Mon, 10 February, 2025

How Macedonian Students Supported the Struggle of Their Serbian Peers

Amid intensified protests on Serbian streets and university blockades, Macedonian student organizations sent messages emphasizing that the student voice is the backbone of democracy and that any attempt to repress it is an attack on critical thinking and the future. The events in Serbia are being compared to the Macedonian "Student Plenum" movement of 2014, which had received support from Serbian students at the time.

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Students in North Macedonia have expressed their solidarity with their peers in Serbia, who have been fighting for justice and accountability for several weeks. Amid the intensified protests and blockades of Serbian universities, Macedonian student organizations have stated that the student voice is the backbone of democracy and that any attempt to repress it is an attack on critical thinking and the future.

Macedonian students connect the events in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and other Serbian cities with the example of the “Student Plenum”, a movement that defended students’ rights and advocated for better education, justice, and resistance to political influences.

This student movement, which began in late 2014, was the first of its kind in the history of independent Macedonia. As a form of protest, it occupied university faculties in Skopje, where students stayed overnight in lecture halls and auditoriums.

At that time, Macedonian students received support from their Serbian peers, who announced protests in front of the Macedonian Embassy in Belgrade and also expressed solidarity through videos.

The most recent major protest in Serbia occurred on December 22 in Belgrade. According to analyses, more than 100,000 people attended this massive protest, which was organized by students but also joined by farmers, educators, and other citizens.

This protest was part of a series of demonstrations sparked by a tragic event in Novi Sad, where the collapse of a railway station canopy resulted in the death of 15 people, including a Macedonian citizen. The protests aim to demand accountability for this event and to express general dissatisfaction with the state of the country.

 

Solidarity from North Macedonia to Serbia

The first response from Macedonian students regarding the events in Serbia came from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje (FDA Skopje), which expressed support for their counterparts at the equivalent faculty in Belgrade.

On November 22, students from Belgrade’s FDA were attacked while participating in the “Stop Serbia!” (Zastani Srbijo!) campaign, during which citizens in several cities paid tribute to the victims of the Novi Sad tragedy. During this campaign, several individuals physically assaulted the students, injuring one who was hospitalized. This attack became one of the key moments that spurred the student protests.

“The Faculty of Dramatic Arts Skopje fully supports the students of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade in their faculty blockade, demanding justice and accountability for the incidents that occurred on November 22, 2024, during a regular commemorative gathering for the Novi Sad victims,” the FDA Skopje statement read.

Two weeks later, as protests in Serbia intensified, the Instagram platform “Studentarija”, which unites over 46,000 students, expressed its support. It provided detailed reports on the events at Serbian universities and shared the students’ demands.

“As the largest student platform in Macedonia, Studentarija fully supports the struggle of Serbian students and professors. Their demands for justice and transparency align with the core values of student activism. In this time of struggle, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in their pursuit of justice and safety”, the Studentarija post stated.

USS UKIM: Let’s Remember That We Recently Faced a Regime That Suppressed Student Spirit

Following this, a letter of support was issued by the University Student Assembly of North Macedonia’s largest and oldest university, “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University in Skopje (USS UKIM).

They condemned the silencing of the student voice in Serbia and stated that the Serbian students’ fight is an inspiration for all students in the region.

“Dear colleagues, your fight is our fight. The power to change the world lies in the youth, and we will not allow anyone to take that away from us. As a sign of our sincere solidarity, we will share your story and amplify your voice everywhere”, the UKIM student assembly wrote.

They added that any attempt to silence or suppress the student voice—whether through physical or other forms of violence—leads to the erosion of societal foundations and the collapse of efforts to build a functional and modern society. The UKIM students equate the struggle of their Serbian colleagues with the “Student Plenum” initiative from 2014.

“Through the example of the Student Plenum, we have witnessed the power of the student body, which not only shaped student organization but played a crucial role in the societal functioning of Macedonia. For this reason, we firmly express our support for our colleagues in Serbia,” the UKIM student assembly stated.

“Let’s remember that not long ago, we also faced a regime whose goal was to suppress the student spirit. However, defiance supported by courage, critical thinking, and perseverance from the Plenum participants showed us that another world is possible. Now it is your mission to show the nation that a new world is possible and that you have the courage to walk toward it,” the statement added.

Following the statement from UKIM, the University Student Assembly of “St. Kliment Ohridski” University in Bitola (USS UKLO) also expressed support for their Serbian peers. This student body also declared, “STOP the suppression of the student voice.”

“In neighboring Serbia, our colleagues have been fighting for their beliefs and rights for months. The student spirit is valuable, rebellious, progressive, and capable, which is why students drive the most significant societal changes. Colleagues, we see you and admire you,” UKLO stated, sending strong support to Serbian students.

Student blockades in Serbia continue. Today, students from Belgrade’s Faculty of Law are organizing a protest march to the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office, where they plan to deliver 1,000 identical letters to Republic Public Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac. Their peers from other faculties will join them in front of the Serbian Parliament, after which they announced plans to block the intersection of “Nemanjina” and “Knez Miloš” streets, where they will once again pay tribute to the Novi Sad victims. Later, they will join the protest of employees at “Post of Serbia.”

The students’ demands during the blockades include the publication of all documentation regarding the reconstruction of the Novi Sad railway station, the dismissal of charges against students, activists, and citizens arrested during protests over the tragedy.

They also demand the filing of criminal charges against all attackers of students, professors, and citizens at previous commemorative gatherings and protests.

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