Serbians Mark First Anniversary of Deadly Train Station Collapse with Silence and Demands for Justice
Tens of thousands of Serbians gathered in the city of Novi Sad on Saturday to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragic train station roof collapse that killed 16 people, turning the event into a powerful call for justice and government accountability. At exactly 11:52am (10:52 GMT) — the time the disaster occurred on November 1, 2024 — mourners stood in complete silence for 16 minutes outside the railway station. Witnesses described the atmosphere as deeply emotional and solemn, as people honoured the victims whose deaths have become a symbol of corruption and institutional failure. Despite charges being filed against 13 individuals, including former construction minister Goran Vesic, no trial has begun. Frustration over the lack of justice has fueled months of mass protests, particularly among students who have led demonstrations demanding transparency and reforms. Al Jazeera’s Milena Veselinovic, reporting from Novi Sad, said that while the crowd gathered to remember the victims, there was also palpable anger. “People here don’t have much faith in the legal system,” she noted. “They blame the government and corruption.” The disaster has had lasting political repercussions. It led to the resignation of the prime minister and the collapse of his government, though President Aleksandar Vucic has remained in power. Critics accuse him of overseeing an environment of “sky-high corruption,” while government supporters dismiss the protests as attempts to destabilize the country. In a rare conciliatory move on Friday, Vucic publicly apologized for some of his remarks about protesters and called for dialogue. “I apologise for saying things I now regret — to students, protesters, and others with whom I disagreed,” he said in a televised address. Mourners included victims’ families who continue to seek justice. “What I want to know is who killed my child so I can have a little peace,” said Dijana Hrka, whose 27-year-old son died in the collapse. “I want no other mother to go through what I am going through.” The Serbian government declared Saturday a national day of mourning, while the Serbian Orthodox Church held a mass in honour of the victims. The European Union’s delegation in Serbia called for calm and restraint, urging the government to address the systemic corruption at the heart of the tragedy.
