Serbian student groups escalated pressure on the government of former President Aleksandar Vučić ahead of the Oct. 25 parliamentary elections, demanding transparency over his decision to pardon 49 individuals just before resigning.
The Students’ List and Academic Plenum called for the immediate release of the names and documents tied to the pardons, citing public suspicion that the list includes former Minister Goran Vesić, linked to the 2024 Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse that killed 16, and ex-officials like Nikola Selaković and Dijana Hrkalović, who faced corruption or influence-peddling probes. Both groups argued the secrecy aims to shield Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party from backlash before the vote .
At a campaign rally in Valjevo on Oct. 11, Students’ List candidate Zlatko Kokanović urged equal justice, referencing the beating of children during protests, while fellow candidate Mihail Dudaš rallied supporters to ensure a fair election. The movement, which emerged from demands for accountability after the Novi Sad disaster, has expanded from street protests to fielding candidates nationwide .
Students from western Serbia also announced a three-column march to Belgrade for a final rally on Oct. 22, with routes converging from Gornji Milanovac, Valjevo, and Šabac . The Higher Court in Belgrade and the Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office confirmed in early October they had not received pardon decisions for their active cases.
