Thousands March in Novi Sad to Mark Two Years Since Train Station Collapse

Thousands of students and supporters gathered in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of a deadly train station disaster. The commemoration took place one week after a student movement defeated the government of President Aleksandar Vucic in parliamentary elections. Participants marched in steady rain and silence, laying 16 wreaths and 16 red hearts outside the station building to honor the 16 people killed in the collapse.

The tragedy occurred on November 1, 2024, when a concrete canopy at the station crashed at 11:52 a.m. Fourteen people died at the scene and two died later. A young woman survived with life-changing injuries. Authorities initially claimed the structure had not been renovated, but an independent investigation by a group of experts later found that renovation work had been rushed under political orders. The report alleged a systematic degradation of construction standards and stated that the state of Serbia violated its citizens' right to life.

Many Serbians believe the canopy failed due to corruption and negligence in state infrastructure projects. The station renovation was part of a larger railway reconstruction project involving China and Hungary. Vucic and his ally, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, toured the renewed station in 2022. A student speaker on Sunday called the event a murder that demands accountability and justice. The speaker promised that Serbia’s young people would build a more just society and that the victims would not be forgotten.

Since the Students' List defeated Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party last Sunday, student leaders have demanded a review of high-profile investigations, including the probe into the canopy collapse. Thirteen people had previously been charged, including a government minister, but no trial was held because the investigation stalled. On Sunday, prosecutors ordered the 48-hour detention of Marko Kricak, Vucic's chief of criminal police, and another senior officer. They face suspicion of abuse of office in connection with a murder investigation. Kricak has denied allegations that he orchestrated violence during student protests and threatened a female student with rape.

Andreas von Beckerath, the head of the European Union mission in Serbia, wrote on social media that the canopy collapse shook Serbia to its core. He added that the memory of the victims should inspire a country built on solidarity, public trust, and the rule of law. State television, RTS, broadcast Sunday's memorial following resignations among officials in the post-election week. This marked a change from the previous year, when Vucic was still in power. Commemoration ceremonies were also held in other cities across Serbia.

Vucic's party took office 14 years ago and gradually controlled all state institutions. The student movement has promised to restore the rule of law and root out corruption. Some of the rallies held in the last two years were among the largest anti-government protests in Serbia's history. The next step in the political process involves the new government's review of stalled cases as they settle into power.