Sawt Falasteen - Serbian prime minister resigns, after months of anti-corruption protests

The Balkan country has been rocked by regular protests in the wake of the deadly disaster at the train station in the northern city of Novi Sad that killed 15 people, following extensive renovations at the facility.

The collapse has ignited long-standing anger across Serbia over corruption and the alleged lack of oversight on construction projects.

"My irrevocable decision is to resign from the position of prime minister," Vucevic told a press conference in Belgrade.

"I had a long meeting with the president of Serbia this morning... we talked about everything, and he accepted my arguments," he added.

"So in order to avoid further complicating things, so we do not further raise tensions in society, I made this decision."

Before taking up an earlier government post in Belgrade, Vucevic had served as mayor of Novi Sad from 2012 to 2022, when renovations began at the train station.

The prime minister has been in office for less than a year.

More than a dozen people have been charged in connection with the Novi Sad accident, including former transport minister Goran Vesic, who resigned days after it occurred.

Shortly after Vucevic resigned, Novi Sad mayor Milan Djuric said he would also be stepping down.

"Resigning is not an expression of weakness or retreat in the face of challenges, but an act of assuming responsibility and opening space for the restoration of trust among people," the mayor said in a statement posted on social media.

- 'Means nothing' -

The prime minister's announcement came as thousands of protesters ended a 24-hour blockade at a major traffic intersection in Belgrade -- the latest in a series of massive rallies held across the country.

Demonstrators on Tuesday morning packed up and cleared the area at the Autokomanda junction -- which links several major roads and motorways in the Serbian capital -- after many camped out overnight.

The blockade came after student organisers called for a general strike last Friday that saw lawyers stop work, and the closure of small businesses and schools across Serbia.

Students have emerged as the leaders of the protest movement and have been blockading campuses across the country for months.

With pressure mounting, President Aleksandar Vucic addressed the nation Monday evening, defending his government's response to the Novi Sad tragedy and vowing to open a dialogue with the protesters.

Student organisers continue to demand more action, including greater transparency into the investigation and the release of all documents linked to the renovation of the station.

For months, Vucic and other government officials have oscillated between issuing calls for talks and allegations that the demonstrators were being backed by foreign powers.

The government has released a raft of documents linked to station's renovations, but experts from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Belgrade say they are incomplete.

Other key demands include dropping charges against protesters arrested at rallies, an end to attacks on demonstrators, and increased government spending on education.

Following the premier's announcement, students who spoke to AFP insisted that their demands be met and dismissed Vucevic's resignation.

"The prime minister's resignation means nothing to the students. Are demands are clear and we will continue protesting no matter who resigns," said Maksim Jankovic, a 19-year-old biology student at Belgrade University.

As premier, Vucevic was officially the head of government in Serbia, however, the position is largely considered to be subordinate to President Vucic -- who has ruled the country for more than a decade.

Dragan Popovic, a Belgrade-based analyst with the Centre for Practical Politics, said the resignations were unlikely to quell the protests.

"This government is made up of a group of party loyalists who are interchangeable," Popovic told AFP.

"In reality, everyone is waiting for the decision of the person who, unconstitutionally and unlawfully, makes all the decisions in this country --Aleksandar Vucic."

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L.AbuAli--SF-PST