**Serbia Welcomes New Year, 13 Days Late**
On Monday evening, Serbs will celebrate the start of the new year according to the Julian calendar. This is 13 days after the widely used Gregorian calendar New Year.
The Orthodox Church in Serbia uses the old Julian calendar. It was created by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and has a different date for Christmas and New Year’s Day than the modern Gregorian calendar. While most countries use the Gregorian calendar, some Eastern European countries like Serbia still follow the Julian one.
**A Somber Celebration**
This year’s celebrations will be marked by sadness and protest in many places. On November 1, a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad train station collapsed, killing 15 people and injuring two others. Students across Serbia have been protesting for weeks demanding answers about the tragedy.
In Novi Sad, students will welcome the new year in silence to show their discontent with the situation. Natalija Petrovic, a student, said they want to demonstrate that they “have nothing to celebrate.” The group will gather outside the University rector’s office and write messages, followed by a program at the Petrovaradin Fortress. At 11:52 pm, they will hold a minute of silence.
**Protests Continue**
In Belgrade, students from the School of Civil Engineering had planned a cultural event to raise funds for the victims’ families in Novi Sad. However, they canceled it after “political actors” became involved. The students wanted to keep their protest student-led and free from influence. They also reported receiving threats, including one from a suspected member of the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA).
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