University chaos in Serbia has reached a boiling point! Dejan Vuk Stanković, the prominent Minister of Education, has responded to demands from groups called “Rebel University” and “Free Universities of Serbia” calling for his dismissal. He firmly denies accusations that he has called for violence, especially against students, emphasizing that police interventions depend on assessments of threats to life and property. Stanković states he is not a university official and holds his position by parliamentary appointment, not by some quasi-groups calling themselves student initiatives.
Meanwhile, students and citizens across Serbia continue blocking traffic and protesting. In Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Užice, and other cities, demonstrators block intersections, roundabouts, and university entrances, demanding primarily the calling of early elections and the release of detained students. The situation in Užice is particularly tense, where protesters broke through a police cordon, and eight people were detained for 30 days on charges of attacking police officers. The citizens of Užice organized massive protests and blockades in support of the detainees.
The protests are often accompanied by clashes with police, and students and citizens employ various methods of civil disobedience, including bicycle blockades and collecting aid for victims of catastrophic wildfires in southern Serbia. The blockade organizers emphasize their goal to draw global attention to the ongoing eight-month struggle of Serbian citizens against the regime.
Dejan Vuk Stanković condemns illegal blockades and violence in his statements, claiming these are unilateral acts of violence supported by terrorist cells and opposition media to create an illusion of mass protests. He calls for an end to violence and a return to normal university operations, while students continue their actions, refusing to back down from demands for government change and reforms in the education system.
This situation in Serbia reveals a deep divide between the authorities and student movements, with each side accusing the other of destabilization and abuse of rights. While university life and classes are disrupted, citizens and students persist in seeking justice and change, and the government shows no signs of yielding. Will this conflict end in dialogue or escalate into greater tensions? Time will tell. What do you think? Are the students heroes or hooligans? Drop a comment and let the people’s voice be heard!
