From Protest to Exile: Serbia's Fight for Democracy | Mila Pajić

In this second part of our special two-part series on Serbia's protest movement, we speak with Mila Pajić, activist with STAV (Students Against Authoritarian Rule) and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, about the movement that emerged after the deadly Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse.Mila explains how a tragedy became a nationwide movement, why students became the driving force behind the protests, and how government pressure escalated from intimidation to criminal charges against activists.After authorities accused her and several colleagues of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, Mila fled Serbia and now remains in exile.In this conversation we discuss:- What happened after the Novi Sad tragedy- Why the student movement became so powerful- Government repression against activists- Life in political exile- The future of democracy in Serbia- Whether snap elections can be free and fair Talk Eastern Europe is the podcast from New Eastern Europe magazine - your trusted source for in-depth analysis and expert perspectives on Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and the post-Soviet space. ABOUT THIS PODCASTWe publish twice weekly:- Every Tuesday: Expert Interviews featuring deep dives withleading analysts, journalists, and scholars- Every Friday: Weekly News Roundup with essential updatesand commentary on the latest developmentsAvailable on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and all majorplatforms.Read the New Eastern Europe Magazine Bimonthly publication with exclusive long-form analysis.https://neweasterneurope.eu/become-a-member-of-new-eastern-europe/Support us on PatreonJoin our community for bonus content, early access,behind-the-scenes insights, and access to our exclusive WhatsApp group where we discuss the news in real-time.https://www.patreon.com/talkeasterneuropeSubscribe to the Brief Eastern Europe NewsletterWeekly briefing sent out every Monday with news updates,expert commentary, and our editorial picks - free to your inbox: https://briefeasterneurope.eu/subscribeFOLLOW USInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/neweasterneuropemag/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEasternEurope/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-eastern-europe/