Serbia's students plan major rally after issuing 'ultimatum'
As Belgrade's asphalt shimmers in blistering 40-degree sunshine, the city is bracing for heat of a very different kind: Students have scheduled another major protest for Saturday.
All eyes are on the Serbian capital, and both anticipation and uncertainty across the country are rising as students remain tight-lipped about their plans and the exact location and timing of the demonstration.
The protest has the potential to be a turning point because the students have issued what they are calling an "ultimatum" to the Serbian government, demanding the announcement by 9 p.m. on June 28 that the government will ask the president to dissolve parliament, paving the way for snap elections.
"Should the stated demands not be met within the given timeframe, we expect that the citizens of Serbia will be ready to take all available measures of civil disobedience to protect their basic right to a free and legitimate democratic system," the students wrote in an open letter to the Serbian government.
The upcoming protest comes after eight months of protests, during which students and citizens have demanded political and criminal accountability for the collapse last November of the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad Railway Station, which killed 16 people.
The day chosen for the protest carries particular weight in Serbia.
Vidovdan is a national and religious holiday that falls on June 28. Deeply rooted in Serbian history and mythology, it has often coincided with decisive events and historical turning points in the country's history such as the 1389 Battle of Kosovo and a number of pivotal political events in the 20th........
© Deutsche Welle
