Serbia Halts All Train Traffic Indefinitely Ahead of Major Student Protest

All train traffic in Serbia has been suspended indefinitely, coinciding with a major student protest planned for Saturday evening in Belgrade.

Srbijavoz, the national railway company, announced the suspension early Saturday, citing a directive from "Infrastruktura železnica Srbije." The company did not provide specific reasons for the halt but asked passengers for understanding. This action follows a pattern of railway disruptions preceding significant political gatherings.

The "Students are Winning" movement, which is demanding early parliamentary elections and democratization, reacted to the announcement on Instagram, stating, "Pathetic, but expected. Nothing can stop us! See you today at Slavija!" The movement announced that gatherings would begin at 1 p.m. at four locations across Belgrade, with the main protest scheduled at Slavija Square between 6 and 8 p.m.

Previous protests, notably on March 15 of last year, also saw train traffic halted. On those occasions, the suspensions were attributed to alleged bomb threats on the railway lines. Passengers on trains heading to Belgrade reported being stopped in other towns, with alternative bus transportation arranged for some.