Serbia arrests 11 as anger surges over roof collapse at train station

Deadly incident occurred after Novi Sad station was renovated, with protesters blaming sloppy work led by corrupt officials.

Serbian authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with a roof collapse at a train station that killed 15 people and led to protests alleging that government corruption was to blame.

Public prosecutors in the northern city of Novi Sad said on Thursday that police had arrested 11 people on its orders, as part of an investigation into the collapse of the roof at the newly renovated local train station earlier this month.

The Higher Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that the suspects, identified only by their initials, face charges of committing criminal acts against public security, causing public danger and carrying out irregular construction work as part of the renovation project, conducted by a Serbian-Chinese partnership, prosecutors said.

Officials have offered conflicting information about whether the roof was included in the renovation project, questions over the root causes of the collapse acting as a lightning rod for broader dissatisfaction with the government, which has launched a number of large infrastructure projects with Chinese state companies.

Regular protests have taken place since the accident, with critics alleging the roof crash was the result of sloppy renovation work caused by rampant corruption and a lack of transparency, demanding that those responsible be brought to justice and punished.

Protesters in Belgrade shout slogans, the red paint on their hands symbolising blood, alleging government corruption was to blame for the collapse of a concrete roof at a recently renovated railway station in Novi Sad [File: Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo]

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic described the protests on Thursday as “terror” and “brutal violence by certain political factors”, saying also that “we will defeat the thugs and bullies … we are not afraid”.

Serbian media reported that Goran Vesic, who resigned as construction minister after the collapse, was among those detained. The former minister argued on FB that he was not arrested, but had “voluntarily responded” to a request from police.

Protesters are also seeking the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and the mayor of Novi Sad, along with the prosecution of officials responsible for the tragedy.

Apart from Vesic, Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic, who was construction minister from 2020 to 2022 – when the station renovation work began – has also resigned.

Serbia Railways Infrastructure’s acting general director Jelena Tanaskovic has also stepped down.

The opposition and members of the public have demanded the publication of contracts signed with the companies involved in renovating the station.

A consortium of four companies – China Railway International and China Communications Construction, France’s Egis and Hungary’s Utiber – were in charge of the works.

The renovations were completed just a few weeks before the roof collapsed.

Fourteen people, aged between six and 74, were killed at the scene on November 1, while one person died in hospital on Sunday.

People light candles for victims after the roof collapse in Novi Sad in November [File: Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo]

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Al Jazeera and news agencies