The number of victims of the accident at the railway station in the Serbian city of Nový Sad, which happened more than two weeks ago, rose to 15 on Sunday. A woman who suffered serious injuries in the accident died on Sundayinforms TASR according to reports from the DPA and AFP agencies.
The accident in Novi Sad occurred on November 1, when a concrete shelter above the entrance to the main railway station suddenly collapsed, killing 14 people, including children, and seriously injuring three others. One of them was the mentioned woman, who succumbed to her injuries in a local hospital. The remaining two seriously injured are still in danger of life.
The station building from 1964 has undergone extensive renovation in recent years, which was carried out by two Chinese state-owned companies, but the shelter was not affected. However, the last reconstruction work there ended in July of this year. The tragedy, as well as the fact that the authorities have not yet provided a convincing justification for it, caused a wave of criticism throughout Serbia and protests in Novi Sad and the capital, Belgrade.
In response to the accident, the Minister of Transport and Construction, Goran Vesič, resigned, but the protests continued even after his resignation. Demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučevič and Mayor of Novi Sad Milan Djuric. The authorities blame corruption and insufficient supervision of construction projects.
Hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic at the intersection in front of the railway station in Novi Sad on Sunday and demanded accountability. The local prosecutor’s office summoned and interrogated more than 70 people, including Minister Vesič, but no one was detained. Critics of President Aleksandar Vucic and his government fear that the corruption entrenched in the country could ultimately lead to no one being punished.
