Student Speaker: Authorities Fear Questioning Citizens, Not Protests

At a student rally in Novi Sad, a student speaker declared that the current authorities are afraid of citizens who have stopped believing their narratives and have started questioning them. Teodora Vukša, a student at the Faculty of Technology, articulated that the student movement has evolved beyond university walls into a community demanding a state where institutions function properly and laws are applied impartially.

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They do not fear individuals, a single protest, or a single speech. They fear people who no longer believe their lies. They fear citizens who have started asking questions; they fear a community that no longer accepts silence, because when people gather, organize, and stand by each other, the foundation of this regime crumbles – fear.

"They do not fear individuals, a single protest, or a single speech. They fear people who no longer believe their lies. They fear citizens who have started asking questions; they fear a community that no longer accepts silence, because when people gather, organize, and stand by each other, the foundation of this regime crumbles – fear," Vukša stated during her address.

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We are not alone in the darkness, nor are we powerless.

She encouraged attendees, asserting, "We are not alone in the darkness, nor are we powerless." Vukša acknowledged that attempts to discourage, divide, and convince people that change is impossible would continue. However, she stressed that each gathering demonstrates the authorities' miscalculations. "Every time we gather, we show they are wrong," she added.

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Every time we gather, we show they are wrong.

Vukša observed a significant shift in the past year and a half, noting changes in how people perceive situations, their cities, and each other. She pointed to a continuous stream of scandals and a persistent lack of accountability, particularly for those in privileged positions. "We have watched scandals unfold endlessly and accountability consistently absent. We have watched public interest be suppressed in favor of the interests of privileged individuals," she concluded.

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We have watched scandals unfold endlessly and accountability consistently absent. We have watched public interest be suppressed in favor of the interests of privileged individuals.