Serbian students end public broadcaster blockade

BELGRADE

Serbian students on April 28 lifted a two-week blockade of a public broadcaster offices in Belgrade after lawmakers met one of their demands and called for an election of members to a media regulatory body.

The Balkan nation has been rocked by months of student-led protests sparked by the deaths of 16 people when a railway station roof collapsed in the city of Novi Sad in November.

The deaths ignited long-simmering anger over corruption and the alleged lack of oversight for construction and development projects.

Hundreds of students supported by citizens as well as by the leadership of some universities have been blocking since April 14 two offices of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) in the capital, the headquarters in downtown Belgrade and a studio.

They had also blocked Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) in Novi Sad, though it lasted only for a day.

They accused the national broadcasters of ignoring their protests and demanded public-interest reporting and a transparent election of members of a media regulatory body.

Earlier on April 28, a parliamentary committee called for elections of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) members.

"The RTS blockade is over," students wrote on Instagram, while others chanted "Victory, victory!" as they danced in front of the RTS office in Belgrade, according to an AFP reporter.

"It's not a total victory. However, we succeeded partially," Nada Bokaterevic, an economy student, told AFP.

The protests have put mounting pressure on President Aleksandar Vucic's government, prompting the resignation of several high-ranking officials, including the prime minister.