BELGRADE: More than a thousand protesters gathered in Serbia’s capital on Sunday, demanding the resignation of the construction minister following a fatal roof collapse at a train station in the northern city of Novi Sad.
The incident killed 14 people, causing public outrage over accountability and safety in recent construction projects.
On Friday, the roof of the central railway station in Novi Sad suddenly caved in, just months after the station completed a major, multi-year renovation. Serbian Railways clarified in a statement that the collapsed section had not been part of the renovation project, but this has done little to calm public anger.
The demonstration, organized by the student activist group “SviCe” (Rising), began with a moment of silence to honour the victims, followed by protesters marching to the Ministry of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure in Belgrade.
Protester Pavle Jaksic voiced concerns over the state of public safety in Serbia, saying, “It is only a question of time when something will fall on our heads.”
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The protesters also directed their anger at Goran Vesic, the minister of construction, transport, and infrastructure, calling for his resignation. Some threw red paint in front of the ministry building, signifying bloodshed and negligence. Ivan Bjelic, one of the organizers, reiterated the protesters’ primary demand: “The demand we have is that Goran Vesic resigns.”
Authorities in Novi Sad have opened an investigation into the collapse, with Vesic and 25 other people questioned by prosecutors on Saturday. However, no official statement on potential charges or disciplinary actions has been released.
The Novi Sad railway station had just completed an extensive three-year renovation in July, raising questions about oversight and safety standards within Serbia’s infrastructure projects.
