Serbian students on Thursday refused to lift a widespread blockade of higher education institutions, dismissing government claims that it had addressed one of their key demands following a fatal railway station roof collapse.
Students have mounted regular protests calling for the release of documents relating to works on the station in the city of Novi Sad last month that killed 15 people aged between six and 74.
The government said on Thursday it had now put all the documentation in the public domain and accepted a separate demand from students to increase higher education funding by 20%.
However, doors remained shut at nearly 40, or a third of state faculties across the country, and classes were canceled.
"The blockade will continue as long as there is a need to draw attention to important demands that have still not been met," David Makarin, a student at the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"The demands are clear," he added.
Protesters want those behind the Nov. 1 roof collapse in the northern city brought to justice and the release from custody of students arrested during previous protests.
Students claim they have been attacked by hired hands sent by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and are angered at claims made by President Aleksandar Vucic that many had received "foreign money" to organize the protests.
"Young people are tired of being targeted. There have been too many attacks on students, and that hurts us the most," said Luka Djordjevic, a student at the Faculty of Law in Nis, southern Serbia.
"Young people are unprotected, students are unprotected, and we are portrayed as a mob paid to cause chaos."
The nationwide demonstrations began in the wake of the collapse, which many Serbs blamed on institutional corruption and inadequate oversight of construction projects.
A consortium of four companies – China Railway International, China Communications Construction, France's Egis and Hungary's Utiber – were in charge of the works.
The central railway station in Novi Sad – Serbia's second-largest city – underwent a three-year renovation that was completed in July.
Serbia Railways has said the collapsed roof was not part of the renovations.
Students appear to have some support, with members of the public providing groceries, sleeping bags and other essential supplies.
At the Belgrade faculty, the entrance to the building was guarded by a group of students under posters proclaiming: "Everyone to the blockade."
The major student-led protests are the second in a year: last December many demonstrated against suspected electoral irregularities.
