“The situation in Serbia is radicalising because there was a massive protest of students in Belgrade on 28 June demanding early elections, but Belgrade strongman President Aleksandar Vučić has no intention to give in to their demands”. This is the comment that Balkan analyst Nikolay Krastev made to SIR news agency today, as demonstrations continue to paralyse the Serbian capital and over 20 other major cities since Saturday. Also on 28 June, there were fierce clashes in Belgrade with the police trying to block the protesters. This resulted in 77 people being arrested, of whom 29 are still in custody, and 48 police officers being injured. “People have been taking to the streets for seven months now – the expert explained – and the 28th of June, that is Vidovdan, the Feast of St Vitus, is highly symbolic in Serbian history, as it symbolises a longing for change”. It all started on 1 November 2024 after the collapse of the train station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. “At first, students demanded justice for the victims”, Krastev explained. “It then emerged that the recently renovated station had been built under a contract tainted by corruption. Vučić then reshuffled the government, but no one was held responsible”. This is why, he added, “students insist that a complete overhaul of the political class is needed. The nationalists of the SNS party, the President’s party, have been ruling since 2014″.