Massive student-led anti-corruption
protests have spread from Serbia to neighbouring Balkan
countries, with thousands rallying under the slogan "Corruption
Kills" following a series of deadly tragedies that have claimed
dozens of lives.
The collapse of a train station roof in Serbia, a devastating
nightclub fire in North Macedonia, political turmoil in Bosnia
and Herzegovina (BiH) as well as in Bulgaria - Europe's Balkan
region is gripped by crises.
Young people have used the rallies to vent their anger in a
region of Europe that rights groups say suffers from endemic
corruption, prompting hundreds of thousands in Serbia alone to
take to the streets demanding change.
Serbia ranks 105th out of 180 countries on the latest global
corruption perceptions index - its worst position in more than a
decade. North Macedonia fares only slightly better at 88th
place, and EU member Bulgaria stands at 76th place.
The region has long struggled with corruption, weak rule of law
and political instability, all of which have hampered some of
the countries' path to EU membership, for which anti-graft
measures are a key priority.
North Macedonia became an EU candidate country in 2005, followed
by Serbia in 2010. Serbia's progress has however stalled in
recent years, the main obstacle being its tense relationship
with Kosovo. Bulgaria, on the other hand, joined the EU in 2007.
Here's what you need to know.
Serbia: train station canopy collapse.
The wave of demonstrations on a scale unseen in Serbia since the
1990s kicked off after a recently renovated train station canopy
collapsed on November 1 in the northern city of Novi Sad. 16
people died as a result of the collapse.
Across Serbia, a blood-red hand has appeared on banners, pins,
and walls, becoming the symbol of protests. Many critics blame
the deaths on corruption and inadequate oversight of
construction projects, especially as restoration work at the
train station had been completed shortly before the accident.
In the latest mass rally on March 15 in Belgrade, between
100,000 and 300,000 people are estimated to have taken part, the
largest in Serbian history. The largely peaceful demonstration
was however disrupted after an unknown noise caused a brief
panic. Some protesters and members of the political opposition
allege the authorities used an acoustic cannon - a military
device used to disperse crowds -, a charge the government has
denied.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić told reporters after a
working dinner with European Council President António Costa and
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels
on Tuesday that he informed the EU officials there had been no
sound cannon and that Serbia stood ready to verify this claim.
A statement by the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta
Kos, describing last week's meeting with Vučić as constructive,
sparked public condemnation from several civil society
organisations, who accused the EU of hypocrisy. In an interview
with Slovenian media on Thursday, she brushed aside the
criticism, saying that at the moment there is no one else in
Serbia to talk with to ensure that the country stays on the EU
accession path.
The months of protests are the biggest challenge to Vučić's
12-year rule. They have already led to the resignation of
several high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Miloš
Vučević. More than a dozen people have been charged in
connection with the tragedy, including former transport minister
Goran Vesić, who resigned days after the incident.
Countries in Serbia's neighbourhood have also rallied in support
of the protests in Belgrade, for example in the Slovenian
capital Ljubljana. Slovenia is still awaiting an explanation
from the Serbian authorities for the refusal of entry into
Serbia to a news crew from the Slovenian television channel POP
TV ahead of the March 15 demonstration.
(continues)
(This article is published twice a week. The content is based on
news by agencies participating in the enr, in this case AFP,
Agerpres, ANSA, BTA, FENA, HINA, MIA, STA, Tanjug)
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