Novi Sad Station Marks Three-Year Anniversary

Tens of thousands of residents filled the main railway station in Novi Sad on Sunday to commemorate the third anniversary of a deadly infrastructure failure. The crowd gathered at the location where a concrete awning fell on November 1, 2024, killing 16 people shortly before noon. This gathering occurs just one week after the election that ended the tenure of long-time President Aleksandar Vucic.

The station had been renovated as part of a high-speed rail project backed by China. Protesters linked the collapse to systemic corruption under Vucic, arguing that poor oversight caused the disaster. The incident sparked a nationwide anti-corruption movement that demanded accountability. The pressure forced the resignation of the construction minister and triggered a government reshuffle before snap elections were called.

Zorana Sijan Oborina, a student supporter, expressed a desire for collective healing at a personal and social level. Other attendees observed a 16-minute silence before placing wreaths, flowers, and candles near the crash site. Jelena Trajkovic, a 32-year-old academic, said she hoped the public realized they should not wait years to fix bad systems, particularly when human lives are at stake.

Legal proceedings regarding the collapse remain incomplete. Prosecutors indicted 13 individuals, but pretrial proceedings have stalled. All defendants have denied wrongdoing. The political outcome of the protests is already evident. The Student List, a bloc including academics, farmers, and activists selected by student assemblies, won 141 seats in the 250-member parliament in last week's vote.

Preliminary tallies show the Student List secured a majority, with final results expected in the coming days. Vucic, who ran for prime minister from his SNS party as his presidential term ended, acknowledged defeat and left office. A new presidential election is scheduled to take place before the end of the year.