Huge number of students and citizens in Niš, next protest in Belgrade, Student Edict also presented

(Patria) - Students and all those who support them are holding a mass protest in Niš today, a gathering called "Student Edict". The gathering is at four locations – near the intersection of Vardarska and Jovan Ristić, near the Cathedral Church, Niteks, and in front of the Faculty of Medicine, and the program will conclude on the night of March 2nd.

Thousands of students, citizens, and veterans have gathered in Niš, and as with every student protest, at exactly 11:52 AM, 15 minutes of silence began in memory of the 15 victims of the canopy collapse in Novi Sad.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that he doesn't think anything of today's gathering in Niš, "Student Edict," and wished the participants "all the best, to enjoy themselves, but for it to pass peacefully," assessing that there is "no content there."

A new gathering is scheduled for March 15th in Belgrade.

Even in the late afternoon hours, Niš is full of students and others who have joined them on the streets.

This evening, students also presented the "Student Edict" and its provisions on freedom, the state, justice, youth, dignity, knowledge, solidarity, and the future.

ON FREEDOM

Serbia is a country of free people. Freedom is not a mercy, but a fundamental right inseparable from the dignity of every citizen. Freedom is the foundation of our democratic society, our laws, our words, and our thoughts.

ON THE STATE

The state is the common good of all its citizens. Serbia's institutions must serve the people and be the foundation of trust, not an instrument of individual power. We advocate for a state where the law is the supreme authority and where political office means service to citizens, not privilege.

ON JUSTICE

Justice is the basis of a stable society. An independent judiciary, free media, and institutions must act according to the law, not under political pressure. Equality of rights must be a reality for every citizen of Serbia.

ON YOUTH

Young people have shown that they are not just heirs to Serbia, but its defenders. Students, as the bearers of this struggle, preserve the values on which our society should be built. The youth of Serbia demand a system based on effort and knowledge.

ON DIGNITY

We advocate for a society where the dignity of every individual is respected. Dignity implies that no person should be brought into a position of humiliation due to their views and opinions. A Serbia where experts are not undervalued and where knowledge is valued more than obedience, where young people see hope in their country.

ON KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is the foundation of progress for any society. We demand a Serbia that invests in science, research, education, and culture as priorities for its development. Universities must be independent centers of excellence, not training grounds for buying diplomas and political influence.

ON SOLIDARITY

The roads of our cities, from Niš to Novi Sad, from Belgrade to Kragujevac, bear witness to the strength of national unity. This solidarity, previously unknown to systems based on division, becomes our vow and our strength, which we will defend and nurture. By transforming individual voices into a force for change, we have proven that Serbia is not a collection of divided interests, but a community of citizens who share a vision for the future.

ON THE FUTURE

Let this edict be our obligation, our promise to each other – that we will build a state that will belong to everyone, in which every child can dream big dreams. A state where justice and freedom will be stronger than any individual, where power will not serve itself by the people, but will serve the people.