In Serbia, two parallel rallies with sharply contrasting messages will mark Statehood Day, writes the Washington Post, highlighting that the wave of rebellion led by students for months is one of the biggest challenges for Serbia\u2019s president, who has maintained firm control over the country for more than a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The newspaper expects Vu\u010di\u0107 at his rally to \u201crecycle his traditional nationalist rhetoric, warning that the West wants to overthrow him by force,\u201d while also describing how students have mobilized large crowds, stirred emotions among citizens, even those apolitical and disillusioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The student-led protest is the latest in a series of citizen uprisings against corruption, increasingly calling for key political changes. The recent wave of discontent erupted after a concrete canopy collapsed at the newly renovated Novi Sad train station on November 1, killing 15 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kragujevac rally is expected to draw tens of thousands demanding justice for the Novi Sad victims, eradication of endemic corruption, and respect for the rule of law. Students chose Kragujevac for its historical significance, where Serbia adopted its first democratic constitution in 1835, limiting the powers of the then-rulers. This date is celebrated as Statehood Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Post recounts how students marched for days to Kragujevac, welcomed with cheers, food, refreshments, and accommodation from locals, who expressed hope for change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n