact change and we support them,” Budincevic added.

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