Serbian students depart for Strasbourg by bicycle: “Europe has been asleep for too long”

A large crowd of people gathered in Novi Sad to see them off. The students will be accompanied by N1 and Nova crews, with a Nova reporter joining them on bicycle.

Strasbourg was chosen as the destination because it is home to both the Council of Europe and the European Parliament - organizations that the students believe play a crucial role in supporting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

The student cyclists from the universities of Novi Sad, Belgrade, Nis, and Kragujevac will travel approximately 1300 km to Strasbourg, crossing through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany before entering France.

Vladimir Beljanski, the president of the Vojvodina Bar Association, is joining the students on their bike ride to Strasbourg and his message is: “Europe has been asleep for too long.”

“This is a big battle for the students, and we, as lawyers, have been supporting them from the beginning,” Beljanski told N1.

“It is important to draw Europe’s attention. Serbia is part of Europe. We are not a wild Balkan tribe where resources can be extracted while ignoring the rule of law, quite the opposite. The students’ journey is symbolic but also practical, as Europe has been asleep for too long … I am confident that the influence of these institutions is significant. Until now, they have sent unclear and hesitant messages. We are still waiting for their stance,” Beljanski emphasized.

On Wednesday evening, with the help of the bikers, more than 50 farmers prepared meals at the Novi Sad University campus to raise money for the trip, while SOS Taxi from Novi Sad has launched a campaign to collect donations for the students.

The students started their journey on April 3, the day before Student Day, and are expected to arrive in Strasbourg on April 17.