For the fifth consecutive day, demonstrators gathered on the rain-soaked streets of Sarajevo on February 17, demanding accountability following last week’s fatal tram accident that claimed the life of a 23-year-old student and left four others injured. The protests were smaller than in previous days, drawing around 100 participants, mostly university and secondary school students.

The demonstrations were sparked by the February 12 tragedy in which a tram derailed and crashed into a tram stop, killing Erdoan Morankić, a 23-year-old art history student from Brčko. Four others were injured, including 17-year-old Ella Janković, who remains in critical condition after undergoing an amputation.

Organised mainly through Instagram pages, the size of the protests has since diminished, particularly on February 17, due to poor weather conditions, but also because several of the demonstrators’ initial demands have already led to high-profile resignations. On February 15, Nihad Uk stepped down as prime minister of Sarajevo Canton, triggering the collapse of the cantonal government. A day later, Senad Mujagić, director of the city’s public transport company GRAS, also resigned.

Protesters began on February 17 as they had for the past several days, blocking the Zmaja od Bosne road outside the National Museum, the site of the recent tram tragedy. At the tram stop, a vigil for Morankić had been set up, with a striking red message painted on the shelter: “Coming to coffee, I’m just waiting for the tram”.

Demonstrators later marched toward Marijin Dvor, gathering outside the Sarajevo Canton government building, where members of the special police unit of the canton’s interior ministry (MUP KS) entered the premises as a precautionary measure.

Addressing the crowd, one of the leading figures in the protest, Samir Hrnjica, delivered a defiant message, encouraging demonstrators to remain resolute, and noting that an increasing number of older citizens had joined the student-led movement. Organisers also reaffirmed their stance that the protests are not political, responding to online claims that students were ‘sent’ by the opposition Party of Democratic Action (SDA).

Another group of protestors then proceeded to the building of the presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina, where they blocked traffic and called for resignations, chanting “Get out!”

Students carried banners calling out educational authorities, including one reading: “Professors, where are you? They are killing your students!”, an appeal for teachers to join the demonstrations. They also demanded the resignation of Sarajevo Canton Minister of Education Naida Hota Muminović, following alleged reports that letters had been sent to schools discouraging students from attending the protests.  

According to local media, the president of the Secondary Education Union of the Canton of Sarajevo, Admir Šuvalić, confirmed these reports.

Speaking to protestors on February 17 Hrnjica said “Minister Hota, don’t threaten children.You’re here to help, not to threaten.”

In a statement published by N1, the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Education expressed solidarity with Morankić’s family and wished Janković a swift recovery. The ministry denied allegations that it had instructed schools to punish or restrict students attending demonstrations. 

“The voice of our students is proof that you have learned the most important lesson, a lesson about civic courage and empathy. All claims about the alleged instruction of the ministry to punish, legitimise or restrict the freedom of movement of students who want to express their protest are untrue,” the statement read.

“We have never sent such a letter to schools. School is a space of freedom and responsibility, not coercion,” the statement added.

At the end of the February 17 protests, the organisers announced that the protests will continue, stressing that they will remain on the streets until the institutions fulfill their demands. A new protest is scheduled for February 18 at 12 noon.