Marchers reach Studentski Trg, Slavija rally tomorrow
The western and northern columns of students and citizens reached Studentski Trg, while the eastern one was still on its way. The Student List closing rally at Slavija is tomorrow at 6 p.m.
Students and citizens who walked from Valjevo, Sabac, Gornji Milanovac and Novi Sad reached Studentski Trg in Belgrade on the evening of October 21. For tomorrow, October 22, the Student List is calling for marches to Slavija, where its closing pre-election rally, “Victory Calls”, is set for 6 p.m. When this report was published, the eastern column from Zajecar had not yet reached the Rectorate.
According to Masina, the first to arrive at the Rectorate were the marchers from Sabac, Valjevo and Gornji Milanovac. The northern column from Novi Sad followed, having covered about 75 kilometers in total. Student List candidates met that column at Brankov Bridge.
Vreme reports that a red carpet and a stage were set up at Studentski Trg. A group of students from western Serbia was welcomed near Ada Mall, where people danced a kolo to chants of “Aleksandar is leaving”, before continuing to the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade. The same report says that on Republic Square that day stood the “Blockader Black Box”, guarded by police officers, which citizens covered with “Students Win” stickers.
How did the columns get to Belgrade?
According to KoSSev, the columns set out as follows:
- east: the column from Zajecar left on October 16 via Bor, Zagubica, Petrovac na Mlavi, Pozarevac and Smederevo;
- west: marchers from Gornji Milanovac left on October 18 via Ljig, Lazarevac and Obrenovac, and a day later the columns from Valjevo and Sabac set off through towns in the Uba and Obrenovac area;
- north: the column from Novi Sad left on October 20, spent the night in Stara Pazova, and this morning continued via Nova Pazova, Batajnica and Zemun.
N1 reports that about 1,000 people signed up to walk from Novi Sad. The northern column was accompanied by 16 tractors from the Initiative for the Survival of Serbian Farmers and by motorcyclists, with a police escort. The list’s lead candidate, physician Ilija Srdanovic from Novi Sad, walked with it.
Where were the columns welcomed?
The student movement announced welcomes at three places in Belgrade ahead of the central gathering. The northern column was greeted at Aviator Square (Avijaticarski Trg) in Zemun at 6 p.m. The eastern column was expected at 7 p.m. at Konjarnik in Vozdovac, and the western one at 7:30 p.m. near the Ada Mall shopping center in Cukarica. The central gathering, which we covered earlier, was announced for 8 p.m. in front of the Rectorate.
At that point, according to Masina, the eastern column was moving along the boulevard toward the center, and Vreme says it is approaching the Rectorate from the direction of Zvezdara.
What is planned for Thursday?
In an invitation published on social media, the students said Slavija will once again be the place where everyone meets:
“Once more we will show the strength of our will, our unity and our solidarity. Every step is a message, every kilometer is proof that we are not giving up. We continue together, until victory.”
According to maps the students published, the marches to Slavija start in two waves. From 4 p.m., people set out from Aviator Square in Zemun, from the New Belgrade blocks and from Veliki Park in Cukarica. From 5 p.m., participants leave from Studentski Trg, from the technical faculties and from Autokomanda. All routes lead to Slavija, where the program begins at 6 p.m.
A European match of Red Star and a basketball derby between Belgrade rivals are also played in the city that day, so KoSSev reports that heavier crowds and traffic changes are expected. According to BBC News in Serbian, as relayed by KoSSev, the Serbian Progressive Party’s closing rally is also planned for Thursday. According to Masina, the “Aleksandar Vucic - Serbia United” list scheduled a rally in Nis, on King Milan Square, for October 21 starting at 6 p.m.
Where does the Student List stand in the elections?
In the snap parliamentary elections on Sunday, October 25, the Student List runs as number 3 with 250 candidates for members of parliament. The Republic Electoral Commission certified the list on September 15, after determining that 69,099 legally valid voter signatures of support had been collected. Tomorrow’s rally is the list’s last major event before the pre-election silence.
