One year after the dramatic collapse of an awning at a train station in Novi Sad – Serbia’s second-largest city – the anti-corruption movement that has shaken this Balkan country of 6.5 million people shows no signs of losing momentum, yet it still struggles to make its voice heard. More than 100,000 Serbs protested again on November 1 in front of the accident site. Since November 2, several thousands have also gathered every evening in front of the Parliament in Belgrade to support the mother of one of the 16 victims who has started a hunger strike.

So far, President Aleksandar Vucic has continued to resist pressure from the streets and has refused to call early legislative elections. This failure is explained in part by the persistent divisions within the movement over the issue of the European Union. While students, in theory, identify with values associated with the EU, such as establishing an independent judiciary to finally tackle the endemic corruption widely blamed for the tragedy, more and more Serbs are questioning, for instance, why the European flag is being waved at protests.

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