Hundreds of thousands protested in Belgrade on Sunday evening to mourn the victims of a tragic roof collapse that occurred on Novi Sad railway station on November 1. The demonstration has been called for by students at Belgrade State University who claim justice in relation to the incidence and are accountable for the responsibility of the offenders.
As part of the protest, attendees held up their mobile phones, lighting up the night with their lights, and observed 15 minutes of silence-one minute for each of the 15 victims of the collapse. The students blame the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) government, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, for corruption and incompetence, though the government has denied these accusations.
Poor construction is cited as the reason behind the roof collapse, which resulted in the deaths of 14 and left three more injured; one of them eventually died. Students and opposition leaders believe that such tragedy has happened due to the government’s corruption and nepotism, particularly regarding the station’s renovation a few days prior.
For weeks, students in Belgrade, Kragujevac, and Nis have been blocking classes and holding protests to demand transparency and the release of all relevant documents related to the station’s renovation. They also demand criminal prosecution for the officials involved in the oversight of the project.
Tamara Kovacevic is one of the protesters. “We have been unhappy for years,” she says. “We came here to express our revolt (with authorities), and to support students.” The ruling coalition has rejected these accusations; nevertheless, President Vucic insists that those responsible for the tragedy will be responsible.