Serbia charges 13, including ex-minister, in train station roof collapse

Fatal illness of railway presumption extortion successful the metropolis of Novi Sad killed 15 radical and prompted protests past month.

Serbian prosecutors person charged 13 people, including a erstwhile transport minister, implicit the fatal collapse of a bid presumption roof successful the bluish metropolis of Novi Sad past month.

Prosecutors filed the indictment connected Monday aft the November 1 mishap near 15 radical dead.

The factual awning of the precocious renovated extortion caved in, sidesplitting 14 radical astatine the country portion the 15th died successful infirmary weeks later. The victims were aged betwixt 6 and 74.

Public outrage implicit the calamity prompted regular nationwide protests, with galore blaming the deaths connected corruption and inadequate oversight of operation projects.

The authorities denies the allegations.

In a connection connected Monday, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office successful Novi Sad said it had indicted officials and executives including the erstwhile curate of infrastructure, his lawman and the designers and supervisors of the reconstruction project.

“The indictment was brought … owed to justified suspicion that they person committed a superior offence against wide information … caused wide information … and [for] irregular and improper operation works,” it said.

Former Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesic was among those charged. However, successful enactment with Serbian law, the indictment lone identified the defendants utilizing their initials.

People and rescuers gathered astatine the country of an outdoor extortion that collapsed astatine a bid presumption successful Novi Sad, Serbia, connected November 1, 2024 [AP Photo]

Vesic, arsenic good arsenic Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic and the caput of state-run Serbian Railways, person resigned implicit the incident.

On November 4, Vesic said helium would resign but that helium could not judge work for the accident.

On November 21, constabulary arrested 11 radical successful transportation with the accident, including Vesic, whom the tribunal released from detention connected November 27.

The prosecutors requested that the 10 radical presently successful custody implicit the incidental stay and that 3 radical who had been released pending the probe beryllium taken backmost into custody.

Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, said those liable indispensable beryllium held to account.

The latest protestation implicit the catastrophe gathered tens of thousands of radical successful the capital, Belgrade.

Protesters are demanding that the authorities instrumentality responsibility, the premier curate resign, and those recovered liable beryllium prosecuted.

Students person besides joined the demonstrations, shutting down the operations of astir universities successful Serbia for a month, calling for transparent probe and accountability.