For the fourth time, and the third organized by students, a silent gathering titled “15 Minutes of Silence for 15 Victims” was held in North Mitrovica. This time, the gathering was held at the city square.
The silence, observed in memory of 15 victims of the tragic collapse of the newly renovated roof at the Novi Sad railway station, began precisely at 11:52 a.m. and lasted 15 minutes. The initiative was launched by students from the University of Pristina with a temporary seat in Kosovska Mitrovica, who also invited local citizens to join the event.
Around 100 students and citizens paid their respects to the victims with a 15-minute tribute. Today’s event appeared to attract the largest number of participants so far.
In the front row, students held banners with messages such as “If You Care About Serbia, Be in Kragujevac on February 15 for Sretenje”, “A Mother Stands with Students”, “Who Can Study When Their Conscience Weighs Heavy,” and “If You’ve Bought a Person, You’ve Wasted Your Money on Foolishness.”
One student from Belgrade, Marijana Perović, held a sign that read, “A Belgrade Student Stands with Colleagues from Kosovska Mitrovica.”
Support from Belgrade Students
Marijana Perović, originally from Zubin Potok, is a student of architecture in Belgrade and a regular participant in student protests. She traveled to North Mitrovica to show her support for her fellow students.
“Our colleagues here are afraid—afraid of how they’ll find jobs in the future if they attend such protests, afraid that their friends and parents might lose their jobs or salaries because of it. I understand their fear,” Perović said.
She explained that Belgrade students frequently discuss how to include their colleagues from North Mitrovica in their protests and gatherings.
“We’d love for them to join us at our assemblies. We’re always talking about how to involve students from Mitrovica. We even make banners that include them.”
Despite the challenges, Perović reassured her colleagues in North Mitrovica that they have the full support of students across Serbia.
“If they step forward, they’ll have our support, all of us from central Serbia,” she added.
A Tense Moment: Generational Clash
While speaking to the media, Perović was approached by an older citizen who asked her to distance herself from “students paid by foreign agents who want to destroy Serbia.”
“Distance yourself from them, and we’ll support you in everything. We care about the future of our children, but not about the opposition, which is bribed and doesn’t mean well for anyone, including you, young people,” the man said.
Remaining calm, Perović responded: “The students have their own demands, and that’s all they are asking for. They’ve never declared support for any side. Their demands are basic human rights, things we should already have. It shouldn’t be necessary to demand not to be beaten on the streets or to know who is responsible for the roof collapse in Novi Sad. The students who demanded answers should be released, and those who attacked them should be held accountable.”
The older citizen insisted that all student demands had already been met, once again asking for students to distance themselves from “foreign agents.” Perović politely told him to “get better informed.”
A Growing Movement with Persistent Questions
This latest protest is part of an ongoing movement that began more than three months ago, following the tragic collapse at Novi Sad’s railway station that killed 15 and seriously injured two others. Students across Serbia have consistently called for accountability from public institutions.
While public support for the students remains strong, the response from Serbian authorities has been largely absent. Mitrovica students continue to organize silent protests in solidarity with their peers across the country, who are currently blocking state universities as part of their efforts to demand justice and transparency.
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