On Tuesday morning, students from Belgrade and Nis embarked on a march to the central Serbian city of Kragujevac, where they plan to join their peers for a protest rally on February 15, Serbia’s Statehood Day.
The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) also celebrates Candlemas (Sretenje in Serbian) on this date, which is also the date the first constitution of the Principality of Serbia came into force in 1835.
Students from the University of Kragujevac have called for a large protest rally and a 15-hour blockade of the city’s main road, titled “Let’s Meet on Sretenje,” on Saturday, February 15, starting 9 am.
On Tuesday morning, at six degrees Celsius below zero, students from Nis set out on foot for Kragujevac, with the message that “nothing is too far when you walk for justice.” They are facing a trek of 150 kilometers and plan to arrive in Kragujevac on Friday.
They said they are determined to endure this journey, motivated by their quest for answers from the authorities, and for accountability to be established for the Novi Sad tragedy, which sparked mass protests across Serbia. On November 1, 2024 a concrete canopy at the recently renovated Novi Sad main train station collapsed, killing 15 people and severely injuring two others.
“I can say that we are ready, the energy is good, the mood is positive, we will endure, we have to,” a protester said.
“The motivation for this long walk is to demand answers, because we have been waiting for three months without any responses, we expect answers and we expect accountability, above all,” one student added.
Belgrade students also began their march to Kragujevac, together with Novi Sad students who participated in a relay race that brought them from Novi Sad to the capital on Monday evening.
After gathering outside the Faculty of Pharmacy on Tuesday morning, they set off on the 130-kilometer journey to Kragujevac, where they plan to arrive on Friday.
Students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in the western Serbian city of Cacak are also joining their peers in Kragujevac.
“The walk from Cacak to Kragujevac is about 56.5 kilometers, which means it will take approximately 13 hours of continuous walking. Considering the challenging terrain, we decided to split this adventure into two days, allowing us to enjoy the journey and make it more pleasant,” the Cacak students said in a press release.
“This march is not just a physical journey, but a symbolic act – a reminder of the importance of the Constitution and its role in society. On Serbia’s Statehood Day we emphasize that no one’s authority or power can supersede that which is defined by the Constitution,” they added.
