The construction disaster happened in the country’s second-biggest city, Novi Sad, on November 1. Authorities have opened an investigation, but nobody has yet been punished.
Opposition politician Borislav Novaković, a former mayor of Novi Sad, expressed outrage during Monday’s protest over the fact that “after 11 days, no one has been held criminally responsible.”
“The state is not arresting the perpetrators of crimes, only those who demand justice,” he added. After protests organized last week in the city, police detained several activists and politicians responsible for organizing the rallies.
Lawyer Jovan Rajić, who organized Monday’s protest, told the crowd that the victims of the disaster “were killed by corruption, crime, lack of transparency, negligence and greed.
‘Hungry for justice’
“That is why we demand accountability and justice. This nation is hungry for justice,” he added.
The demonstrators called for the resignation of Novi Sad Mayor Milan Đurić and Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, who was the mayor of the northern city when the railway station had been reopened after renovation.
The protesters also want an inspection of all infrastructure projects initiated or implemented over the past 10 years.
After speeches in front of a government building, the march headed towards the president's office, where opposition politician Srđan Milivojević told the crowd that their demands would be officially submitted to the Serbian parliament.
Serbia's transport minister, Goran Vesić, has already resigned in response to the tragedy.
The crowd blamed the disaster on corruption and poor renovation work on the station, which was part of a deal with Chinese state companies. Such firms have been involved in several infrastructure projects across the country.
A Chinese company led the renovation of the Novi Sad station as part of a wider deal to upgrade Serbia’s railway infrastructure.
The renewed station was initially unveiled in 2022 during that year’s general election but work quickly resumed and lasted two years after authorities said the station had to be constructed “according to European standards.”
