Just last week, another tragic incident occurred in a neighboring country—Novi Sad, Serbia’s second largest city. The newly expanded and renovated train station’s distinctive concrete canopy fell into the crowd, crushing 15 people to death and seriously injuring dozens more. Despite this, citizens have taken to the streets all across Serbia, where they have continued to protest the allegedly corrupt collapse of the project.
Emergency services swiftly responded to the scene, providing immediate assistance to the injured while authorities began an investigation into the causes of the structural failure. Eyewitnesses described a pretty horrible scene when the structure unexpectedly gave way during the busiest part of the day. Commuters and bystanders panicked when that sudden calamity struck.
This most recent tragedy adds to a growing pall over a city already soured by discord. Only days earlier, teachers and students, musicians and truckers, thousands of Serbians had marched through the capital Belgrade demanding accountability from their leaders. The protests have highlighted a growing discontent with the current political climate and allegations of corruption that have plagued the government.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently underscored sea changes in the global order. She wrote about her motivations in a recent Q & A with the German weekly Die Zeit. She detailed how enormously impactful changes to the historical status quo have been made, particularly by Donald Trump’s presidency here in the United States. She announced, “the West as we knew it is gone.” Von der Leyen’s point in stressing this out is clear, these developments are redefining the nature of international relations and alliances.
“The West as we knew it no longer exists.” – Ursula von der Leyen
She became a notable declarative voice that authoritarian regimes have a particularly toxic effect. As she cautioned, “Putin might take a break now and then, but his imperialist ambitions will stop at nothing.” Von der Leyen’s remarks give crucial insight into a growing concern among European leaders. What worries them most is the durability of democratic institutions faced with outside forces.
Meanwhile, amid these geopolitical shifts, a group of Serbian students completed an impressive journey from Novi Sad to Strasbourg, France. Their 1,300-kilometer trek concluded with a red carpet welcome in Strasbourg, symbolizing a spirit of perseverance and solidarity among the youth. This kind of participation stands in stark relief to the recent tragedy. Most importantly, it reminds us about the power and resilience that comes from communities.
Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, has new data out that highlights a significant reduction in irregular crossings into Europe. Yet this decrease further underscores the importance of new trends around migration. The agency attributed almost 33,600 of those lost arrivals just in the first three months of this year. Unauthorized border crossings along Europe’s internal borders have decreased by 30%. The biggest drop occurred along corridors through Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia, as flows fell by a staggering 64%.
EU policies intended to deter have also been credited with contributing to the drop. In response, rights groups have been raising the alarm that this will only further expose migrants to rights abuses. To Judith Sunderland of Human Rights Watch, this is an alarming trend that seems to build upon years’ worth of past trends.
“The data appears to suggest a continuation of the downward trend seen in 2024.” – Judith Sunderland
Crossings into the United Kingdom were down 4%— a modest improvement compared to the previous year’s 15% drop. This collective decline across major migratory routes signifies a shift in migration patterns in response to evolving policies and circumstances within Europe.
An EU Commission spokesperson made clear that they look forward to increased engagement from the US, saying that “We need the US like never before. This dynamic partnership is key to tackling global political and migration challenges more efficiently and effectively.