A small group of protesters attempted to block law students from taking exams at the University of Novi Sad on Monday, in the latest escalation of nationwide student-led demonstrations sparked by a deadly structural collapse last year.
The protests, ongoing since December 2024, demand political and criminal accountability for the deaths of 16 people in the collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad’s railway station. Demonstrators are also calling for snap parliamentary elections and broader institutional reforms.
According to local media outlet NSuživo, a group of activists gathered outside the Novi Sad Fair complex — where the Faculty of Law had relocated exams with government approval — in an effort to physically prevent students and faculty from accessing the premises.
The university had secured all necessary permits to hold exams at the alternative venue, citing safety and operational concerns. Protesters, however, argue that conducting exams under police protection and private security undermines academic integrity and student rights.
Riot police were deployed at multiple entrances as demonstrators managed to block one gate, while students and professors entered through others. No major incidents were reported.
Student organizers say they refuse to participate in exams under what they call an atmosphere of intimidation, and insist they are defending the integrity of public education.
The ongoing unrest reflects growing dissatisfaction with governance and the rule of law in Serbia. Critics claim the Novi Sad tragedy exposed systemic negligence and corruption, fueling broader civil discontent across the country.