Novi Sad mourns two years after collapse

Thousands of students and supporters gathered in Novi Sad on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of a deadly infrastructure failure. The concrete canopy at the city's train station collapsed on Nov. 1, 2024, killing 16 people. The tragedy ignited a two-year protest campaign that led to the defeat of Aleksandar Vucic’s government in last week's parliamentary elections.

The station renovation was part of a railway reconstruction project involving China and Hungary. Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban toured the completed station in 2022. An independent expert panel later found that political pressure had rushed the renovation work. The report stated that a systematic degradation of construction standards caused the state to violate its citizens' right to life.

Protests began almost immediately after the collapse. Participants blocked traffic across Serbia daily at 11:52 a.m., the exact time the structure fell. Authorities initially claimed the canopy had not been renovated. As the movement grew, 13 people were charged, including a government minister, but no trial was held while the investigation stalled under Vucic's rule.

Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party took office 14 years ago and gradually controlled state institutions. The new Students’ List government has demanded a review of high-profile investigations. This includes the canopy collapse case. On Sunday, prosecutors ordered the 48-hour detention of Marko Kricak, Vucic's former chief of criminal police. He and another senior officer were detained on suspicion of abuse of office in a murder investigation.

Kricak was accused of orchestrating violence during student protests and threatening a female student with rape. He has denied the allegations. Andreas von Beckerath, head of the EU mission in Serbia, wrote on X that the collapse shook the country and moved citizens to demand transparency. He urged that the victims' memory inspire a Serbia built on public trust and the rule of law.

The anniversary memorial was broadcast by state RTS television, a shift from last year's ceremony. Officials at the station resigned during the post-election week. Commemoration ceremonies also took place in other Serbian cities. On Sunday, participants laid 16 wreaths and red hearts outside the station. The names of the victims, including children, were inscribed on the memorials.

A student speaker noted that the event was a murder requiring justice. She promised that young people would build a more just society. The group has pledged to restore democracy and root out graft. The investigation remains a central focus for the new administration.