The Serbian community in Malta staged its second demonstration last weekend in solidarity with the massive anti-government protests sweeping Serbia.
About 200 members of the Serbian community assembled in front of the Triton Fountain last Saturday to express support for student-led protests in Belgrade. That same day, according to the BBC, an estimated 325,000 people took to the streets of the Serbian capital.
This was the second such demonstration held in Malta, following an initial gathering in Valletta on January 26.
The Serbian community in Malta staged its second demonstration last weekend.Among those attending the protest was Maja Vella, originally from Belgrade and now a Maltese citizen. She described the experience as deeply emotional.
“The feeling of being part of a community was overwhelming, as we have been divided for decades – always turned against each other so that this corrupt government could stay in power,” Vella said.
She recalled how the crowd was overcome with emotion during a moment of silence for lives lost. “When the moment of silence was held, we all burst into tears for the lives that were lost forever.”
Vella is the owner of NOVI Burger, a restaurant in Malta. She explained that its name was partly inspired by the town of Novi Sad, where the protest movement began.
The anti-government demonstrations in Serbia began in November last year, following the collapse of a newly renovated railway station canopy in Novi Sad. The incident killed 15 people and seriously injured two others.
The Serbian community in Malta is organising a 140-kilometre walk around the island this Friday.Vella explained that the protests initially started as a response to this tragedy, with students organising silent vigils to honour the victims. They began holding 15-minute road blockades as a form of remembrance. However, the gatherings soon evolved into broader demonstrations against government negligence and corruption, spreading beyond Novi Sad to towns across Serbia.
“These protests are driven purely by emotion as older citizens like me feel that our fight against dictatorship in the 1990s is finally being continued and crowned by the younger generations,” Vella said. “We believe the end of this corrupt government is near.”
One of the organisers of the Maltese demonstration, Ljiljana Krickovic, was also involved in the student protests of the 1990s in Serbia. She emphasised that the event was coordinated by a self-organised group with no political affiliations.
Demonstration was meant to express support for student-led protests in Belgrade.She said those who gathered at the Triton Fountain shared the same feelings as many in Serbia. “A restoration of fearlessness, a renewed hope that change is possible and a profound sense of pride in being Serbian – all of which our students have given back to us.”
Krickovic added that her family and close friends in Serbia are actively participating in the movement. She believes what makes these protests historic is the emergence of a new generation unwilling to accept corruption. Unlike previous generations, she said, they are determined to stay in their country and demand reform.
“They are demanding the restoration of their ‘kidnapped’ state, the establishment of functional institutions, and the liberation of the media –essential prerequisites for genuine free and fair elections.” Both Krickovic and Vella praised the students’ bravery and the growing momentum of the movement.
“The hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in Belgrade prove this surge of support is unstoppable,” Krickovic said. Vella agreed, adding: “People now feel there is no turning back.”
As part of their efforts to raise awareness and support the student movement, the Serbian community in Malta is organising a 140-kilometre walk around the island this Friday. The distance marks the 140 days since the railway station tragedy.
A group of Serbian hikers will start and finish the two-day walk in St Paul’s Bay, with people encouraged to join along the way. Donations will be collected to support students in Serbia.