This is John Batchel, speaking with colleague Ivana Stardner, of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Ivana's in the U.S., but she very much watches what happens back in Serbia and the Western Balkans.

Right now, there are protests that have been running for days, weeks, and she explains here why and what it is to be done

and why the people, especially the young people of Serbia,

are pushing back against the very powerful

prime minister and leader of the country,

men named Vuchich.

Here's Ivana Stradner on the protests in downtown

Belgrade, a beautiful old European city, now abused by decades of short-cutting construction,

some of which has led to tragedy. Here's Ivana, much more of this than I.

So things in Belgrade are actually not decreasing in terms of the size of the protests.

They're actually continuing and growing.

And everything started in November when that was triggered, you know, in November after part of the roof of a new railwheel station in the city of Novicead actually collapsed, killing 15 people.

And many Serbs actually blame the tragedy on corruption, believing actually that officials

neglected to enforce safety standards during construction.

And they blame, so basically the protests continue to grow because of corruptions.

And the protesters' resistance actually reveals growing unhappiness among ordinary Serbs.

Corruption, lawlessness, and abuse of authority have become very ubiquitous.

And while government performance has grown increasingly inefficient and economic

discontent is actually growing.