How Young People Have Shown That Solidarity Is Not a Lost Value: "They Trust Each Other, Recognise Emotions and Needs"

At a time when divisions among people seem deep, young people across Serbia and the region have demonstrated that solidarity is not a lost value. Movements that emerged spontaneously, without centralised leadership or ideological divisions, have sent a clear message – the new generation is not willing to remain silent in the face of injustice, dysfunctional institutions, and a society that does not see them as a priority.

One of the key reasons behind this solidarity is the sense of an uncertain future. This is not only in terms of economic opportunities but also concerning fundamental rights, political stability, and security. Young people face similar problems regardless of the country they live in – from corruption and lack of transparency to limited opportunities for development.

"The solidarity and unity that young people in Serbia and the region have demonstrated during this period are proof that cooperation among young people is natural and that divisions are not inherent to them. Young people trust each other, recognise genuine emotions and the needs of their peers, which brings them even closer together. We believe that this model of cooperation should be nurtured and further developed. With the right political will, this kind of connection could further enhance regional cooperation and reduce the barriers that have previously hindered joint action," says Milica Borjanić, Secretary General of the Umbrella Organisation of Youth of Serbia (KOMS), in an interview with EUpravo zato.

It is interesting to note that older generations have differing views on these initiatives. While some see young people as a new hope for change, others observe them with scepticism, considering them inexperienced or overly idealistic. However, in many cases, the support of senior experts, professors, and activists lends additional credibility to the movements led by young people.

The question remains whether student protests have succeeded in pushing institutions to engage more actively with youth issues.

"On the surface, we see that institutions are increasingly inviting young people to dialogue. However, fundamental changes in their approach are still not visible. A recent example is the adoption of the Housing Loan Act for Young People (the Act on Establishing a Guarantee Scheme for Subsidising Part of the Interest Rate as a Measure of Support for Young People in Purchasing Their First Home), where young people were not consulted during its drafting. The law was passed without prior dialogue with them. We believe that every policy and measure affecting young people must be shaped with their active participation. Dialogue is not just about talking – it must be based on trust, and trust is built through concrete and clear steps that demonstrate institutions’ willingness to genuinely recognise young people as equal partners," our interviewee emphasises.

According to her, young people have shown everything necessary – unity, empathy, knowledge, and skills – to initiate dialogue within society.

"It is crucial that student organising is not just a formality but that it truly contributes to improving the position of all students in Serbia," Borjanić tells our portal.

Unity across the region

All these seemingly forgotten values have been demonstrated by young people not only in Serbia but across the region.
For instance, several hundred students recently gathered in the centre of Zagreb to pay tribute to those who lost their lives when the canopy at the entrance to the Novi Sad Railway Station collapsed on 1 November and to show support for students in Serbia. Solidarity gatherings also took place in Split and Osijek.

The solidarity gathering in Zagreb, attended by numerous citizens and civil society representatives, was organised by student clubs from the Faculty of Political Science and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. The event at European Square symbolically began at 11:52 with a fifteen-minute silence in memory of the victims in Novi Sad. Attendees held up large banners, including one reading "One World, One Struggle," highlighting the sense of unity. Among the banners were also messages of support written in Cyrillic script.

Several hundred students and citizens recently gathered in Banja Luka in support of students protesting in Serbia, demanding political and criminal accountability for the collapse of the Novi Sad station canopy, which claimed 15 lives. The gathering took place on the University of Banja Luka campus, where students received support from several university professors.

Students in Banja Luka had previously gathered in smaller numbers to support their peers in Serbia and to honour the victims.

An informal group of students from the University of Montenegro and the University of Donja Gorica, called Kamo sjutra, organised a rally in late December in front of the Faculty of Law in Podgorica to support their fellow students in Serbia, who are protesting and demanding accountability and justice for the Novi Sad railway station tragedy.

Montenegrin students emphasised that it is "important to follow the wave of courage, organisation, and uncompromising freedom shown by young people and students from neighbouring Serbia."

Student Milo Perović stated at the time that they supported the protests in Serbia and the region.

"The Balkans must wake up," Perović said.

Students carried banners with messages such as: "N(ex)t YU Students," "Students Are Not Statistics," and "For Our Great-Great-Grandchildren."

Following the momentum of protests in Serbia, demonstrations were also organised in Montenegro in response to the shooting in Cetinje on 1 January this year, in which 13 people were killed. The informal student group Kamo sjutra also organised daily road blockades in Podgorica.

Similar to Serbia, the street blockades began at 17:26 – the time when Aco Martinović from Cetinje committed his horrific crime on the first day of 2022 – and lasted for 23 minutes, in memory of the 23 victims of two massacres carried out in the Montenegrin capital over the past two and a half years.

Signs of solidarity in the fight for a just society have also emerged from North Macedonia. Students from North Macedonia, members of the Association for Education Development Ekualis, held a protest in front of the Serbian Embassy in Skopje on 30 December in support of student protests in Serbia.

"We want to send them a message that we are stronger together and that together we can achieve anything," said student Sara Nikolovska, one of the protesters.

Angel Dimitrievski, a representative of Ekualis, stated that the association would continue to support their colleagues in Serbia.
"The problems that exist in all countries of the region are the same," said Konstantin Bitrakov, an assistant at the Faculty of Law in Skopje.

Citizens of North Macedonia have also taken to the streets in 2025 to protest their own struggles. In late January, several hundred people in Skopje gathered at a pedestrian crossing where a 20-year-old driver ran over and killed 22-year-old Macedonian citizen Frosina Kulakova.

According to the 360 Degrees news portal, mourners stood in line to light candles in front of Kulakova’s photograph at the pedestrian crossing on Partizanski Odredi Boulevard, near one of Skopje’s most popular bakeries.

Some of the protesters used banners to send messages to the authorities, stating: "It’s not the place that kills, but people and the system," "Prosecutors = Accomplices in Murder," and "Connections Don’t Bring Back Lives," alluding to claims that the driver had previously avoided criminal responsibility with the help of his parents.

Overcoming Borders

What sets this generation apart is its ability to overcome both geographical and political boundaries. Young people from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and other countries in the region have found a common language in their fight for a fairer society. Social media has become their primary tool, enabling the rapid spread of information, event organisation, and mutual support.
The key question that remains is – will institutions and society listen to their voices?