Serbia's striking students and populist president to hold parallel rallies as tensions spike

Serbia’s striking students and supporters of populist President Aleksandar Vucic have planned parallel rallies as both mark the country’s Statehood Day with notably contrasting messages. Saturday's student-led rally in the central city of Kragujevac is expected to draw tens of thousands of people demanding justice, respect for the rule of law and an end to rampant corruption. Meanwhile, in Sremska Mitrovica, a small town northwest of Belgrade, Vucic aims to recycle an old nationalist theme, warning of alleged separatism threatening Serbia’s unity. Serbian authorities are expected to bus in thousands of their supporters from throughout Serbia as well as Bosnia to Sremska Mitrovica.