(3 Apr 2025)
1. Students and others gathered at the University of Novi Sad campus
2. Mid, Cyclists at event, pan down to bicycles
3. Various of vehicle with sticker reading “Tour de Strasbourg”
4. Various of students, cyclists and others cheering before the start of journey
5. Katarina, last name not given, center, student and cyclist, at event
6. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Katarina, last name not given, student of veterinary medicine:
“It will definitely be tough. To ride between 100 and 150 kilometers (62 to 93 miles) for a few days in sequence is not a small feat. I think it would be challenging even for athletes who are accustomed to such physical and psychological toil.”
7. Students cyclists wearing fluorescent yellow vests
8. A student cyclist before the start of journey
9. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Ivan Poturica, student of mathematics at the University of Novi Sad:
“Our expectations are for someone to finally react to to the situation in Serbia and for our demands to be met.”
10. Cutaway of Poturica
11. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Ivan Poturica, student of mathematics at the University of Novi Sad:
“Of course I expect our journey to be arduous, I expect we’ll go through hardship, but I think it’ll be worth it.”
12. Various of student cyclists lining up for the start of the journey
13. Various of student cyclists starting their trip, cheered on by crowds of onlookers
STORYLINE:
Serbia’s protesting university students are now taking their struggle for justice and the rule of law to the heart of the European Union.
Around 80 students on Thursday set off on their bicycles on a days-long journey toward Strasbourg aiming to draw EU attention their months-long protests against corruption in the Balkan nation seeking membership in the 27-nation bloc.
Students have been a key force behind a nationwide anti-graft movement and almost daily street demonstrations in Serbia that have rattled the Balkan nation’s autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic. Serbia’s populist leader has been accused of stifling democratic freedoms while maintaining close relations with Russia and China despite formally seeking EU membership for the country.
Students blame rampant government corruption for the death of 16 people in a deadly train station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November. They have been seeking full accountability and justice for the victims, but also independent judiciary free of political influence.
These are just the values that the EU stands for, students point out.
“Yes, it will be tough and we will have a hard time but I think it will be worth it,” Ivan Poturica, a mathematics student from the northern city of Novi Sad, said. “We expect someone to finally react to the situation in Serbia and for our demands to be met.”
Katarina, a student of veterinary medicine from Novi Sad, added: “It will definitely be tough, Top ride between 100 and 150 kilometers (62 to 93 miles) for a few days in sequence is not a small feat. I think it would be challenging even for athletes who are accustomed to such physical and psychological toil.”
Cheered by hundreds of supporters and onlookers, the students set off on their cycling journey from the campus of the University of Novi Sad.
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