The authorities in Belgrade claim that the nine-month long protests in Serbia were instigated from abroad. However, when one examines the statements of young people from Serbia, especially from Belgrade, about the state of society in the last five years, it seems that the causes of the protests are in fact to be found within Serbia itself.
Just looking at the last five years, young participants of the show PERSPEKTIVA have regularly expressed dissatisfaction, protest, and warnings. A wise political option that nourishes democratic principles would listen to them and try to fix their problems. Instead, we see attacks from state-controlled media, the arrest of protesters, and a judiciary that fails to hold accountable those who assault citizens. Here’s what young people in Belgrade had to say back in 2021.
“The absence of the rule of law – most notably, an independent judiciary – is something we all witness. We’ve seen numerous cases where innocent people have died or suffered in various ways, yet justice is never truly served. These cases rarely reach the public, or they’re handled behind closed doors, with no transparency or public oversight. The next day, we see the same wealthy individuals, political godfathers, or other powerful figures walking freely through the streets, as if nothing ever happened.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-sa-mladima-u-beogradu—prva-epizoda/31138143.html
“Another thing that needs to change is the judicial system, because there is no rule of law here.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/31162243.html
“It is evident that we are sliding into a political state. Now, whether it is because of the ruling party, or the entire political scene, I believe that will be a topic of discussion in the next few days here. Basically, no, I do not feel like a free citizen.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/video-mladi-perspektiva-srbija/31150363.html
“There are numerous stories of people describing how they are oppressed by the police and other security forces, which is the opposite of what they should be doing.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-sa-mladima-u-beogradu—prva-epizoda/31138143.html
“Our jobs basically force us to vote for the ruling party. So no, we’re not free. Everything about our lives feels restricted.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/video-mladi-perspektiva-srbija/31150363.html
A year later, in 2022 the discontent was back. Belgrade youth spoke out once again:
“We are under occupation. This regime is occupying all of us. Not just the young, but also the old – everyone. Everyone who is against the regime is a traitor, an enemy, and that is a big problem. And for that reason, we should not leave our homes, or our cities, and instead we should stay and fight, to drive the occupier out.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsgWX2f7VEE&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
“This government labels anyone who dares to speak out as a foreign mercenary, while they’re the ones who have sold off everything that once belonged to us.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-mladi-srbija/31726389.html
“We have this problem that the political system is designed to be bad. That is, it was designed to put non-workers and, in general, unqualified people in the foreground.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsgWX2f7VEE&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
“Young people don’t trust institutions, and for young people to stay in Serbia, institutions have to trust young people, and they have to prove that young people have reason to trust them.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya5rmnkaQgM&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
In 2023, the show PERSPEKTIVA was in Novi Sad. Dissatisfaction was voiced again.
“Police presence is constant – on the streets of both large cities and small towns – where children are routinely stopped, asked for identification, questioned, or even detained. Meanwhile, far more dangerous criminals walk freely through the city, untouched.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/32411065.html
“I devote all my time and energy to just surviving, trying to break even. With this kind of budget, I can’t plan anything, not even in the short term, let alone the long term.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/32411065.html
“Our country is in poor shape, despite what it could be. One privileged class lives far better than everyone else, while the rest struggle. On top of that, we face a lack of political freedom, serious environmental issues, and a failing education system.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-novi-sad/32400479.html
“I’m afraid to speak publicly about certain things, worried that someone might confront me in the park, or even in the student campus in Novi Sad. I fear being attacked or threatened, especially since I’ve already received threats for speaking out. I fear for my own life, for the lives of my family, and for my loved ones.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-novi-sad/32400479.html
“I have serious doubts about the police as a state institution. Based on what I see and experience, it increasingly acts against young people, especially during protests led by youth calling for change. Instead of protecting us, the state uses its apparatus to surveil us – its own citizens, the very people who fund its operations.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-novi-sad/32400479.html
At the beginning of 2024, PERSPEKTIVA was again in Belgrade.
“After we filed our complaints, we were immediately targeted. I believe this is significant, especially now, during the pre-election campaign, that activists and human rights defenders in Serbia are being targeted more frequently. This kind of pressure threatens our safety. Let’s be honest: no one engages in human rights work because their own rights are fully protected. You do it because you know what it feels like when your rights are violated. And when you face additional discrimination and intimidation because of that, the situation becomes truly alarming.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-beograd-mladi-nasilje-sigurnost/32904725.html
“I asked myself, and I am not exaggerating or joking, if I now need to get a gun! Are we all supposed to arm ourselves and turn this place into the Wild West? But no, I have to restrain myself. I have to find a way to keep my physical and mental existence intact.”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-beograd-mladi-nasilje-sigurnost/32904725.html
“Why this sudden explosion of violence? I’m not saying it never existed before, but now it’s everywhere. We see violence promoted in games, in media, even in reality shows. Smashing a bottle over someone’s head is seen as entertainment. If there’s no violence, there’s no viewership. How is that normal?”
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/32914444.html
By the end of 2024, the rising discontent erupted into mass protests that have continued for nine months. The government, through its media, labels the protesters as enemies. The police respond with force. The courts remain silent. And yet, hundreds of thousands of so-called “foreign mercenaries” remain in the streets, calling for justice.
