By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BELGRADE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Protesters in Serbia stood in silence for 15 minutes on Friday for the victims of a roof collapse in a northern city that killed more than a dozen people and underscored concerns about corruption in the Balkan nation.
The demonstrators say they want to keep pressure on the populist authorities to punish those responsible for the November 1 tragedy in Novi Sad, where the concrete outer roof at the central railway station smashed down on people.
Initially, 14 people died, and three were injured, but one more person later died in hospital, officials said. The railway station building was reportedly renovated twice in recent years.
Street protests and blockades have been held almost daily since the roof crash, demanding justice. Another rally is planned on Sunday in Novi Sad to mark one month since the tragedy.
While prosecutors have announced the arrests of 13 people, a Serbian court this week released from detention former government construction minister Goran Vesic.
This has fueled public anger about the ongoing investigation, as the ruling populists control both the police and the judiciary.
CHINA’S ROLE
Critics say corruption and a lack of transparency, deeply rooted in Serbia’s ruling elite, contributed to sloppy work and the eventual roof collapse.
The station was renovated as part of a Chinese-led upgrade of Serbia’s railway infrastructure.
The renovation was unveiled in 2022 during the election campaign, underscoring China’s growing regional economic footprint.
However, reconstruction continued until July this year, when the authorities declared the station had been rebuilt “according to European standards.”
Yet Novi documentation concerning the renovation has been classified as confidential, according to well-informed sources.
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, who has faced criticism over his perceived authoritarian style, accused protesters of being “bullies and thugs.”
‘POLITICAL GAINS’
He said opposition supporters “used people’s deaths for political gains.”
Scuffles erupted both in Serbia’s parliament and during some of the recent rallies when pro-government protesters showed up to break up the opposition-led blockades.
Several incidents were also reported during Friday’s silent protest in Belgrade, the capital city. In Novi Sad, residents held a long black banner for the victims.
Some people at the protests in other cities held white roses or posters with a red handprint, telling authorities they have “blood on their hands.”
More protests were expected Sunday, a month after the tragedy that shocked the nation.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) destroyed what it described as the largest Hezbollah tunnel discovered in southern Lebanon on Tuesday evening, carrying out a controlled detonation shortly after issuing an unusual public warning to northern Israeli communities.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House, emphasizing the enduring alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom as the monarch continued a four-day state visit.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran is in a “state of collapse,” asserting that intensified U.S. pressure — including a blockade of Iranian ports — is forcing Tehran to reconsider its position and seek relief through reopening critical global waterways.
The United Arab Emirates announced Tuesday that it will withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, ending decades of membership in a move that could reshape global energy dynamics.
At least 14 people were killed and dozens injured after two trains collided near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, officials said Tuesday, in one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in recent years.
A United Nations-appointed panel has urged Pakistan to take stronger action to end forced religious conversions and child marriages, warning that minority girls remain at high risk of coercion and abuse.
The United States is delivering on its promise of maximum pressure. According to a bombshell April 27 report from global trade intelligence firm Kpler, Iran’s oil export infrastructure is on the verge of total seizure — not by military force, but by the crushing weight of American economic and naval power.